How to Grow Summer Phlox (Phlox Paniculata)

Summer phlox has 3- to 4-foot stems and fragrant white, pink or red flowers. All this makes this perennial (it comes back year after year) an old-fashioned favorite.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Bypass Pruners
• Compost Makers
• Fertilizers
• Garden Trowels
• Mulch
• Plants

Choosing a Summer Phlox

1. Look for plants at nurseries in spring and summer.

2. Buy summer phlox in 4-inch to 1-gallon containers.

3. Choose healthy-looking plants with signs of new leaves and buds.

Planting a Summer Phlox

1. Plant summer phloxes in full sun in well-drained soil.

2. Add a light application of organic fertilizer to the planting hole.

3. Set plants 1 foot apart.

4. Place plants no deeper in the soil than they were growing in containers.

5. Mulch around, but not on top of, plants with 3 inches of organic mulch.

6. Water well until soil is completely moist.

Caring for a Summer Phlox

1. Cut old stems to the ground in late fall or early spring using bypass pruners.

2. Apply a light application of organic fertilizer to the top of the soil in early spring.

3. Mulch around, but not on top of, plants with 3 inches of organic mulch.

4. Water well weekly - until soil is completely moist - in summers with no rainfall.