It’s crazy that we somehow live in a time in the US where it is more economical to make your own plants/eggs/vegetables. There are suppose to be efficiencies gained from large scale operations, but somehow not anymore. Good eggs are now $12/dozen or $1 each in my area. Food is almost too expensive to buy but all of this stuff grows so readily. Thank you for the tip. I see myself headed more and more to the homestead lifestyle. Congress has failed us.
You’re right as far as plants go, everything is getting so expensive that buying just five items regular price usually gets me over the $100 mark. That wasn’t the case not too long ago but we adapt (bob and weave, so to speak 😄) I’ve been buying mostly clearance plants for years now. Only with the odd, hard to find plant, do I splurge. And even then, I make sure to propagate it so I’ll have backups if anything ever happens to the original. $12?? Whaaatt 😳 are they dipped in gold? I don’t know where you live but that’s insane. We buy free range, humanly produced eggs for about $5-$6 (it goes up and down). That’s half what you pay.. wow, I’m shocked. Maybe you need to move lol 😅
This was very good information. I didn't realize it grew on old growth. I was about to give mine a trim. I will definitely be trying this propagation method to get more phlox. The things I dislike about creeping phlox are their short bloom time, how it looks the rest of the season and it's quite prickly. Other than that, it's a really pretty ground cover in Spring.
Yours is prickly? Mine is kind of a soft prickly, if that makes sense. I mean, it looks like it would be sharp to the touch by looking at it but when you touch it it’s kind of soft. And mine looks terrible only at the end of winter, just before it shoots new growth, like in the video. In the video is the worst it looks the whole year. I know you said you were planning on cutting it back, so doing that right after it blooms will force it to grow new shoots and look prettier. Hopefully 🤞 and as an added bonus, the extra branching from the hair cut will give you more flowers next season. And a little fertilizer always helps things along 😊
Nice to find another 7a gardener! This is a great video for creeping phlox newbies like me! My husband loves how the plants look in gardens around our neighborhood and I want add some this year to ours…hope I haven’t missed them at the garden centers for 2024!💕
Not at all! They’re there at Home Depot and Lowe’s right now. I actually just bought a blue one. They had different shades of pink too. Psst..just as a heads up, they are much cheaper at Lowes lol 😁
Thank you so much! I’m cooking up a softwood creeping phlox video right now, you’ll soon be able to take cuttings and make more if that interests you 😊. Things always look good when repeated throughout the garden 👍
This was so thorough and informative - thank you! I didn't realize how easy phlox was to propagate from cuttings! I've been chopping away at mine and transplanting it - this seems way less destructive! I will definitely give it a try! Thanks! Looking forward to learning more from you! 💚
Oh thank you so much! Yes exactly, I feel like dividing is best saved for those things that can’t be propagated any other way. Like hostas, day lilies and the like. Yes, do give it a try, and I’m doing another softwood cutting video in a bit too, if that’s something that interests you 😊 thanks for watching! 🤗
This video is on hardwood cuttings which you will be able to follow in winter. But I’m almost done making a softwood cuttings video that you’ll be able to follow during spring and summer, if that’s something that interests you. Will upload as soon as the cuttings have matured enough to be viable softwood cuttings. For sure in the next couple weeks. 😊 thanks for watching and taking the time to comment 🥰
@@Garden-Oasis please do more propagation videos if you are able to because those get a whole lot of traffic and will help us know how to do it and it will help you grow your channel 🙏🌸🌸
@@chrismarchetti-olson6632 I am definitely working on a few as we speak. I have one on petunias, one on hardwood panicle hydrangeas, and one on Annabelle hydrangeas 😊 I’m even going to do another creeping phlox video as softwood cuttings, for those that missed the hardwood cutting time 🤗 stay tuned!
I also have a softwood cuttings video coming up. You could definitely give the hardwood cuttings a go and if that doesn’t work out, you could try the softwood cuttings video 😊 it will be a fun project to undertake and so rewarding when you look at a plant and know you made that 😊
The saying “blooms on last year’s wood” is kind of misleading. What they mean when they say that is that the flower buds are carried over on last year’s growth. But they won’t just open, they’ll first make a stem of new growth and then flower at the tip of that new growth. So they kind of do bloom on new growth, but not really. You see, there will be new growth all during the summer too but it won’t bloom. Because the flower buds need the fall cool nights to trigger them to form. Then they get carried over during winter and the cycle repeats. So like if you were to have cut off all the stems that grew last year down to the stems that grew the year before that, you’d still get green new growth from the old stems but you’ll have cut off all the flower buds (because they were on last year’s stems). If that made any sense. I hope I didn’t confuse you.
I’m propagating it in order to use it as a kind of mulch. Not everywhere, because I want to intermix it with low growing sedums and ice plant for color contrast. But that’s the plan, to crowd out the weeds and save myself time weeding lol. But also, the flowers make me happy so it’s a win win 😄
You’re very welcome 😊 thank you for watching! Never, ever use garden soil or straight dirt. It doesn’t drain and will rot any cutting you have. I always use used potting soil from the year before, from my hanging baskets. I just dump them all out into a large container and that becomes my propagation media for the next year. If you don’t have any used potting soil, you can purchase some for this year. You can also use straight sand. The whole point is to have media that drains. You can do a test. Put it in a pot, lightly press it down and water it heavily. If the water doesn’t run through in seconds, it’s too dense. Good luck! 👍 😊
Hi I love your video !!! I have a question? I live on New Jersey, I’ll like to plant this beautiful plant, when do you think will be better to plant it since we have very cold winter. What I m looking to do is have them bloom next spring
Thank you! 😊 Plant it now. They’re being sold seasonally and now is the time they are in the garden centers. You don’t have to worry about a time to plant with this particular plant because it’s very tough. It takes the cold all the way down to zone 3 which is upper Canada and it can take the heat all the way to zone 9 which is Florida. So you don’t have to worry about anything, just plant it where you think you will enjoy it most and make sure it gets either full sun or some sun during the day. The sun helps it gather energy to grow faster and make more flowers next spring. If you are getting cuttings from a neighbor, follow the directions in the video and keep the cuttings in the shade till fall, then plant it in a full sun or part shade spot. Good luck! 👍
I have phlox and this will work for me. Thank you! Question: will phlox keep weeds and grass from growing? I'm trying to figure out the best way to pretty up the ground around my solar installation.
Absolutely it will. It will take a few years to get so dense that it surprises everything but it’ll get there. In the mean time, you’ll have to help it along with the odd weed here and there around the edges as it spreads out. That’s my plan as well, to have it suppress weeds, but I’m planning on intermixing it with ground cover sedums and ice plant so it kind of breaks up the colors and gives all season interest 😊 the sedums I’ve chosen is a pretty tricolor trailing variety and a pretty bright green one.
I live in a state where we normally get lots of snow (for protection from the cold as I see it) Seems this year because of no snow, I have a lot of "die off" of Phlox strands. Do I clip them away or will they redeem themselves and come back? It just looks so unhealthy. Loved your video and thanks.
Absolutely. If the leaves have turned brown, (since it’s an evergreen, and they’re not supposed to, they’ll instead go slightly muted green like in the video) but if they have turned completely brown. Go ahead and cut it off and give it some fertilizer. It’ll replace that dead growth with new growth.
Only if it’s looking a bit ragged in certain spots. If, for example, it’s gone through some stress and maybe a portion of it isn’t looking its best, you could cut it back to encourage new growth. Or maybe it’s encroaching on a neighboring plant, you could cut it back to keep it where you want it . But other than that, I don’t cut mine if it looks happy and I’m happy with how it’s spreading. If it does need a trim, the best time is right after it’s flowered 😊 good luck 👍
Excellent video…Thank you! First of all, I had no idea I could propagate creeping phlox and your step by step is what I needed since I’m clueless. I have one question though…now that that phlox is in full bloom, when do you suggest I take the clippings? Now, when it has finished blooming or in the fall? Thank you in advance. Subscribed!!
Thank you! 😊 I’m working on a softwood cuttings video and will upload in a few weeks when softwood cuttings season arrives. It’s almost upon us 😊👍 You could try to take them now, while they’re flowering, but the results will be about 50% success. Personally, I don’t like cutting off the flowers to propagate it when you could have your cake and eat it too, so to speak (enjoy the flowers AND be swimming in phlox by Fall lol) 😄
Just discovered and subscribed to your channel, thank you for the informative video! Could you please do similar video of other easily propagate plant cuttings, thanks?
I’ve never tried it from seed. They’re so easy to propagate that I’ve never tried it. But I don’t know how successful it would be to just sprinkle the seeds because, as I’ve just found out, phlox seeds need complete darkness to germinate. And being out in the sun, I don’t imagine it will get much darkness. If I were doing it, I think I would try germinating them inside, in a dark spot. Then, when I see them emerging, I’d move them to a shaded spot outside, like under a tree, to kind of “baby” them a bit (probably for a month or so). Then when they’re well established and growing well, I’d move them to a spot with morning sun… but like I mentioned, I’ve never germinated phlox seeds so I’m just guessing.. but I have germinated other seeds and that’s what I usually do. Hope that helped
Thank you! ☺️ and I’m in zone 7 as well. No it’s not too late as long as they haven’t bloom yet. After they bloom, all that pent up energy that would have gone to making new roots will have been spent on making those flowers. Just make sure that when you take these cuttings, you’re sticking the hardwood part of your cutting. At this point in the season, they have tender new growth that’s just about to bloom so you don’t want just that growth, it’s still too tender. You want the lighter colored growth from last year that the new green growth is attached to along with it. You don’t need to take off the new green growth, you just have to have that harder tougher growth be in the soil to root. If they’ve budded up (mine are budded) you’ll want to cut those flowers off before they open. Just the flowers, not the new leaves. Just pinch the tips. Place them in the shade and keep them watered. Use well draining potting soil. I’m going to make another video on softwood cuttings so don’t worry, you’ll get another chance in about 7 weeks 😊. Good luck! 👍
You can plant them in place of grass if you have stepping stones. They aren’t really meant to be walked on. The blooms last for a week or two. And the best one is the color palette that you like. They’re all beautiful and equally vigorous, so mainly it’s up to you to choose a color that best fits your tastes
It always pushes new growth after it blooms so you could either fertilize it so it pushes a good amount of new growth to cover the older growth underneath OR you could cut it back a bit and then fertilize it and let it flush out. Either way, it will need fertilizer and you’ll need to keep it watered. If the roots are always dry, it will grow less green growth to balance out the lack of water. Hope that made sense 😊 good luck 👍
I’m not sure what zone you’re in and if your phlox has bloomed yet. If it hasn’t bloomed, absolutely you can. If it’s blooming now, you’ll get about half the cuttings dying on you because all the stored energy has been transferred to the flowers. If it’s done blooming or about to be done, you can take softwood cuttings. For me, here in zone 7, the phlox is almost done blooming and we’re about a week away from the new growth being ready to take cuttings from as softwood cuttings. I’m making a video as we speak and will upload soon, if that interests you 😊 👍
Yes exactly, don’t let it dry out. And use potting soil so it drains well and doesn’t hold so much water that the cuttings rot. Potting soil works very well. Doesn’t matter the brand, they’re all the same. Hope that helps 😊
Couldnt i just take hard wood cuttings anytime of year? The reason i say this is bc currently its sitting the a raised bed, (i thought i was moving so i took it to my moms) its out if sight and not being looked at anyways. Couldnt i take the hard wood cuttings from that even though its blooming now?
If you’re asking if you can take cuttings from the top, of course you can. If you don’t mind losing the flowers, the top is just as good as the edges. If you’re asking if you still can because it’s already blooming, I don’t know. I love the flowers so never cut them off in order to propagate it. I’d imagine you’d have some success just because this plant roots so readily but I’m not sure. You see the reason we take the cuttings while it’s dormant is bec it has all that stored up energy still unused in there to dedicate to rooting. But since it’s already bloomed, a lot of that energy has gone to making those flowers so there will be less stored energy left to make roots, if that makes sense. You could try it, though and let us all know if it worked for you I’m also going to make a softwood cutting video. In a few weeks, once the new growth has hardened off a bit. You could wait and do it that way. Either way, it’ll be a fun project to do. 😊
@@Garden-Oasis i took from both the sides and top, and i just planted them in some potting soil with rooting hormone so i will see! Thank you for the information that makes total sense.
They don’t last for very long naturally but you could try keeping them watered. I’d imagine it’s a huge strain to keep those flowers hydrated so when faced with a choice all plant sacrifice the flowers first.
I’m going an experiment right now with cuttings that had already bloomed because that was one of the questions people asked and I didn’t know the answer. Because we wait for these flowers all year, I’d never cut them off to propagate it. So I tried it, just to know the answer and half of them are not doing so well, half look like they’re working. I get much better results with hardwood and softwood that hasn’t bloomed. So the answer is yes, you could do it but the results will be that half will die and only about half will live. If you wait a couple more weeks, it will push new growth that you can take cuttings from and those will have much better results. I’m working on a softwood cutting video and will be uploading when the time for softwood cuttings comes. So you could plant it and let it grow till then or give it a shot. It’s all up to you 😊
Does creeping phlox become invasive to the point of becoming a nightmare a few years out? I’ve read that it become woody with age and I’m wondering if I’ll regret is should I ever decide to remove or relocate it? Thanks in advance for your input! 🙃
No not at all. There are people that have the same plant for many years and it just kind of “creeps” along lol. It’s not invasive and not hard to remove. The becoming woody part is usually due to a lack of water. It will only put on green growth to match the water availability. If there is very little water, it will put out very little tender green growth because that growth will require water to stay alive, if that makes sense. And cutting back the top a bit, every now and then, followed by some fertilizer and regular watering should revive any older plant that’s gone woody.
Probably is. This plant is very versatile and and popular everywhere because it can grow from zone 9 all the way down to zone 3. So anyone can grow it and it will survive their winters. Great plant 👍
It’s called “creeping phlox” and yes it does very well in clay soil 😊 If you mean what specific variety. This will work for all varieties or cultivars of creeping phlox.
I live in Illinois just outside Chicago about 20 mi west I know it's own 5 but I noticed you mentioned that you were in a zone with the letter I don't know what my letter is. If I want to try to propagate the flax as you did by cutting them back and placing them in the soil how would I know what time of the year I should do this. Another question I have is that when you put them in the pot you said you were keeping them out of the Sun is that necessary? Thank you so much for your information I have subscribed to your channel because I like the details you gave.
It really doesn’t matter what zone. I only mention it just in case someone was wondering where I garden. This method can be done by anyone that has this plant. The only difference is that colder zones will have more time to take the cuttings since their spring is a little behind. So my plants have already woken up and yours are probably waking up just now. You can take the cuttings any time before the flowers open. If your plant has made flower buds, just cut the buds off on your cuttings (just the flower buds at the tips, not all the green growth) then stick them in some soil. Keeping them out of the sun is the most important part. They won’t have roots to keep them from dehydrating in the sun. I hope that made sense 😊
The optimal time is before they’ve flowered. But even if the flowers have already opened, you still could try it. That wouldn’t be the case with most other things but because this plant roots so easily it still might work (though I’ve never tried it because I wait for those flowers all year lol). It couldn’t hurt to try some. And even if the flowering stems don’t work, you’ll get another chance in a few weeks with softwood cuttings. I’m going to make another video when the time comes and you could do it that way 😊 stay tuned 🤗
It can be used to under plant a small tree where it’ll get partial sun and that works fine. But I’m not sure about a maple tree. They get pretty big so I’m thinking the phlox won’t get enough sunlight. I think a different plant for a full shade spot might be better, but you could give it a shot. Personally, I’d plant the phlox you have in full sun and propagate it. Then you could experiment with the plants you make and if they die or don’t do well in the spot you put them, you’ll always still have the mother plant to make more from and try again in a different spot 😊👍
I always grow them out in a pot for the season and plant them out in fall. The weather is mild by then and they’re less likely to go through stress. They just stay in a shaded spot, I keep them watered, and that’s it. I don’t even fertilize them the first season while they’re rooting in, because pushing them to put on growth puts them under stress when they’re trying to establish roots and you’re growing without a mist system. I just let them be and they figure it out. 😊
It’s crazy that we somehow live in a time in the US where it is more economical to make your own plants/eggs/vegetables. There are suppose to be efficiencies gained from large scale operations, but somehow not anymore. Good eggs are now $12/dozen or $1 each in my area. Food is almost too expensive to buy but all of this stuff grows so readily. Thank you for the tip. I see myself headed more and more to the homestead lifestyle. Congress has failed us.
You’re right as far as plants go, everything is getting so expensive that buying just five items regular price usually gets me over the $100 mark. That wasn’t the case not too long ago but we adapt (bob and weave, so to speak 😄) I’ve been buying mostly clearance plants for years now. Only with the odd, hard to find plant, do I splurge. And even then, I make sure to propagate it so I’ll have backups if anything ever happens to the original.
$12?? Whaaatt 😳 are they dipped in gold? I don’t know where you live but that’s insane. We buy free range, humanly produced eggs for about $5-$6 (it goes up and down). That’s half what you pay.. wow, I’m shocked. Maybe you need to move lol 😅
congress is not responsible for our own self reliance.
I just got my first 2 phlox plants this week and was hoping to buy more but now I’m going to propagate it myself!! Thanks for your video!
You’re very welcome! 😊 happy to help!
That is amazing! I have been gardening a while and I never knew phlox is that easy to propagate. I'm going to give it a try! Thank you!
You’re very welcome! 😊 let me know if you have any questions during the process. I’ll be glad to help. Good luck 👍 😊
Great... We liked and enjoyed to the end. Awesome... Full watched. Thanks Have a happy day!
Thank you 🙏 😊 have a wonderful day as well!
This was very good information. I didn't realize it grew on old growth. I was about to give mine a trim. I will definitely be trying this propagation method to get more phlox. The things I dislike about creeping phlox are their short bloom time, how it looks the rest of the season and it's quite prickly. Other than that, it's a really pretty ground cover in Spring.
Yours is prickly? Mine is kind of a soft prickly, if that makes sense. I mean, it looks like it would be sharp to the touch by looking at it but when you touch it it’s kind of soft. And mine looks terrible only at the end of winter, just before it shoots new growth, like in the video. In the video is the worst it looks the whole year.
I know you said you were planning on cutting it back, so doing that right after it blooms will force it to grow new shoots and look prettier. Hopefully 🤞 and as an added bonus, the extra branching from the hair cut will give you more flowers next season. And a little fertilizer always helps things along 😊
I have phlox and they’re currently in bloom; SO beautiful! Thanks for the helpful tutorial!
You’re very welcome! Thanks for watching 😊
Nice to find another 7a gardener! This is a great video for creeping phlox newbies like me! My husband loves how the plants look in gardens around our neighborhood and I want add some this year to ours…hope I haven’t missed them at the garden centers for 2024!💕
Not at all! They’re there at Home Depot and Lowe’s right now. I actually just bought a blue one. They had different shades of pink too.
Psst..just as a heads up, they are much cheaper at Lowes lol 😁
@@Garden-Oasis Thanks! I’ll hit Lowe’s tomorrow!😃💕
Thank you. I typically just sit and wait for them to naturalize - but NOW I won’t need to wait so long. YAY 🎉
You’re very welcome! And you can have the same color throughout the garden for a unified look 😊👍
Thank you so much for a very detailed video. I was unaware that Phlox was so easy to propagate!
Glad you found it useful! Cheers! 😊
Thank you. This just what I was looking for!
You’re very welcome 😊 thanks for watching!
Thank you for explaining.
You’re very welcome! ☺️ thanks for taking the time to comment 😊
Very helpful, thank you!
You’re very welcome! Thanks tor watching 😊
너무 아름다운 정원 입니다
예쁜 꽃들로 가득하네요
유용한 비디오 감사합니다
좋은 시간되세요🤗🥰😍🤩
감사합니다 🤗
This is great, thank you!
My pleasure! Cheers!😊
Love this information….thank you ❤
You’re very welcome! 🤗 glad you found it useful 😊
Very helpful. Another job to do
Go for it! Good luck! 😊👍
Thank you Sue, you're so helpful 😊
I just planted a white creeping phlox on my south east corner
I really appreciate you 💛🫶
Thank you so much! I’m cooking up a softwood creeping phlox video right now, you’ll soon be able to take cuttings and make more if that interests you 😊. Things always look good when repeated throughout the garden 👍
This was so thorough and informative - thank you! I didn't realize how easy phlox was to propagate from cuttings! I've been chopping away at mine and transplanting it - this seems way less destructive! I will definitely give it a try! Thanks! Looking forward to learning more from you! 💚
Oh thank you so much! Yes exactly, I feel like dividing is best saved for those things that can’t be propagated any other way. Like hostas, day lilies and the like. Yes, do give it a try, and I’m doing another softwood cutting video in a bit too, if that’s something that interests you 😊 thanks for watching! 🤗
@@Garden-Oasis awesome - I'll check it out!
Awesome! Thank you. My first spring with my Creeping Phlox I planted last fall. I will be propagating for sure, thanks to you!!
You’re very welcome! Good luck. Let me know if you have any questions during the process 😊 I’ll be glad to help, if I know the answer.
This is the video I needed. Thanks! :)
You’re very welcome! Glad I could help in some way 😊
Wonderful. Thank you so much.
You’re very welcome! Thanks for watching 😊🙏
This is very informative, thank you so much!
You are so welcome! 😊
Thanks for this useful video. I am going to try taking cuttings from my creeping phlox for propagation.
This video is on hardwood cuttings which you will be able to follow in winter. But I’m almost done making a softwood cuttings video that you’ll be able to follow during spring and summer, if that’s something that interests you. Will upload as soon as the cuttings have matured enough to be viable softwood cuttings. For sure in the next couple weeks. 😊 thanks for watching and taking the time to comment 🥰
Very informative and well presented. Thank you.
You’re very welcome! Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment 😊 cheers!
Thank you so much for your video!
You are so welcome! Thanks for watching! 😊
@@Garden-Oasis please do more propagation videos if you are able to because those get a whole lot of traffic and will help us know how to do it and it will help you grow your channel 🙏🌸🌸
@@chrismarchetti-olson6632 I am definitely working on a few as we speak. I have one on petunias, one on hardwood panicle hydrangeas, and one on Annabelle hydrangeas 😊 I’m even going to do another creeping phlox video as softwood cuttings, for those that missed the hardwood cutting time 🤗 stay tuned!
Thank you !
My pleasure! I hope is helpful to you 😊
Wow Wonderful flowers ~
Thank you for good sharing LIKE 1
My friend, have a good relationship 😊
Thank you! Cheers! 😊
EXTREMELY WELL DONE VIDEO!!! Even though it’s 5/2024 in NJ, I’m going to try it now…what can I lose?!?!?! 🌸🌸🌸
I also have a softwood cuttings video coming up. You could definitely give the hardwood cuttings a go and if that doesn’t work out, you could try the softwood cuttings video 😊 it will be a fun project to undertake and so rewarding when you look at a plant and know you made that 😊
Thank You!
You’re very welcome. Thanks for watching! 😊
Thank you
My pleasure! Thanks for watching 😊
My phlox blooms on new growth, too. Zone 5.
The saying “blooms on last year’s wood” is kind of misleading. What they mean when they say that is that the flower buds are carried over on last year’s growth. But they won’t just open, they’ll first make a stem of new growth and then flower at the tip of that new growth. So they kind of do bloom on new growth, but not really. You see, there will be new growth all during the summer too but it won’t bloom. Because the flower buds need the fall cool nights to trigger them to form. Then they get carried over during winter and the cycle repeats.
So like if you were to have cut off all the stems that grew last year down to the stems that grew the year before that, you’d still get green new growth from the old stems but you’ll have cut off all the flower buds (because they were on last year’s stems). If that made any sense. I hope I didn’t confuse you.
Thanks for posting your zone.
Thanks
Welcome! 🤗 thanks for watching 😊
I have some of this but it blooms for such a short period I was debating removing it. Now I’m wondering if I should spread it all over the garden! 😂
I’m propagating it in order to use it as a kind of mulch. Not everywhere, because I want to intermix it with low growing sedums and ice plant for color contrast. But that’s the plan, to crowd out the weeds and save myself time weeding lol. But also, the flowers make me happy so it’s a win win 😄
Hoa đẹp quá❤
🙏😊
Are you using potting soil to put the cuttings in or just regular soil from a flower bed? Thanks for this helpful video!
You’re very welcome 😊 thank you for watching! Never, ever use garden soil or straight dirt. It doesn’t drain and will rot any cutting you have. I always use used potting soil from the year before, from my hanging baskets. I just dump them all out into a large container and that becomes my propagation media for the next year. If you don’t have any used potting soil, you can purchase some for this year. You can also use straight sand.
The whole point is to have media that drains. You can do a test. Put it in a pot, lightly press it down and water it heavily. If the water doesn’t run through in seconds, it’s too dense. Good luck! 👍 😊
Hi I love your video !!!
I have a question? I live on New Jersey, I’ll like to plant this beautiful plant, when do you think will be better to plant it since we have very cold winter. What I m looking to do is have them bloom next spring
Thank you! 😊
Plant it now. They’re being sold seasonally and now is the time they are in the garden centers. You don’t have to worry about a time to plant with this particular plant because it’s very tough. It takes the cold all the way down to zone 3 which is upper Canada and it can take the heat all the way to zone 9 which is Florida. So you don’t have to worry about anything, just plant it where you think you will enjoy it most and make sure it gets either full sun or some sun during the day. The sun helps it gather energy to grow faster and make more flowers next spring.
If you are getting cuttings from a neighbor, follow the directions in the video and keep the cuttings in the shade till fall, then plant it in a full sun or part shade spot. Good luck! 👍
I have phlox and this will work for me. Thank you! Question: will phlox keep weeds and grass from growing? I'm trying to figure out the best way to pretty up the ground around my solar installation.
Absolutely it will. It will take a few years to get so dense that it surprises everything but it’ll get there. In the mean time, you’ll have to help it along with the odd weed here and there around the edges as it spreads out.
That’s my plan as well, to have it suppress weeds, but I’m planning on intermixing it with ground cover sedums and ice plant so it kind of breaks up the colors and gives all season interest 😊 the sedums I’ve chosen is a pretty tricolor trailing variety and a pretty bright green one.
@@Garden-Oasis That will work for me.
I live in a state where we normally get lots of snow (for protection from the cold as I see it) Seems this year because of no snow, I have a lot of "die off" of Phlox strands. Do I clip them away or will they redeem themselves and come back? It just looks so unhealthy. Loved your video and thanks.
Absolutely. If the leaves have turned brown, (since it’s an evergreen, and they’re not supposed to, they’ll instead go slightly muted green like in the video) but if they have turned completely brown. Go ahead and cut it off and give it some fertilizer. It’ll replace that dead growth with new growth.
Great video. Should I be cutting back established phlox at any point during the year?
Only if it’s looking a bit ragged in certain spots. If, for example, it’s gone through some stress and maybe a portion of it isn’t looking its best, you could cut it back to encourage new growth.
Or maybe it’s encroaching on a neighboring plant, you could cut it back to keep it where you want it . But other than that, I don’t cut mine if it looks happy and I’m happy with how it’s spreading.
If it does need a trim, the best time is right after it’s flowered 😊 good luck 👍
Excellent video…Thank you! First of all, I had no idea I could propagate creeping phlox and your step by step is what I needed since I’m clueless. I have one question though…now that that phlox is in full bloom, when do you suggest I take the clippings? Now, when it has finished blooming or in the fall? Thank you in advance. Subscribed!!
Thank you! 😊 I’m working on a softwood cuttings video and will upload in a few weeks when softwood cuttings season arrives. It’s almost upon us 😊👍
You could try to take them now, while they’re flowering, but the results will be about 50% success. Personally, I don’t like cutting off the flowers to propagate it when you could have your cake and eat it too, so to speak (enjoy the flowers AND be swimming in phlox by Fall lol) 😄
Just discovered and subscribed to your channel, thank you for the informative video! Could you please do similar video of other easily propagate plant cuttings, thanks?
I’m working on some right now 😊
This is great! How easy is it to grow phlox from seed, by just sprinkling the seed on the soil? Thank you
I’ve never tried it from seed. They’re so easy to propagate that I’ve never tried it. But I don’t know how successful it would be to just sprinkle the seeds because, as I’ve just found out, phlox seeds need complete darkness to germinate. And being out in the sun, I don’t imagine it will get much darkness. If I were doing it, I think I would try germinating them inside, in a dark spot. Then, when I see them emerging, I’d move them to a shaded spot outside, like under a tree, to kind of “baby” them a bit (probably for a month or so). Then when they’re well established and growing well, I’d move them to a spot with morning sun… but like I mentioned, I’ve never germinated phlox seeds so I’m just guessing.. but I have germinated other seeds and that’s what I usually do. Hope that helped
I’m in zone 7b is it too late to propagate? Or should I wait until after they have bloomed? Otherwise great video!!
Thank you! ☺️ and I’m in zone 7 as well. No it’s not too late as long as they haven’t bloom yet. After they bloom, all that pent up energy that would have gone to making new roots will have been spent on making those flowers.
Just make sure that when you take these cuttings, you’re sticking the hardwood part of your cutting. At this point in the season, they have tender new growth that’s just about to bloom so you don’t want just that growth, it’s still too tender. You want the lighter colored growth from last year that the new green growth is attached to along with it. You don’t need to take off the new green growth, you just have to have that harder tougher growth be in the soil to root.
If they’ve budded up (mine are budded) you’ll want to cut those flowers off before they open. Just the flowers, not the new leaves. Just pinch the tips. Place them in the shade and keep them watered. Use well draining potting soil.
I’m going to make another video on softwood cuttings so don’t worry, you’ll get another chance in about 7 weeks 😊. Good luck! 👍
Is it ok, if I plant them in the grass? My first time, how long flower blooming last? What is the best one to plant?
You can plant them in place of grass if you have stepping stones. They aren’t really meant to be walked on. The blooms last for a week or two. And the best one is the color palette that you like. They’re all beautiful and equally vigorous, so mainly it’s up to you to choose a color that best fits your tastes
Hi ..my phlox blooming but brown/ dead underneath ..any suggestions on what I can do to make the plants healthy .. thanks
It always pushes new growth after it blooms so you could either fertilize it so it pushes a good amount of new growth to cover the older growth underneath OR you could cut it back a bit and then fertilize it and let it flush out. Either way, it will need fertilizer and you’ll need to keep it watered. If the roots are always dry, it will grow less green growth to balance out the lack of water. Hope that made sense 😊 good luck 👍
It’s May 3 - can I cut some of my leggy phlox now and immediately put the cuttings in the soil around my phlox bed?
I’m not sure what zone you’re in and if your phlox has bloomed yet. If it hasn’t bloomed, absolutely you can.
If it’s blooming now, you’ll get about half the cuttings dying on you because all the stored energy has been transferred to the flowers.
If it’s done blooming or about to be done, you can take softwood cuttings. For me, here in zone 7, the phlox is almost done blooming and we’re about a week away from the new growth being ready to take cuttings from as softwood cuttings. I’m making a video as we speak and will upload soon, if that interests you 😊 👍
How often should phlox cuttings be watered? Would it be best if I just keep the soil moist?
Yes exactly, don’t let it dry out. And use potting soil so it drains well and doesn’t hold so much water that the cuttings rot. Potting soil works very well. Doesn’t matter the brand, they’re all the same. Hope that helps 😊
@@Garden-Oasis That helps lots!! Thank you so much! ☺️☺️☺️
Couldnt i just take hard wood cuttings anytime of year? The reason i say this is bc currently its sitting the a raised bed, (i thought i was moving so i took it to my moms) its out if sight and not being looked at anyways. Couldnt i take the hard wood cuttings from that even though its blooming now?
If you’re asking if you can take cuttings from the top, of course you can. If you don’t mind losing the flowers, the top is just as good as the edges.
If you’re asking if you still can because it’s already blooming, I don’t know. I love the flowers so never cut them off in order to propagate it. I’d imagine you’d have some success just because this plant roots so readily but I’m not sure. You see the reason we take the cuttings while it’s dormant is bec it has all that stored up energy still unused in there to dedicate to rooting. But since it’s already bloomed, a lot of that energy has gone to making those flowers so there will be less stored energy left to make roots, if that makes sense. You could try it, though and let us all know if it worked for you
I’m also going to make a softwood cutting video. In a few weeks, once the new growth has hardened off a bit. You could wait and do it that way. Either way, it’ll be a fun project to do. 😊
@@Garden-Oasis i took from both the sides and top, and i just planted them in some potting soil with rooting hormone so i will see! Thank you for the information that makes total sense.
My phlox flowers seem to be dying off already.. do you have any tips to keep them blooming longer?
They don’t last for very long naturally but you could try keeping them watered. I’d imagine it’s a huge strain to keep those flowers hydrated so when faced with a choice all plant sacrifice the flowers first.
I just bought a creeping phlox plant. Should I wait until after it has bloomed to take cuttings?
I’m going an experiment right now with cuttings that had already bloomed because that was one of the questions people asked and I didn’t know the answer. Because we wait for these flowers all year, I’d never cut them off to propagate it. So I tried it, just to know the answer and half of them are not doing so well, half look like they’re working. I get much better results with hardwood and softwood that hasn’t bloomed.
So the answer is yes, you could do it but the results will be that half will die and only about half will live. If you wait a couple more weeks, it will push new growth that you can take cuttings from and those will have much better results. I’m working on a softwood cutting video and will be uploading when the time for softwood cuttings comes. So you could plant it and let it grow till then or give it a shot. It’s all up to you 😊
Thank you for such a detailed reply. It's hard but I will wait 😄
@@nonob55 lol I’m super passionate about gardening 😄 I could go on and on lol
Does creeping phlox become invasive to the point of becoming a nightmare a few years out? I’ve read that it become woody with age and I’m wondering if I’ll regret is should I ever decide to remove or relocate it? Thanks in advance for your input! 🙃
No not at all. There are people that have the same plant for many years and it just kind of “creeps” along lol. It’s not invasive and not hard to remove. The becoming woody part is usually due to a lack of water. It will only put on green growth to match the water availability. If there is very little water, it will put out very little tender green growth because that growth will require water to stay alive, if that makes sense. And cutting back the top a bit, every now and then, followed by some fertilizer and regular watering should revive any older plant that’s gone woody.
If I take my phlox out of the pots I bought and plant them in the ground, will the frost not kill them? I'm in zone 6
No, they will be fine. Phlox is evergreen and hardy to zone 3. Nothing will happen to it even if it’s buried in the snow. 😊
❤😊😊😊
😊🙏❤️
Is this a plant I see all over California when I visit
Probably is. This plant is very versatile and and popular everywhere because it can grow from zone 9 all the way down to zone 3. So anyone can grow it and it will survive their winters. Great plant 👍
Might be ice plant
Can I propagate my phlox now, in May (7a), or should I wait until next spring?
You can do soft wood cuttings. I’m almost done making a softwood cutting video that you’ll be able to follow 😊 will upload as soon as it’s ready 👍
@@Garden-Oasis THANK YOU! I subscribed, so I won't miss it!
What kind of phlox. A name please. Will this grow in clay soil?
It’s called “creeping phlox” and yes it does very well in clay soil 😊
If you mean what specific variety. This will work for all varieties or cultivars of creeping phlox.
I live in Illinois just outside Chicago about 20 mi west I know it's own 5 but I noticed you mentioned that you were in a zone with the letter I don't know what my letter is. If I want to try to propagate the flax as you did by cutting them back and placing them in the soil how would I know what time of the year I should do this. Another question I have is that when you put them in the pot you said you were keeping them out of the Sun is that necessary? Thank you so much for your information I have subscribed to your channel because I like the details you gave.
It really doesn’t matter what zone. I only mention it just in case someone was wondering where I garden.
This method can be done by anyone that has this plant. The only difference is that colder zones will have more time to take the cuttings since their spring is a little behind.
So my plants have already woken up and yours are probably waking up just now. You can take the cuttings any time before the flowers open. If your plant has made flower buds, just cut the buds off on your cuttings (just the flower buds at the tips, not all the green growth) then stick them in some soil. Keeping them out of the sun is the most important part. They won’t have roots to keep them from dehydrating in the sun.
I hope that made sense 😊
Sorry. I’m confused about which is the top and bottom of the cuttings. Can you explain that to me? Thank you.
This method is the same for ANY cutting from ANY plant
Hope that helped 😊
@@Garden-Oasis
Yes it does! Thank you so much 😊
Can I cut them in mid april?
The optimal time is before they’ve flowered. But even if the flowers have already opened, you still could try it. That wouldn’t be the case with most other things but because this plant roots so easily it still might work (though I’ve never tried it because I wait for those flowers all year lol). It couldn’t hurt to try some.
And even if the flowering stems don’t work, you’ll get another chance in a few weeks with softwood cuttings. I’m going to make another video when the time comes and you could do it that way 😊 stay tuned 🤗
Will creeping phlox grow in a shade garden ( under a maple tree)?
It can be used to under plant a small tree where it’ll get partial sun and that works fine. But I’m not sure about a maple tree. They get pretty big so I’m thinking the phlox won’t get enough sunlight. I think a different plant for a full shade spot might be better, but you could give it a shot.
Personally, I’d plant the phlox you have in full sun and propagate it. Then you could experiment with the plants you make and if they die or don’t do well in the spot you put them, you’ll always still have the mother plant to make more from and try again in a different spot 😊👍
After I plant the hardwood cuttings in a pot, when can I transfer to ground planting? It’s April and my phlox is beautiful and I’d like to have more.
I always grow them out in a pot for the season and plant them out in fall. The weather is mild by then and they’re less likely to go through stress. They just stay in a shaded spot, I keep them watered, and that’s it. I don’t even fertilize them the first season while they’re rooting in, because pushing them to put on growth puts them under stress when they’re trying to establish roots and you’re growing without a mist system. I just let them be and they figure it out. 😊