Phlox is a wonderful genus of plants to incorporate within the perennial planting design scheme of a border.
One of the practicalities are how these plants hold their own, upright, and sturdy, with little plant support required.
I love the fragrant scents on a summer evening, a wonderful addition to any cottage garden theme. Flowering is currently holding well and will still be performing in September in our own cottage garden.
This Snippet blog focuses on powdery mildew, very common with cultivars of Phlox, that of which I have certainly found to be the case during my 45 years as a Professional Horticulturist.
In our Cottage Garden just fifteen minutes’ drive from my Lakeside work, our Phlox are free of powdery mildew, in a semi shaded spot too, in a border behind a Beech hedge. At the Lakeside Garden though the Phlox struggle with the fungus, humidity from Lake Windermere is a contributory factor. Time constraints this season have prevented me getting on top of the situation.
I plan to divide the clumps this autumn, reducing the plants to allow more air flow between, reducing the onset of powdery mildew. During next spring I will also thin out the stems to create the same effect.
There are a good number of Organic options available to spray as a fungicide. Neem oil as a reference, although I've never personally trialled it, from the: Indian Lilac Tree, growing in the climates of tropical/ semi tropical regions.
Another alternative is to grow Phlox cultivars resistant to powdery mildew, which include:
* Phlox maculata Alpha.
* Phlox paniculata Miss Lingard.
* Phlox paniculata Alexandra.
The leaves of Phlox will turn yellow, then necrotic brown as a result of the mildew, the process starts from the lower leaves and works upwards on the stems.
Kevin Line,
Head Gardener, Lakeside Hotel Garden, South Cumbria.
Professional Gardeners ‘Guild.
Member of the HPS since spring 2013.
