how to prune creeping phlox

Pruning Creeping Phlox Start to cut back flowering stems once half the blooms are spent. The leggy stems of Phlox subulata should be pruned in late spring after the blooms have faded. After flowering, remove dead stems from your creeping moss phlox, according to Mississippi State University Extension.

Should you cut back creeping phlox?

Creeping phlox remains evergreen so it never requires trimming in fall. In areas without heavy winter snows, cut back tall phlox varieties once the plants die back naturally in late fall or early winter. Prune the plants to within a few inches of the ground.

How do you care for creeping phlox?

Creeping Phlox Care

Light. This plant grows best in full sun to partial shade. ...
Soil. Creeping phlox likes soil that is rich in organic matter. ...
Water. This plant requires a moderate amount of soil moisture, though mature plants do have some drought tolerance. ...
Fertilizer.

How do you prune phlox for winter?

Winterizing Garden Phlox

After the first frost, cut any remaining stems back to right above the soil line. Gather and discard the foliage, as it is of no use from this point on. If you live in a colder region, you can protect the phlox roots with a layer of mulch, but be sure to do this before the ground freezes.

Do you cut back phlox after flowering?

Perennial phlox will grow back year after year but it is best, right after the first frost spells, to cut the foliage short. It would quickly turn black if left on the plant. Protect with a fair layer of dead leaf mulch. You can pull out annual phlox because they don't grow back from one year to the next.

How far does creeping phlox spread?

Growing only 3-8 inches tall (7-20 centimeters), but spreading as wide as 9 inches up to 2 feet (22-60 centimeters), creeping phlox is an ideal ground cover and companion plant.

Is creeping phlox poisonous to dogs?

Plant phlox in your garden without worrying about Fido's or Fluffy's safety. Phlox, a flowering plant in the Polemoniaceae family, is not dangerous to dogs or cats. This evergreen perennial isn't toxic, so even if your pet nibbles on the leaves or flowers, no harm should ensue.

Is creeping phlox invasive?

Creeping phlox is actually a native Eastern US plant but it will grow just about anywhere in the United States. ... Needless to say, creeping phlox is one hardy plant. One of the best loved features about creeping phlox is that it will spread, but is not so brutish as to be invasive about it.

Does creeping phlox come back every year?

Creeping Phlox (Phlox subulata), is a spring groundcover that stays green for most of the year. Both are easy-to-grow perennials that come back reliably every season.

Does creeping phlox bloom all summer?

Creeping phlox blooms for approximately six weeks late in the spring and into the early part of the summer in all zones where it grows. It grows close to the ground, and very gradually crawls and spreads.

How do you prepare creeping phlox for winter?

Cover the creeping phlox plants with evergreen tree branches, loose straw or burlap sacks. This prevents water loss due to leaf moisture evaporation. Add a layer of snow over the evergreen branches when it snows. This keeps the phlox plants dormant when the air temperature rises above freezing during the winter.

Is there a difference between phlox and creeping phlox?

Phlox foliage is deep green, fine-textured and needle-like. ... Moss phlox, also known as creeping phlox (Phlox subulata) is a low-growing variety that is used in alpine rock gardens and to edge garden paths and flower beds. There are many different hybrids of phlox, both annual and perennial.

What perennials should not be cut back in the fall?

Don't cut back marginally hardy perennials like garden mums (Chrysanthemum spp.), anise hyssop (Agastache foeniculum), red-hot poker (Kniphofia uvaria), and Montauk daisy (Nipponanthemum nipponicum).

Will phlox rebloom if deadheaded?

Phlox will reseed itself so there need never be a year without these lovely flowers. Deadheading phlox blooms will prevent much of that reseeding. ... Some gardeners deadhead phlox flowers to confine the spread of the plant. Since phlox is a perennial, the resulting seedlings can become weedy and often do not bloom.

Does phlox reseed itself?

(Garden phlox freely reseeds itself. However, most cultivars do not come from seeds. Seedlings are usually inferior plants.

Will creeping phlox choke out weeds?

Tufted creeping phlox (Phlox stolonifera) is a North American native that prefers partial sun or shade and moist soil. It has needle-like evergreen leaves that form a dense mat to effectively suppress weeds.

How do you keep phlox blooming all summer?

Care

If you receive less than 1 inch of rain a week, remember to regularly water your plants throughout the summer.
Each spring, put a thin layer of compost and a 2-inch layer of mulch around the plants to help keep the soil moist and control weeds.
Remember to remove the dead/faded flowers so that your plants can rebloom.

What does creeping phlox look like when not in bloom?

Phlox, Creeping Plant Features

And when the plant is not in bloom, creeping phlox still looks good, sporting bright green, needle-like foliage that adds texture to your garden. Hardy from zones 3-9.

Does creeping phlox like sun or shade?

Almost any soil is suitable for growing creeping phlox as long as it is in full sun to partial shade. For best results, however, plant it in a sunny location where soils are moist but well drained. Dig in some organic soil amendments to enrich the soil and water the plant until it is established.

Is creeping phlox Hardy?

Creeping Phlox - Phlox subulata (Zones 2-8)

Half-inch blooms in shades of pink, red, blue, purple or white are held above spiky-yet-soft foliage and give pollinators a reliable food source when the rest of the garden is still waking up. Creeping phlox is exceptionally hardy and will last for years in the garden.

Is Lavender toxic to dogs?

Lavender, the plant, does contain a small amount of a compound called linalool, which is toxic to both dogs and cats. The linalool is found in such small concentrations, however, that this is rarely an issue. Problems arise only if a dog ingests a very large quantity of lavender.