Ok.......so this is my first year planting perrenials. In my front garden boxes I planted some phlox and coneflowers along with a few other things. My questions are:
1. Should my phlox be blooming already? I planted them about 2 - maybe even 3 weeks before Mother's Day. They are getting pretty tall but I've yet to see any flowers on any of them. Also, on some of the bottom leaves, I am seeing round holes in them in the middle of the leaf as if something is eating them from the underside. Do they tend to attract moth/butterfly larvae and that's what's eating them?
2. My coneflowers are getting buds but I've noticed, mostly on the bottom leaves, they are covered with brown specks. They are not insects sitting on the leaves as there are way too many and the brown specks are actually in the leaves themselves. Is this normal or do I have some type of pest that I really don't want which is causing this?
I probably should have posted this in the "pest forum" but I thought some of you gardeners might be able to help me out before I have to download the picture from a cell phone camera to post them.
Sorry but that is the only digital camera I have at this point.
Patty
2 Questions?
Patty,
I can answer number 2. You most likely have a black spot fungus caused by too much humidity. It is not fatal but be sure not to do any watering late in the day to help.
I'm surprised I don't see more of the #2 on my echies then...lol
Debbie,
Assuming that's what it is - I really only see it in beds that are overwatered by irrigation systems.
I have 2 kinds of phlox , but they are a few weeks away yet from blooming here in WI
I've got John Fannick Phlox--supposed to handle our heat and humidity.
Fat chance of over watering here--me dragging hoses and sprinkler is the irrigation system. :)
I was doing a lot of watering in the beginning but lately it seems like it's been raining so often, I really haven't watered out there. As far as an irrigation system........I have the same one dmj has. Dragging hoses all around to water everything.....lol. From now on I will water later in the evening.
Out of curiousity......is there any other way to get rid of the black spot fungus?
Thanx for all your help,
Patty
Ptrcmcc6,
There are different types of Phlox, as well as different cultivars which will determine bloom time. I am by no means an expert on all the different types but I do grow a few with varying success. I am a native plant buff and all Phlox come from North America. Phlox divaricata ( wood phlox, shade ), stolonifera (creeping, semi-shade), and subulata (mossy, sun) all are low growing and early spring blooming. These have finished blooming for me. Since you say your plants are tall you probably have one of the following. What is blooming for me now is, Meadow Phlox (maculata), cultivar 'Miss LIngard'. This is a pretty, early and long blooming white. There also is Garden Phlox (paniculata) which blooms later, July- August. Some perennials do not bloom the first year they are planted. They take a while to settle in.
Patty,
I haven't seen much curative effect on it - I have sprayed quite a few near trees I have sprayed for disease without much results. You probably would get a few new leaves on it, you could pick off a few of the bad ones - just don't go crazy.
Try spraying Rose Defense..it will take care of almost everything. If your Phlox aren't blooming they are most likely Paniculata. But as sempervirens said if they were small new plants they may wait until next year to bloom.
I found the tag thingie. It does say Garden Phlox, Phlox Paniculata, 'Franz Shubert'. It looks like, according to the tag, that it blooms for maybe the 2nd 2/3rds of the summer. I think I might have to move the one I have in my yard. It doesn't get a lot of sun where it is now and I don't even see any buds on it.
Your Phlox should be fine, mine grow along the north side of my house, and only get a little late afternoon, early evening sun, and have been thriving for almost 20 years there. Mine have no signs of buds, yet, either, it's too early, maybe another month or so.
Deb
Thanx Deb.......I guess I'll leave the one in my yard there for now. The one I have in the front of my house has buds already but that is a southern exposure.