This is a question for anyone. Are the TALL PHLOX easy to as the smaller version?
Tall Phlox
I have found them to be.
Yes, they are very easy and beautiful. David is the best - in my mind, pure white flowers with a wonderful smell.
kathy
I love 'David.' It's new in my garden, but I know someone who has it which is why I purchased mine. Good mildew resistance and large, beautiful, aromatic white flower puffs, as shihtzumom said.
As bubba1 said, you shouldn't spray the foliage when watering phlox paniculata. I use a watering wand to water around the roots. I've also given my new plants plenty of room for good air circulation.
They are one of my top favorite flowers - David is stunning and smells wonderful
kathy
I have some pink talls too that are very nice. Bought them at a local nursery so I'm sure they are supposed to be mildew resistant with our humid weather predominant in summertime. So far so good. I've had them for 3 years and they are back again and if I can grow them anyone can!!
I like 'David', too. And the butterflies like phlox a lot!
The hummingbird moths like the phlox too.
I love tall phlox. I've had David for many year and it always preforms well for me in our southern heat and humidity. I also have Nora Leigh which is suppose to be variegated but never has variegated for me. It seems to be mildew resistant too. I recently added Starfire and Miss Candy to the line-up. So far no mildew problems with them either
Had Orange Prefection once upon a time but it died out. I planted it w/ Violet Queen monarda...I believe it bullied the phlox.
Another plus...they propagate easily.There's some lavender colored growing about the beds. Undoubtly throw back seedlings from the hybrids that I failed to dead head in time.
P
'David'.....beautiful, fragrant, long bloom time....unlike bigred's experience with 'Starfire', my 'Starfire' get mildew if I even mention the word walking by the plant....but I been using this product called Greencure, potassium bicarbonate-based fungicide....so far so good but its early in the ball game......any of you folks ever use it before or heard of it......thanks
Paul from Alabama
I've never used the purchased product, Paul, but I've mixed baking soda with a little dish detergent and water as a mildew spray. It was very effective. I had a variety of monarda that was mildew covered every year, but the year I sprayed it a couple of times with the bicarb solution they stayed mildew free.
Oddly, I never have had mildew problems on my phlox, and I think some of the varieties I have are prone to it. I have Prime Minister, Bright Eyes, Starfire, Orange Perfection, Sandra, Becky Towe, David, and Katherine-something (mind went blank). We certainly get heat and humidity, but I live on a hill and get a continuous breeze, so that may have something to do with it. They're one of my favorite perennials- late color when a lot of perennials are fizzling, fragrance, long bloom time, butterfly magnet, and easy to grow- just can't be beat in my book! Oh, and good cut flowers too.
And although a bit smaller in stature, Phlox maculata is great in the garden too. I have 'Natasha', and it blooms several weeks earlier than the P.paniculatas, but also attracts butterflies and is quite showy. I don't believe they're prone to mildew. I got 'Natasha' from Bluestone, but I don't see it offered any more. They do have a couple of nice looking white P.maculatas, and many of their phlox are half priced now!
http://www.bluestoneperennials.com/b/bp/scan/MM=f5efd42dae49ddfbbf481a07a04fdc06:599:632:34.html?mv_more_ip=1&mv_nextpage=results_pics&from_qualify=&mv_arg=
gemini_sage....I think you're on to something with the hill position and a continuous breeze....in fact I'd bet on it everything else being equal.....As far as your ridiculous suggestion about making my own mildew preventative at home for pennies instead of buying a 8 oz. container like I did for $14, why in the world would I want to do that gemini_sage, why that would be crazy......:)
Going look into some of the Phlox maculata, been looking and reading about some but ain't got around to growing any, but after your comments I'm going to give it a shot.....
Paul from Alabama