Phlox Popstars

Phlox Popstar. Despite their small stature, these star performers have been bred to take centre stage in the garden, bringing the X Factor to your summer borders. Phlox ‘Popstars Mixed’ is one of the most talked about plants in the growing industry, and is sure to be a talking point among home gardeners too! The blooms may be less than the size of a penny, but their serrated edging, star shape and marbled colouring make each one a mini work of art! Free-flowering in a wonderful array of colours, these easy to grow hardy annual plants are a must for borders and cottage gardens. Their small size and heavy blooming make them ideal for containers too, where you can really show off the vibrant colours and intriguing flower shapes. Weather tolerant, bushy and compact, Phlox ‘Popstars Mixed’ is self cleaning, requiring no deadheading – faded blooms are simply replaced by fresh new buds to bring up to five months of colour to the garden.

Height and spread: 25cm (10″).  

Sow

February – May

Flowers 

June – August

How to Sow

Sow annual phlox from late winter to late spring on the surface of a good seed compost and gently firm down. Do not cover the seed. Place the seed tray in a propagator at a temperature of 18-20 (64-68F) or seal it inside a polythene bag. Keep the soil damp but not wet. Do not exclude light as this aids germination which usually takes 10-21 days.  When seedlings are large enough to handle, transplant and grow them on in cooler conditions until large enough to plant outdoors. When phlox plants are well grown and all risk of frost has passed, acclimatise them to outdoor conditions over 7 to 10 days. Transplant outdoors in full sun on moist, fertile, well drained soil at a distance of 30cm (12″) apart.