How to Germinate Phlox Divaricata

If you're planning a woodland themed garden, include Phlox divercata. A native American wildflower, these small blue beauties, which also are known as wild blue phlox, grow 12 to 18 inches in height and make ideal border plantings. Place them under the canopy of a large tree because they thrive in shady, dry areas. Phlox divercata blooms from midspring to early summer in U.S. Department of Agriculture Plant Hardiness Zones 3a to 8. Stratify the seeds one month prior to the last frost date in your area. They don't tolerate root disturbance so sow the seed directly in the garden after the last frost date.

Sand
Plastic box or bag
Garden fork, spade or cultivator
Compost
Rake

Instructions

- 1
  Push the phlox seeds into a handful of slightly moist sand. Use enough sand so that the seeds are completely enveloped. Place the sand in a plastic box with a lid or a plastic sandwich bag and refrigerate it for four weeks.
- 2
  Ready the planting bed by tilling the soil to a depth of 10 inches. Phlox divercata are wild flowers and don't require rich soil, but they do need well-drained soil. Mix 2 or 3 inches of chunky compost into the top 6 inches of the soil to help drainage then rake the bed until it's smooth.
- 3
  Scatter the seeds over the bed for a natural, woodland look.The distance apart doesn't matter. If you have a bird problem, cover the seeds with a 1/8 inch layer of sand. Water the phlox bed carefully so that you don't wash away the seeds and soil but enough to keep the soil moist while the seeds germinate. Germination is variable so don't give up if the seeds don't germinate immediately.
- 4
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