What my other tall phlox looks like

My gardening friend was here for lunch on Friday and mentioned that something is wrong with her phlox this year; she wonders if it was due to a really wet spring, then it turned 90's and all this past week, it had not been below 95..mostly 97. She's afraid it might not come back next year but she said she's just going to cut it back, and sit back and see what happens. She gave me all my tall garden phlox 3 years ago, and mine are just starting to strut their stuff this year.. Hope you get some answers from people who have experienced the same problem and can give you a good answer and solution.

I don't have a clear answer for you but can only suggest you wait out the phlox and give yourself (& the phlox) a few seasons before you pass judgment. That's what I'm doing. I have several different Phlox paniculata/tall garden phlox cultivars and am only beginning to get to know them after nearly 8 years of watching them from one growing season to the next. I've observed they have good years and not-so-good years but since they're fragrant and attract bees, butterflies & hummingbirds, I've also made the decision to be patient. So far none of my plants have made me regret planting them which has to weigh in on any decision to get rid of them.

Some gardeners are more willing to accept the good with the not-so-good while others are not. It all comes down to what pleases your own eyes.

If you do the research, you'll find that Phlox paniculata/garden phlox isn't the totally carefree perennial you might wish to have growing altho' it could be something that adds value to your garden beds.

Thank you pippi and garden weed. I will leave it be this season but may relocate it next season and switch it out with one that is growing better. You can see how it makes the space uneven in this photo with the other tall phlox doing so well. I have about 4 others that are doing just fine I could put in this ones place if needed down the road.
We built this house 1.5 years ago so this is only the second summer for my flower bed. It's also my first home and flower bed so I'm learning as
I go :-)

I can see how that does make the bed unbalanced. But, remember that if you transplant one of your other plants, it will go through some transplant shock and may not grow as well next season as it would if you left it alone. I'm just warning you that you still might not get perfect symmetry. Just try to wait until the plants are as dormant as possible.

Martha

PS. Love your stone/brick combination!

Thanks, Martha! I actually transplanted all of my tall phlox this spring...hmmm, maybe that's what's wrong with this one, it just didn't recover....but the rest did fine. I'll keep that in mind though!
Funny thing is that I bought one tall phlox from the master gardener's show and the rest I have grew up from other plants I also bought there that apparently had been contaminated!?! Not complaining though, I love them! I just wasn't expecting the height so had to relocate them.

mmmm. one of mine is just like....and I must conclude that the fault is my own for failing to give it sufficient water - Phlox are thirsty plants. Of course, it could be some kind of fusarium wilt since this has been affecting several lilies as well.....I also get fairly regular infestations of eelworm and so renew my phlox from root cutting on a 3 year cycle. Every year, some new parasite, bacteria, disease will annihilate some part of my garden or allotment - I have also killed many, many plants over the years (I call this the learning process) so not to worry or stress too much.......

All of my garden phlox have done just that since we moved to blazing hot Kansas in 2007. No amount of water or babying helped. I grew real beauties in Chicago, but not here, where I tried for five years. No more, and I reallymiss growing them.

All of my garden phlox have done just that since we moved to blazing hot Kansas in 2007. No amount of water or babying helped. I grew real beauties in Chicago, but not here, where I tried for five years. No more, and I reallymiss growing them.

its mildew, as someone said they like moisture and feeding.