Vad lockas till delphinium
How do I choose the right delphinium varieties for my garden? Consider factors like your climate zone and garden size. Popular varieties include Pacific Giants for consistent colors, Magic Fountains for manageable height, and New Zealand hybrids for strong stems and vibrant colors. Delphiniums put on a magnificent show each summer, like rockets or fireworks that have left their blazing trail standing in the air.
They are the most vigorous and meaty verticals the summer garden can provide; eremurus and foxgloves are somehow more delicate, making less of a solid block, but the forest-like density of delphinium colour is an eye-catching and unmissable contribution to the garden. In tones of deep indigo, clear blue, vibrant purple and pure white, delphiniums can make a lot of noise. Explore our full range of delphiniums , which are ready to plant out in spring or autumn.
This means adding plenty of grit on heavy soils to help with soil drainage, as well as adding well-rotted organic matter to the planting holes. Sow delphinium seeds undercover in March-April. Or sow undercover in August, overwintering in a cold frame, to plant out the following spring. Plants grown from seed will flower the following year. Plant young delphinium plants in the garden in April-June, or September-October.
Sow undercover in a seed tray filled with peat-free compost and water lightly do this first to avoid displacing the seeds. Sow the seeds thinly, then lightly cover with vermiculite. Once the seedlings have three pairs of true leaves, prick them out each into their own individual 9cm 4in pot with peat-free potting compost with added grit. Let them grow on until they are ready to plant out in the garden in May-June. Before planting out, harden off your plants by allowing them to acclimatise to the outdoors bit by bit over a couple of weeks.
Choose a site in full sun or dappled shade. Delphiniums need well-drained soil so add plenty of grit to heavy soils to help with drainage. If delphiniums sit wet in their dormant winter season, they can die, so make sure you prevent this with good drainage. They also need to be in soil that is rich in nutrients, so add organic matter to the planting hole. Add a slow-release fertiliser, such as blood, fish and bone, a scattering of bone meal or organic chicken manure pellets.
After that, you can use a seaweed fertiliser for feeding. Plant 60cm 2ft apart — they are best in groups of two or three, but they need good air circulation around them to prevent powdery mildew. Delphinium shoots are very tempting to slugs. The plants break through the ground in March and if you don't watch out, slugs can have every one. Delphiniums will need sturdy staking to keep their hollow stems upright.
See more on this in the staking advice below.
Delphiniums are hungry feeders, so feed a couple of times through the summer, then again in autumn before the plants die down. Use a slow-release fertiliser only once when planting, then feed with seaweed fertiliser to give them a boost.
How to care for delphinium plants – 3 expert tips for long-lasting flowers
Staking is vital for delphiniums; any strong wind or heavy rain will flatten them and break their hollow stems. This looks fine in a full border where you don't see the base of the plants. Alternatively, you can buy a plant support ring or a plant support grid — placed at about 1m 3ft high, the grid allows the delphiniums to grow through and up, and becomes almost invisible as they mature. Delphiniums will flower in June and July.
After this first flush and when the flowers have faded and are looking a bit tatty, cut the flowering spikes right down to ground leaving the foliage in place.
how to plant, grow & care for delphiniums
Delphiniums can be grown from seed, or propagated by basal cuttings. Take basal cuttings in spring when the plant is in active growth. Insert a couple of cuttings into a 9cm 3½in pot filled with gritty compost and leave on a heated propagator bench to root. When the roots peak through the holes at the bottom of the pot, pot on into individual pots. Delphiniums are hardy perennials so can survive the winter and return the following year.
They can be damaged by waterlogged soil — if delphiniums sit wet in their dormant winter season, they can die. You can make your own with two crushed garlic cloves added to two pints of water. Boil for half an hour and then strain off the liquid and bottle. Plastic milk cartons are good. Keep the liquid in a cool place. Once a week add two teaspoons of drench to one gallon of water and water the plants, drenching a good circle of soil around them.
In a dry year, delphiniums can suffer from powdery mildew. For prevention, plant your plants widely and thin out the shoots emerging from the crowns early in the year to allow for air circulation.