Delphiniums

[Shrubrose]

I sowed some this year, in spring and now have about 2 dozen in pots. Can I leave them out or should I bring them in through the winter? The s&s have left them alone completely; they've been out all summer. I'd hate to lose them to the weather.

Any advice gratefully received.

[Rosefriend]

I suppose that I am the wrong person to reply living where I do...but after all your hard work and the fact that you do have a GH I would pop them in there for the winter.

Hope someone else has better advice for you.

RF

[Shrubrose]

Thanks RF. Might just do that to be on the safe side. Thankyou.

[Chuckles]

If they are in 3" pots Shrub I'd pop them in the GH

I do leave some 5" + potted perrenials outside but in a sheltered area but if we were forecast a spate of zero and lower days I do bring them in.

[Shrubrose]

They sure are Chuckles. More confirmation. They're going in the GH tomorrow, for safety. Thankyou.

[Ladygardener]

hope you don't mind me popping into your thread but I too have some lovely delphiniums one of which I grew from seed. should I lift them out of my flowerbed over the winter or will they be ok? I really don't want to loose them. I could put them in my covered back yard if I really need to.

[Shrubrose]

Dont mind at all LNG I'm interested too, seeing as mine will be planted next spring.

[Dutchy]

No knowledge but I do know that all delphinium I ever planted got ravaged by slugs and snails.
Maybe you should get them in for that reason otherwise they should be fine I think...
Mine never made it to winter but I would have left them out in case they had.

[Ladygardener]

Thanks Shrubrose and Dutchy, will protect them from slugs as best I can with used coffee grounds egg shells and a small amount of pellets etc but leave them in the ground over the winter. I don't want to lift them if it might disturb them and I don't really need to .

[andy]

Delphs are pretty hardy if left in the ground. If you're at all worried, maybe a 3" layer of straw can be put on top of the crowns to give them that extra protection.

[Ladygardener]

Thanks Andy, will see if I can find some straw or something like that to protect them.

[Deleted]

I need help getting them to grow ;D Ive been trying for the past 3 years without success, Ive sown direct and in pots all at different times of year and nothing, ive used different seed companys but still nothing.

Any tips welcome.

Karen

[Chuckles]

karenwl said:

I need help getting them to grow ;D Ive been trying for the past 3 years without success, Ive sown direct and in pots all at different times of year and nothing, ive used different seed companys but still nothing.

Any tips welcome.

Karen

In the past I found over watering was one of my problems when sowing seeds Karen and also once germinated too, then you get the dreaded mould

[Weeterrier]

First of all, I think Delphiniums are pretty hardy, but it is the new tender growth in Spring that the slugs love, so lifting them till they are well grown might be a good idea.
As for germination, they have to go through a 'chilled' stage to get them going. So a cold winter would do, or sow in Spring after putting the seeds in the fridge for a couple of weeks.

[Deleted]

Thanks chuckles weeterrier i think you have solved my problem ive not been chilling them, i will give them another go and use the advice from both of you.
I will let you know how i get on.

Thanks both Karen

[Shrubrose]

Oh-oh! My delphs which are now in the GH have tiny orange spots on the leaves - rust? What should I do? Help! Please!!

[Ladygardener]

oh dear hope someone can help

[Deleted]

shrubrose said:

Oh-oh! My delphs which are now in the GH have tiny orange spots on the leaves - rust? What should I do? Help! Please!!

Shrub pick off and burn the diseased leaves then spray with Dithane every 2 weeks

Karen

[Shrubrose]

Ok and thanks. Is it some sort of pest karen?

[Deleted]

shrubrose said:

Ok and thanks. Is it some sort of pest karen?

Its a disease of the stems and leaves

[Mr Grinch]

Hi,
Delphs are hardy so would be ok straight into the border if your on good soil. If its too heavy then you may have a problem with rot. I would leave until the May then plant out. If you do put them in the greenhouse then make sure you harden them off.
Cheers
Mr G

[Shrubrose]

mrgrinch2 said:

Hi,
Delphs are hardy so would be ok straight into the border if your on good soil. If its too heavy then you may have a problem with rot. I would leave until the May then plant out. If you do put them in the greenhouse then make sure you harden them off.
Cheers
Mr G

Thanks Mr G. The soil in some parts of the garden does get very wet as we're on clay here so that's a very useful tip.

[Mr Grinch]

Yes im on clay too. All the write ups state they hate clay but ive never had a problems with them. To be on the safe side leave it until the spring. Then when that warmth comes the roots will love it. If you plant in winter/autumn then the poor things might not have a chance !!

Mr G ;)

[Shrubrose]

I'm leaving them in the GH till spring and then they'll have to take their chances ;D Thanks Mr G.

[Ladygardener]

little update, mine have survived the wet winter so far, there's lots of new growth and I put some growing success pellets around the gardent he other day so fingers crossed the nasty s&s keep away.

[Shrubrose]

Good news LNG. Mine are still in the GH and have coped fine so far. Thickening up with new growth at the base of the central stem. Cant wait to get them planted up in the garden

[Cheerypeabrain]

Last year I grew 'blue butterfly' a dwarf versionthat was simply lovely. I planted some in my Dad's garden where they romped away...but in my garden they all vanished! SNAILS!

I'll be sowing some more in March and won't plant them out until they're big enough to cope....
I've also managed to nurse one pacific giant through winter in the GH...sown in September the other plants were all munched...I need a pet hedgehog to patrol the borders for me....

[Shrubrose]

Put mine out yesterday with fingers crossed on both hands! Had a potter today and saw a huge hole in one of the leaves on one of the babies - bl***y snails! I might have to put aside my 'all life is sacred' principle

[Amo]

We have gardens around here that are a homage to Delphs. I suppose it's the chalk.

I've tried several times over the past couple of years with no sucess but, there is one that was here when we came, and it has come up each year and flowered its head off! Why I can't get mine to take I don't know and yet this one is totally ignored and forgotten about until the electric blue shows up in the shrub it's planted with.

I have some in the green house this year and I'm going to pellet etc them very carefully. Perhaps it's giving them the chance to get a really good root down that it always recovers from???

[Shrubrose]

Oh goody another 'delph' grower The more the merrier! Developing the root base sounds a very good idea Amo, so good luck. I'm sure we'll all be able to compare notes through spring and summer and swap ideas and such!