Delphiniums

Overview: 

Delphiniums are up there with foxgloves,  as some of the most magical garden flowers. They give that instant cottage feels to the garden, with their striking columnar colors of blue, white, and lavender tones. In Greek myology, this flower translates to ‘Dolphins’based on their petal structure and color. 

Adventure Level 

3/5 

Starting seeds:

Starting these seeds is why I gave this plant a 3 / 5 adventure level. It's HARD especially here in the Phoenix Valley. They need cooler temperatures to germinate (below 55 is ideal), and they take forever to get a sizeable seedling to place into the landscape. 

If you are feeling adventurous, purchase seeds during the summer and place them into your fridge In July/ August. I Place my grow lights outside the protected area in November and sow my delphiniums in trays. They can take up to 12-16 weeks, yes weeks, after sowing to become sizeable plants to transplant. For this reason, I usually purchase in plugs to save time and sanity. 

Check out my seed starting supply list for all the goodies.

When to plant outdoors: 

October- December are ideal planting times for Delphiniums, I've transplanted them up until mid-January with success. 

 Spacing: 

9-12” apart 

Sun: 

Full sun, 6 -8+ more hours per day.

 Flower Support:

Advised -These flowers can become massive. And because of that, they will need support. Usually, bamboo stakes or Peony cages support them before the buds open is optimal. can be used if growing these in the field. Hortnova netting can be used as well in the field, especially on the taller varieties - like the ‘Belladonna’ series.

Fertilizing: Delphiniums are heavy feeders. Give balanced granular fertilizer to encourage growth in young plants. Weekly liquid fertilizing is also advised for optimal blooms. My favorites are Maxsea and Neptunes Harvest.

Succession plant?

Yes, I usually plant two successions of Delphiniums. They will send up one large stem partied with a few smaller stems that are perfect for use in bouquets. Early planted Delphiniums usually bloom in March, and later successions bloom in April. 

Favorite Varieties:

Guardian series- Lavender

Belladonna series