hello, I have been trying to grow delphiniums from seed since early this spring. I bought seeds from a local hardware store. Both the Pacific Giants and the Connecticut yankees. I tried 2 different attemps to seed in my garden and 1 round in planters inside. Absolutely nothing germinated. I generally have no problem growing anything. Could the seeds be bad from the seed company or is there some secret that I am missing? thanks Bill
My delphiniums germinated without much problem this spring, although I don't know what variety they are. May be bad seed.
I don't know the variety that I planted, either. But they germinated and a growing nicely.
Brigitte, in Zone 5 - SE Cornbraska
Where are you located? Delphiniums dont *do* some parts of the country well.
IMHO, Delphs germinate best after stratification, a period of cold. Sow them in the ground in fall with your own collected seed, or sow boughten seed in VERY EARLY spring without protection from frost-- flats, packs, or garden row ( your choice) exposed to cold ( deliberately meaning hard frost and freezing temperatures). If you raise veggies, plant Delphs with Peas and Onions, in the same cold conditions.
Colors tend to germinate sequentially, the original, homozygous deep Blue/purples first ( especially with your own, open pollinated, collected seed), Hybrid colors a few days to a few weeks to a year longer.
Seeded Deplhs ( still IMHO) do not respond to any coddling. They thrive best here in zone 5 ( a marginal 4) with benign neglect, and yes, I have had seed germinate a full year after planting.
Tough love.
Sue Western Maine
Bill, I have tried to grow delphiniums for the past 3 years without success. A couple would germinate, but would be dead by the time to be planted. This year, one grew high enough during winter to be planted in spring, survived for a month only. So still no delphinium in my garden. I am successful with almost anything else. In May this year, I planted more than 500 plants (annuals and perennials), seeded during winter in the house. All are thriving. Françoise.
billq wrote:
Bill,
I guess this year is not really a delphinium year.... I've sown deep blue delphiniums early this year and till now only two plants appeared - both
*pink*....Strange, strange...
Gaby
Cold stratification. Delphinium seeds will germinate better if chilled before planting. sed5555
I live in Canada where we have deep freeze in winter. I have seen delphiniums around here before. Next fall, I am going to seed some in the ground and see what will happen. If I fail, that will be it for delphinium. If they grow but are kill because of our hot summer, again, that will be it!!! Scabiosa is another flower that does not seem to like me. Françoise.
gregpresley wrote:
They don't like anyone lol. I treat them as an annual here. I put them in for the butterflies but never expect more then a sparse one year from them. Colleen Zone 5 CT
Can't make single assessments for all scabious species. I find all that I've tried to be very easily grown, but not if the measure is their ability to perennialize for years. Some (such as S. atropurpurea, my favorite) really are biennials & will do super well for two consecutive summers, then they're done. Others like S. stellata often bloom themselves to death in two seasons but are wonderful for the time being. Others (such as S. columbaria) will perennialize but are shortlived even in the best case scenario & need to be restarted at intervals. The sturdiest perennial pincushion flower is probably S. caucasus, but even this tires after a very few years & needs to be dug up, the thick woodier parts of the root trimmed out of it during division, thus revitalized for a couple more years -- so few people bother to do this that it ends up being a poor plant after a very few splendid years.
As for delphiniums, some are likewise biennials or in cooler zones defacto annuals, & the hardiest that do perennialize nevertheless tire out after a very few years so could be considered shortlived or at least not long in their prime, & many varieties are so prone to tipping over they might as well die they're so annoying. A lovely substitute for them in cool temperate gardens is monkshood, many species of which live long lives & rarely need (& usually dislike) division.
-paghat the ratgirl
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