Beginner Gardening: What happened to my delphinium???, 1 by Marshmellow

Marshmellow wrote:
Yes they are. I start with a hole about 2' wide and 2' deep for each. I fill the hole with a mixture of 1/3rd compost and 2/3rds of the best dirt I can find. I then top dress their hole with 2" of compost and mix in organic fertilizer. That gives them a good start and, I don't have to worry about burning them since I use organic and honestly it's almost impossible to overfeed delphiniums. In spring I top dress them with 2" of an equal mixture of rabbit feed, compost, and dehydrated manure, later I use organic fertilizer.

To me, there is nothing like delphiniums. I also top dress with a layer of coffee grounds I get from work (snails favorite food is delphiniums, coffee grounds is poisonous to snails). I also have to stake each one, make sure they don't have too many flower stalks, and cut off flowers after bloom... they also like lots of water. They're not for everyone, but once it's in your blood... people stop and ask what they are... no one grows them around here (probably because of their maintenance), or didn't know you have to keep their bloom count under control so they didn't come back.

I'd get some New Zealand Millenium types (5' tall!). I included a picture of them. I started with Pacific Giants & the New Zealand Milleniums and, was very disappointed with the PG's. Had I not got some Milleniums I'd probably not be into Delphiniums now. The PG's been too inbred or something, there's just something wrong with them they're depressing! The stems that hold the leaves and flower stalks are about the size of spaghetti, the plant grows 6' tall! Even staking them they didn't have enough strength, I had to support the entire flower and leaves from base to top else the flower spike would break "in the middle". The tiny stems holding the leaves when it rained they'd flop to the ground or split as they're just as weak hence why I had to cage the whole thing a circular cage from top to bottom to offset their extreme weak stems and such. If you ever want to see how genetically limited breeding over time results in weak stock, depressed looking flowers, that look like they have no motivation to live look no further than the pacific giant delphiniums.

The New Zealand Milleniums on the other hand are totally different. Their stalks and stems are almost pencil sized, 4x+ stronger than the Pacific Giants. I only need to have a single stake to hold the base of the flower to prevent flopping, and their leaves are well supported, I don't have to have a cage that surrounds the entire plant top to bottom like the PG's. They like to grow, they have vigor, they just scream look at me I'm happy! The Pacific Giants are depressing. Also, the NZ's just loves to flower, they flower so much they completely cover the stem to the point you can't see it holding each individual flower when in full bloom the PG's you can. Anyway, definetely go for the New Zealand Millenium Delphs over the Pacific Giants, give them a try! The cheapest place to find them is http://www.gracefulgardens.com/delphin.htm and look at the difference between the Milleniums and Pacific Giants. Exactly what I'm talking about, look how skinny, weak, and thin & depressed the Pacific Giants are compared to the Milleniums just love life and just loaded with blooms and vigor. Skip the Pacific Giants... the picture I included is not my own, it's from the creator of the New Zealand Millenium mine look just like that.

This message was edited Apr 30, 2008 10:26 AM