Delphinium: to cut or not to cut...

I was told last year that I could cut my Delphinium back once it started to set seed pods to force a second blooming stage. I did this just this morning on the stalks that were finished blooming. Has anyone done this and does Delphinium come back because it reseeds or from the roots? I don't want to cut all seed pods off and loose my plants for next year. My plants are all 3-5 yrs old and I love how they look growing next to my beautiful clemantis surounding my front deck.... Pretty

i just cut all mine down and there was new growth starting-i do the same with columbines!!!!

Ditto here.

What you do is cut all the old stalks off at the base when the blooms are finished and and new leaves are coming up. Water and fertilize well and you will get a second flush. It won't be as tall or lush as the first but definitely worth the effort. I love delphiniums!

Don't worry about them needing to re-seed. If I do want to save seeds from my delphiniums (or most of my perennials), I only allow a small number of seedpods to remain. It takes up way too much of the plant's energy to form all its seeds, and usually leads to the early death of the plant.

Delphiniums are especially vulnerable in places where summers are very hot and humid. I cut mine back a couple of weeks ago, and as others have said, new stalks are already starting to grow. They will bloom again in a month or so.

And, like NotMartha said, I also cut my columbines off after they are done blooming -- flower stalks and foliage both. New leaves start to grow immediately, and some of mine are also 5-6 years old. Impressive for columbine! They also seem to escape the damage done by sawfly and borers that neighbors get.

Wow! Thanks for the info everyone! I guess I'll have to go back and cut my Delphinium stalks to the ground, NOH2O. I only cut the stalks at the nearest joint so I wouldn't cut off the smaller blooms. I didn't cut off any of the foliage though.
As far as Columbines go, lupinelover, I will have to try cutting them back next year. Mine have all gone to seed and I don't know if it is too late to try cutting them back or not.

its never to late-cute them back! ;)

MissCee, you can go ahead and cut to the next bloom until all the blooms are done and then cut the old stalks to the ground, fertilize and water. Usually when the lateral blooms are finishing up the new leaves have already emerged at the base. I milk those plants for every bloom I can get because they are so beautiful.

the 2 new delphiniums i bought died, and the one i got from a member at round up died too :-( i think i'll try to plant some seeds and see how that goes.
my columbine always get leaf miners. should i cut the leaves and everything back to the ground?

Delphiniums are pretty much short-lived (annual?!) perennials anywhere with HOT summers, like NJ. Too bad, as they are so spectacular, and so truly BLUE in color.

MissCee, I envy you having plants that old/mature!!! I noticed you are in a colder zone, that must help.

I started some Delphinium from winter-sown seed this year, a rare pink strain from NZ. They are looking pretty good (fliage-wise), but a bit stressed by the heat. Hope to see them bloom next spring.

Delphinium x belladonna seems to do better in the heat and humidity of the midwest. These delphiniums have branched flower stalks and are much airier and natural looking than other delphiniums. Mine get to about 5 feet in heavy clay; they may get taller in better soil. 'Bellamosum' is a beautiful light blue and 'Clivedon Beauty' is a deep deep blue. I have some that are at least 5 years old. However they haven't all lasted that long; around here I just never know what to expect!! When I lived in Seattle growing delphiniums was a breeze - huge plants with flowerstalks 7' tall. The only work was dividing the plants which just got bigger and bigger every year. I didn't realize how lucky I was!

I don't see anyone from Texas posting on this one.
This is only my 2nd year to garden, and I only have ONE Delphinium so far. I LOVE this plant and loved how it bloomed. My appears to be suffering from the heat.

I'm just afraid that if I cut mine all the way back, it might not come back.

Anyone from the south (or Zone 8) that can help me?

I think Delphinium must like cooler climes... I'v never had problems growing them here. Not only have I had these flowers for quite a few years, I have moved them twice when we have moved. They are here to stay now. There are different types of Delphiniums: The giant strain, of which I have qute a few, have grown at least 7 feet tall if not taller. (they top our 6' fence.) I also have several of the drawf varietys that may reach 3-4 feet.
Cajun2, I used to live in the Ft. Worth area of Texas, and I was not able to grow these there. But then, I can't get four o'clocks or Calla lily's to grow here...way too cold for all those hot loving plants that I used to have. There is always a trade off it seems. Try growing your Delphimiums in a more protected spot out of the hot afternoon sun. It may work, but it's just a guess. Mine do not like being in the shade. Up here we don't get as many sunny days... lots of cloud cover is more like it. We've had some very hot weather for this part of the country, (hitting around the high 90's) and not only the plants are suffering! LOL Everything is wilting and we have to water twice a day... not the norm for us at all.

Debi_z, yes, cut the stems with leaf-miners off at the ground. Either burn the leaves or put them in the garbage; only compost those if you have a hot compost pile, otherwise the leaf-miners will hang around and re-infest your plants.

MissCee, sounds like you are in delphinium heaven! Flower stalks to 7' sounds incredible. Mine has only reached about 5', and at that I feel very fortunate. Our summer has not been overwhelmingly hot this year, so mine are still thriving.

thanks lupinelover. i have been doing that and the buggers are still around, but i'll keep it up. thanks for letting me know i'm doing the right thing. sometimes i just don't know. :)

Took your advice - THANK YOU ALL! Blooming in August - although this is their first year, I just had no idea!!

They are lovely; there's nothing like a delphinium.

Dea, I hope this is the first of many delphinium blooms for you :)