If you are looking for a beautiful plant for your cottage garden, then we can recommend delphiniums. Read here how to plant and care for it.
The blue-flowering delphinium belongs to the buttercup family and is particularly widespread in cottage gardens in our country. The hardy plant grows to an average height of 120 to 150 centimeters (plant spacing around 1 meter) and multiplies by self-seeding, insofar as the withered panicles are not removed too quickly by the gardener.
Hint:
Spread the delphinium seeds loosely over the surface of the soil (possibly press lightly) and then do not cover them with soil, as this plant germinates in the light! For self-sowing, it is also sufficient if only two to three panicles remain on the vine, as the plant usually produces quite a lot of seeds.
Plant Larkspur
A delphinium always loves a sunny spot with loamy-sandy soil. You should enrich the soil with humus every year in autumn. Always work this well into the soil!
Hint:
You can supplement the autumnal humus supply with a compost application in spring and fertilization with horn shavings after the first and possibly even again after the second flowering.
If the perennial plant gets too big, you can plant it again every year in early spring by carefully dividing it with a spade.
Larkspur plants also thrive in pots. However, you must ensure that there is no waterlogging within the containers and, if necessary, fertilize several times during the season.
Care for Larkspur
» pruning:
Between June and July, the larkspur offers its impressive panicles of flowers for the first time. After flowering, you should shorten the stems to a height of around 15 centimeters to ensure a second flowering phase, which then takes place in late summer - depending on the weather, around September to October.
Hint:
After the seeds are ejected from the flowers,you can shorten the delphinium completely close to the ground in autumn. However, you should always protect the hollow stems of the plant a little with both prunings.
» Irrigation:
Delphiniums must also be watered sufficiently on hot days and during longer periods of drought - even twice a day if necessary. You can support the watering of delphiniums by either spreading bark mulch around the plant or planting it in the shade, e.g. with easy-care ground covers.
» Winter protection:
The variants just mentioned also provide natural protection in winter. On extremely frosty days, however, you should still cover the cut perennial with a bit of brushwood.
If you have planted delphiniums in pots, then you should place them in a sheltered location in winter (also possible outdoors, e.g. patio shelter) so that the roots in them do not freeze to death.
» Fight pests:
The slug is considered the biggest enemy of delphiniums, which is why it is best to spread slug pellets around the plant from time to time (already in the spring) or alternatively set up slug traps. (Link tip: Prevent snails - 3 tips)
Cultivated forms of delphiniums that are mildew-resistant are also available in garden stores today. If you want to rule out powdery mildew on the plants as far as possible, you should grow exactly these varieties in the garden.