When is the best time to plant delphinium? Living lace in a flower bed, how to grow delphinium on your site. Selection and preparation of seed material

Delphinium is a flower crop that requires a little more attention compared to other perennials. At the same time, growing perennial delphinium from seeds is not difficult if you adhere to basic agricultural practices. Knowing the rules of planting and care, you can grow perennial delphinium from seeds even in the Moscow region. Its luxurious flower stalks, as tall as a man, will become a stunning decoration of the garden and will delight and delight you and your guests.

Planting perennial delphinium

Perennial delphinium is grown through seedlings. When choosing varieties, you need to pay attention to quality planting material and do not purchase delphinium annual seeds by mistake. Seeds are sown in the spring, having previously prepared them. The seedlings are illuminated, grown and planted in the ground in a permanent place. When growing seedlings, protect them from blackleg and water them carefully.

Delphinium planting dates

In the Moscow region, perennial delphinium is sown for seedlings in mid-March. With such sowing dates, the seedlings are transplanted to a permanent place after two months. If you plant seedlings in the ground at a later time, they will not have time to take root well, and therefore will not survive the winter.

Scarification of delphinium seeds before planting

Delphinium seeds are covered with a hard shell and require scarification - mechanical disruption of the shell. Therefore, in order to facilitate germination and increase the germination of seeds, I advise you to “walk” over them with fine sandpaper before sowing.

Planting delphinium seeds for seedlings

When choosing delphinium seeds, you need to be especially careful and not fall for the tricks of sellers - it happens that some pass off annual delphinium as perennial. A year after sowing such a delphinium, not a trace remains of the plants. As a rule, annual delphiniums are characterized by simple-shaped flowers; they are two-colored, red or orange, blue or white.

Soil for delphinium seedlings

To get healthy delphinium seedlings, you need to take care to protect future seedlings from diseases such as “blackleg”. To do this, you need to carefully prepare a special soil mixture. It is better to take them as a basis, soak them and shake out the contents into a flat container. Add to this 1 part of river sand and a pinch of sifted ash, mix thoroughly. Spill the containers themselves with a solution of phytosporin or potassium permanganate.

Delphinium sowing scheme

Caring for delphinium seedlings

After 1.5-2 weeks, when the sprouts appear, place the containers with them under a fluorescent lamp (LED), turn on the light for 10-12 hours a day. Water the seedlings carefully, along the edge of the container, trying not to get on the plants themselves. Since the bulk of the soil mixture is peat, the soil dries out quite quickly. During the first weeks, water containers with seedlings once every 2 days, and after a month, twice a day.

In mid-May, seedlings can be planted in the ground.

For more information on how to grow delphinium seedlings, read the article:

How to plant perennial delphinium correctly

The main problem when growing delphinium is dampness, which is typical for the main territory of the Moscow region. In the garden, I prefer to plant delphinium in one place, this makes it easier to prepare the desired soil composition and care for the plants.

Soil for planting delphinium

It must be remembered that delphinium cannot tolerate the presence of peat in the soil. This leads to the death of the bush in the second year. Therefore, for future plantings of delphinium, I am preparing a special mixture; I am trying to completely change the native peat bogs, because they are not suitable for delphinium.

When planting, I take out the soil on the bayonet of a shovel, put drainage in the form of crushed stone, sand or expanded clay with a layer of 20 cm - this will protect the plantings in the spring from groundwater. I prepare this soil mixture per 1 square meter. m: a bucket of rotted compost, two glasses of ash, a glass of bone meal, 2 tablespoons of superphosphate and ordinary soil. I try to ensure that the finished flower bed is 20 cm higher than the soil level in the garden.

Scheme for planting delphinium in the ground

I water the planting area with a solution of phytosporin and plant delphinium seedlings at a distance of 30 cm from each other. It is important that the root collar is at soil level; it should not be buried. I stick low arches over the plantings and cover them with thin non-woven material from the sun, I leave the ends on the north side open.

Caring for perennial delphinium

The key to longevity for delphinium is timely pruning. As soon as the petals begin to fall off the flower stalks, I immediately cut them off at the base and cover the “stumps” with caps. The fact is that the delphinium has hollow stems, when cut, moisture gets inside, and the bush begins to rot. I cover such stems with caps from lipstick and other cosmetics. Plants with caps overwinter.

I also cover the plantings with a double layer of non-woven fabric on top of the ground for the winter. I noticed that such a simple shelter ensures 100% survival of plants during winters with little snow.

Caring for delphinium during flowering

When caring for delphinium, you need to carefully monitor the flowering periods. The perennial delphinium blooms in the second year after sowing, throwing out gorgeous flower stalks.

1. In the first year, I don’t allow the perennial delphinium to bloom; I pluck out the buds at the base. This technique helps to build up a powerful root system, while flowering weakens the plant, and before winter it goes away weakened, as a result of which it may not survive it.
2. When extending peduncles, it is important to immediately tie the delphinium stems in several places to strong supports.
3. In the conditions of the Moscow region, delphinium produces two waves of flowering, but I do not allow secondary formation of flower stalks in early September, so as not to weaken the bush.

Feeding perennial delphinium

Before starting any feeding, I first water the delphinium with plain water so as not to burn the roots.

• At the beginning of the second year, in mid-May, I fertilize with green fertilizer (infusion of grass).
• At the end of June, I add ash extract to the herbal infusion, one part per 10 liters of water.
• In the middle or end of August, I water the plantings with an infusion of ash.

Diseases of delphinium perennial

In the conditions of the Moscow region, due to dampness, delphinium is susceptible to fungal diseases. Powdery mildew - a constant companion of delphinium plantings. The disease attacks plants in mid-July and affects flower stalks. By this point, the delphinium has already faded, so there are no problems powdery mildew does not deliver. I burn cut flower stalks with signs of disease; newly growing shoots are not susceptible to the disease, so I do not treat powdery mildew.

Loves to eat young shoots aphid . I try to collect it manually; if there is a large accumulation, I treat it with Actellik or Karbofos.

Reproduction of delphinium perennial

Perennial delphinium needs timely division, I carry out this work every two years, in mid-August.

Propagating delphinium by seeds is a great way to get required quantity planting material or become the owner of the desired variety. It must be remembered that often delphinium grown from seeds rarely repeats the varietal characteristics and corresponds to the description. When sowing your own seeds, as a rule, a delphinium grows with blue or pale lilac flower stalks.

(popular names - “larkspur”, “spur”) will give originality to the lawn or flowerbed and become an effective decoration of the yard. Powerful stems with lavender inflorescences, Pink colour or a shade of sea green - this is delphinium. Planting and caring for it is not difficult: the plant is unpretentious, grows well with seedlings and without seedlings and can become one of the first successes of a novice gardener.

Selection and preparation of seed material

Delphinium annual is mainly propagated through seed material. Growing from seeds is optimal for Delphinium Ajaxova, popular in Russian latitudes, and various “hyacinth” varieties.

ON THE PICTURE: Dark pink Delphinium Ajax.

It is advisable to propagate Pacific hybrids only by seeds ( Pacific ), bred in California. These include varieties:

• "King Arthur";
• "Black Knight";
• "Astolet";
• "Galahad";
• Blue Jay, etc.

When propagated by seeds, such delphiniums retain 60–90% of the varietal characteristics, which is important for those who collect delphinium varieties or are simply a big fan of it.

Another method of propagation is vegetative (cuttings, buds, rhizome division) - Suitable for perennial delphinium species, growing from seeds carries the risk of losing varietal characteristics. Propagated directly from the parent plant, young bushes receive all of it varietal characteristics and characteristics including: color, flower shape, habit (appearance) and even resistance to certain diseases! Dense varieties of flowers that do not form seeds are also bred vegetatively.

Seeds can be purchased at the store or collected with your own hands in early autumn, when they are ripe.

ON THE PICTURE: Delphinium seeds.

One plant with four inflorescences can produce up to 2.5 thousand seeds. This is quite a lot, especially for small or compact varieties delphinium. Therefore, in order to protect the parent plant from depletion, when the seeds ripen, they are left only the lower part of the inflorescence and 10–15 leaves.

A considerable problem when long-term cultivation delphiniums from seeds in the same place - their self-seeding. To avoid unauthorized “sowing” near parent plants, you need to collect seeds immediately after they ripen and prevent mature “seeds” from spilling onto the ground.

After collection, the seeds remain viable for two to four years (when stored in a closet). If you place the seed in the refrigerator, hermetically sealing the jar with it, its germination will be preserved for an unlimited time.

Pre-sowing treatment of delphinium seeds

ON THE PICTURE: Spotting of plant leaves.

Sowing delphinium for seedlings - timing and agricultural technology

You can sow delphinium for seedlings in March–April, depending on the region. The more continental the climate is and the more likely late severe frosts are, the later it is worth starting sowing. For example, in the northern regions Leningrad region, in the Urals and Siberia, planting grown seedlings in the ground “shifts” closer to the end of May or even June.

It is most convenient to use peat pots that decompose in the ground for growing seedlings. The root system of delphiniums is vulnerable and does not tolerate transplantation well, and planting in such containers reduces possible damage to the roots to a minimum.

The substrate for seedlings needs to be light, with a slightly acidic reaction. The optimal temperature for growing delphinium seedlings is 12–15°C. Subject to proper care conditions, seedlings appear in 8–10 days. For full growth seedlings need sufficient light and moderate regular watering.

ON THE PICTURE: Delphinium seedlings.

Seedlings after the first true leaf has formed. In the conditions of central Russia, they can be planted in open ground in early May, since delphinium is not afraid of light spring frosts.

Young plants are grown at home and transplanted to a permanent place in the garden in the fall or next spring.

Growing delphinium with seeds in open ground

Optimal sowing dates

In moderately warm and warm regions of Russia, it is much easier to grow delphiniums through direct sowing in open ground. There is no particular need to grow their seedlings.

Flowers are sown in open ground in the spring (no later than the second half of April, otherwise the plants will not have time to fully bloom), and in the fall, in September-October - delphinium tolerates moderately cold winters well under the cover of snow.

Delphinium is able to survive frosts of at least 20-23°C without shelter. But the sharp contrast of frost and thaw sometimes provokes the growth of seeds and the subsequent death of seedlings.

Choosing a place for sowing delphinium in open ground

Delphinium can grow in one place for up to 5 years or even longer. The ideal place for sowing it is a well-lit area with protection from the wind and slight shading during the midday hours.

For delphiniums, sandy loam or loamy soil with moderate humidity and a sufficient amount of humus, ideally slightly acidic. It is permissible to sow delphinium in clay soil, if you first improve it. For this purpose, per 1 sq. m of clay soil, add 1–2 buckets of sand, 50–80 g of mineral complex fertilizer, 20–25 kg. compost (you can replace it with humus).

Poorer soils must be prepared for growing delphiniums. To do this, complex mineral fertilizers are applied in an amount of 40–50 g per 1 sq. m. m. and 10–15 kg. organic matter per the same area.

Delphinium seed sowing technology

Sowing delphinium for growing in open ground done like this:

• “Recesses-nests” are prepared at a distance of 15–25 cm from each other.
• 4–5 delphinium seeds are added to each “nest,” which are then buried about 1–2 cm into the soil. The larger the seeds of the variety, the deeper they are placed in the ground.
• The seeds are carefully covered with a layer of earth.
• Sown delphiniums are watered abundantly and mulched with humus or fresh peat to retain moisture in the soil.

ON THE PICTURE:It is important to deepen the delphinium seeds sufficiently when planting, depending on the variety.

After 10–20 days from planting, seedlings will begin to appear. Further care for young plants includes watering, fertilizing and creating the best conditions for flowering.

Watering delphinium seedlings

Delphiniums do not like waterlogged soil. Excess moisture can cause rotting of the rhizome, but even if this disease bypasses the plants, overwatering will cause large areas without flowers to appear in the inflorescences. Because of such “bald spots,” plants will lose their decorative properties.

ON THE PICTURE:Auto drip irrigation seedlings or young plants are perhaps the most convenient way organization of watering.

Watering delphiniums should be plentiful during drought and after each application of fertilizer. Solution minerals It will only be beneficial if it saturates the soil to the roots. In other cases, watering should be regular and moderate, not too often and not superficially.

Feeding delphinium

When planting, a certain supply of nutrients is introduced into the soil, but several additional feedings are required throughout the year.

• When the plants grow to 10–15 cm, they are fed with liquid organic matter or complex mineral fertilizer.
• During budding or when the first flowers bloom, a second feeding is carried out with high percentage potassium and phosphorus compounds in the composition. Such feeding is definitely required in the event of a friendly and abundant flowering.
• At the end of the flowering period, when renewal buds are formed, delphinium needs fertilizer in the form of a potassium-phosphorus complex, without nitrogen.

ON THE PICTURE: When the first delphinium buds appear, it’s time to feed it a second time.

Delphinium (larkspur, spur) is a popular flower crop of the Ranunculaceae family.

Thanks to its spectacular bright inflorescences, delphinium looks good as a background plant in group flower planting.

In addition to its beauty, spur is very unpretentious in care, drought- and frost-resistant, and re-blooms after trimming faded inflorescences.

Delphinium perennial: choosing a location, planting methods

How to choose a place to plant delphinium?

The place for planting the delphinium should be well lit, but with shading from direct sun rays at noon. In an area unprotected from the sun, delphinium flowers will turn pale and lose their decorative effect. Due to the fact that tall shoots of delphinium can be easily damaged by strong winds (they easily break off at the base), choose a place for planting that is less windy and open: under the canopy of trees or next to bushes, a fence, or the wall of a house.

Larkspur grows well in loose, fertilized soils. On light sandy loams, flowering will be paler and less abundant. In heavy clay areas it is necessary to add sand and humus. Acidic, waterlogged soils are not suitable for growing delphinium.

Methods for planting delphinium

The most in simple ways Delphinium plantings include planting divisions and cuttings.

Growing delphinium from seeds is a more labor-intensive process, because... During long-term storage, seeds lose their viability. This explains the low or even zero results when sowing purchased seeds. It is safer to use seed material from your own collection. However, we must remember that plants grown from seeds often do not retain the varietal characteristics of the mother plant (especially with regard to color and terry).

Planting seeds in open ground

Seeds are sown in open ground in May or September (under film). To do this, make small grooves in the prepared soil in the garden bed and sow the seeds, sprinkling them with a thin (no more than 5 mm) layer of sand or earth. If planting was done in the fall, the seeds will undergo natural stratification and the germination rate will be higher. Shoots appear in 3-4 weeks.

Planting seeds for seedlings

IN room conditions Seeds for seedlings are sown in March. The soil for this purpose is loose and nutritious. After distributing the seeds on it, they are sprinkled with a 3 mm layer of earth and compacted so that they do not float up during the first watering. It is necessary to water carefully, preferably through a strainer.

After this, the bowl with the plantings is covered with a dark film or other covering material, because delphinium seeds germinate better in the dark.

Delphinium crops must be covered with light-proof material

The optimal temperature for germination is +10-15C. To speed up the emergence of seedlings, you can carry out stratification (exposure to cold): a container with seeds is placed in a refrigerator or balcony for a week at a temperature of +5C. After this, it is moved again to the windowsill. During this period, we must not forget to ventilate the crops, remove excess condensation from the film, and moisten the soil in a timely manner.

Shoots appear within 1-2 weeks. It is important not to miss this moment to remove the covering film. Picking is carried out when there are 1-2 true leaves. Seedlings are planted in open ground in late May - early June. These plants will bloom in August.

Planting rhizome cuttings

To propagate delphinium by rhizome, bushes 3-5 years old are used. Division is carried out in early spring before active growth begins or in late August-early September after the end of the first wave of flowering. The rhizomes are divided into parts so that each of them has at least one growth bud. The sections are dusted with charcoal powder.

Divided delphinium bush

In the selected area, dig holes 50x40 cm. The excavated soil is mixed with humus and peat, and poured back. Add 50g to each hole mineral fertilizers and a handful of wood ash. When planting, the root collar is left at ground level. After this, the plants are watered, weeds are regularly weeded and the ground is loosened. The distance between the bushes is planned based on the variety and type:

50-60 cm – for tall hybrids (height more than 1.5 m);

40-50 cm – for medium-sized people (1.2-1.5 m);

30-40 cm – for short people (0.8-1.2 m).

Planting cuttings

For cuttings, young shoots that have reached 10-15 cm in height are used. In the spring, the cuttings are broken out along with the “heel” at the base of the plant and rooted in a mini-greenhouse at a temperature of +25C and bright, diffused lighting. After the cuttings have taken root (about 3-4 weeks), they are planted in open ground.

Delphinium perennial: care

Delphinium is unpretentious in care and cultivation. Caring for it consists of watering, weeding, early thinning, fertilizing and tying up.

Watering

Delphinium is quite drought-resistant and does not like excess moisture, but during the formation of inflorescences it must be watered abundantly so that not only the upper, but also the deeper layers of the soil are saturated with moisture. Here you need to follow the rule: better quality than quantity. It happens that with abundant watering and intense heat, bald (without flowers) areas may appear in the inflorescences. The use of phosphorus-potassium fertilizers during the budding period will help to minimize such manifestations.

Thinning and pruning

In the second year of the growing season, the delphinium produces a lot of shoots, so that it blooms profusely large flowers, it is necessary to thin out the bush of the plant. This is done in the spring when the stems reach 20-40 cm. 5-10 (depending on the variety) strong shoots are left in the bush. For better air circulation, first remove unproductive stems in the inner part of the bush.

Instead of such thinning, you can cut off excess growth buds in the fall. As a result of this procedure, nutrition in the spring will flow to the remaining buds, which will develop at an accelerated pace. If the shoots are removed with the heel (a piece of rhizome), then they can be used as cuttings for propagating larkspur.

In order not to stimulate the growth of new shoots this year and thereby not weaken the plant before wintering, in the summer the inflorescences on the shoots are cut off as they fade. In the fall, after the plant has flowered and its leaves have dried, the stems are cut off completely at a height of 30 cm from the ground. If you cut them shorter, the likelihood of root rot increases - delphinium stems have a hollow structure and after pruning in the spring, melt water easily flows down them to the rhizome. To prevent this, experienced gardeners cover the top of the cut with clay.

Garter

Delphinium has its own Achilles heel - this is the junction of the stem and rhizome, which easily breaks in strong winds. Therefore, as the bush grows, it is tied up in 2 places: at a height of 0.4-0.5 m and 1-1.2 m. Varieties with heavy inflorescences are also tied in the middle part (0.7-0.8 m).

Rings on racks work well as support.

Wintering

Delphiniums easily endure winter, withstanding frosts down to –40°C under the snow. The alternation of thaws and frosts has a detrimental effect on this crop - its root system It is located close to the surface of the earth and easily evaporates. In the absence of snow cover, delphinium bushes can be covered with spruce branches.

Delphinium perennial: feeding

During the entire growing season, delphiniums are fed three times.

The first feeding is carried out in early spring when the shoots have reached 15-20 cm in height: per 1 sq.m. you will need 10-15g of ammonium nitrate, 20-30g of potassium chloride and 30-40g of ammonium sulfate. Fertilizers are mixed and scattered around the delphinium bushes. Instead of these fertilizers, you can use mullein infusion (1:10) as a source of nitrogen - 1 bucket for 5 adult bushes. When forming buds, plants need potassium, but the nitrogen content should be reduced.

During the second feeding per 1 sq. m of soil, the dose of superphosphate and potassium is doubled compared to the first application. For the third time (at the end or after flowering), only phosphorus-potassium fertilizers with microelements without nitrogen are applied to the spur bushes.

Delphinium perennial: pests and diseases

Delphiniums are especially strongly affected by various diseases under unfavorable weather conditions: prolonged rains, prolonged drought. Therefore, the fight against pests and pathogens begins at the first signs of their appearance.

The palm in terms of prevalence is taken by powdery mildew. It progresses rapidly with high humidity And low temperatures air. Its signs are a powdery whitish coating on the leaves, which subsequently turns brown. Plant spraying is used to combat this disease. fungicidal preparations(copper sulfate, colloidal sulfur, Fundazol, ProfitGold, Topaz, Fitosporin-M).

Another common disease of fungal etiology is ramulariasis. It is characterized by the appearance large number brown spots on delphinium leaves.

Manifestation of ramularia on delphinium leaves

With further development of the disease, the spots become light gray with a dark rim along the edges and merge, forming extensive necrotic areas on the foliage. As a result, the leaves die prematurely and the plant is depressed. The spores of the pathogen overwinter on plant debris, so they must be collected and burned.

If various black spots appear on the spur bushes, then these are signs of a bacterial disease - black spot. Spots form first on the lower tiers of leaves, gradually “rising” up the plant. The stems of the larkspur turn brown and dry out.

Black spotting on the lower leaves of delphinium

Early treatment will help save the plant. It is sprayed three times with copper-containing preparations: Oxychom, Bordeaux mixture, Previkur, Fundazol, Topaz. Between treatments, the ground under the bushes can be shed with a solution of Fitosporin-M, and the above-ground part of the plant with Baikal-M.

Of the viral diseases on delphinium, it is often found ring spot, which looks like yellowish spots in the shape of irregular rings. Leaves become chlorotic.

Delphinium leaf affected by ringspot

There is no cure for this disease, so sick plant removed and burned. The carrier of ringspot is aphids. To combat it, insecticides are used (Iskra, Fitoverm, Inta-vir, karbofos, biotlin, etc.).

Another malicious pest of this crop is delphinium fly, which lays eggs in buds. After hatching, the larvae damage the flowers by feeding on the stamens and pistils. Damaged flowers fall off prematurely and do not bear fruit.

Seedlings and succulent young shoots of delphinium are severely damaged slugs and snails. To combat them, traps are used, mechanical barriers are arranged around the beds, and granular metaldehyde is used as a chemical.

Delphinium is a variety herbaceous plants group of buttercups, also has the names spur and larkspur. There are about 500 varieties of perennial and annual plants. Annual delphiniums, which include about 50 varieties, are often classified into an adjacent group and called sokirks.

Many people think that an unblown delphinium is a flower that looks like the head of a dolphin, which is where the name comes from, but there is an opinion that the delphinium plant got its name in honor of the city of Delphi, located in Greece, where, as they say, a huge number of them grew. Be that as it may, any gardener will agree that this beautiful flower will decorate every front garden.

Delphinium flower: photo and description

Growing delphinium is a rather complicated matter that will require labor and knowledge. First of all, the planting site must be sunny at the beginning of the day and protected from drafts, as well as located in an area where moisture does not stagnate, otherwise the flower will simply die.

After landing, be sure to mulching with humus or peat. In one area, delphiniums can grow no more than 6-7 years, and Pacific varieties no more than 4-5, after which the bushes must be divided and replanted. Flowers need multiple garters to prevent their hollow stems from being broken by the wind. In addition, delphinium is often susceptible to some other types of harmful insects. But if you can fulfill all the vagaries of planting a delphinium, then it will certainly reward you with a long and lush flowering at the beginning of summer and another, shorter, but also beautiful, at the beginning of autumn.

Annual delphiniums

Delphiniums can be perennial or annual. Of the annual plants, the most popular varieties are Ajax delphinium and field delphinium.

Field delphinium

Tall bush, can reach up to 2 meters. Flowers in buds are double or single, white, pink, blue or lilac. The views look quite impressive:

• Frosted Sky ( blue flowers with a white center);
• Dark blue Qis Dark Blue;
• Soft pink Qis Rose.

The plant blooms from late spring to late summer.

Delphinium of Ajax

It is a hybrid of the Eastern and Doubtful delphinium, which received their best qualities after selection. The stem of this variety ranges in size from 50 cm to 1.1 m, the almost sessile leaves have a strong dissection, the spike-shaped flowers, which reach a length of 35 cm, can be of a variety of shades: red, purple, pink, blue, white and blue. Some species have densely double inflorescences. There are dwarf species, such as Dwarf Hyacinth flowered, the size of this bush is up to 25 cm with double buds in pink, purple, white and crimson shades. The plant blooms until the first frost.

Perennial delphiniums

The cultivation of perennial plants in culture began in the 19th century: breeders based on Delphinium tall and Delphinium grandiflora created the first hybrids (Delphinium belladonna, Delphinium beautiful and Delphinium Barlow) through crossing, and then the Frenchman Victor Limoine created terry varieties of perennials in lavender, blue and purple shades , called beautiful or “hybrid”, and then renamed “cultural”. Now perennial delphiniums in their color scheme have more than 850 colors. Among these plants, there are low-growing, medium-height and tall varieties with semi-double, simple, super-double and double flowers with a circumference of 3-10 cm.

Hybrid perennial plants are divided into groups according to their place of birth. Most Popular Scottish terry, New Zealand and Marfin terry delphiniums, which were named after the Marfino collective farm. All varieties have their own differences and advantages. Marfinskie, for example, have good resistance to frost and are highly decorative; these plants have semi-double and large flowers with contrasting and bright eyes. But it is very difficult to grow the Marfinsky variety from seeds, since the seeds do not retain varietal properties.

The New Zealand species, bred relatively recently, is characterized by large growth (up to 2.3 m), large double or semi-double buds (8-10 cm in circumference), and some varieties have corrugated petals. These hybrids are frost-resistant, disease-resistant, excellent for cutting, durable, and it is for this reason that they are now the most popular.

Tony Coakley is considered the creator of Scottish hybrid perennials. These varieties are characterized by rather dense inflorescences of double and super-double buds, often numbering more than 60 petals. With a bush size of 1.2-1.6 m the inflorescence can reach a length of 85 cm! “Scots” have a large palette of colors, are durable, easy to care for and perfectly retain varietal properties during propagation by seeds.

Growing delphinium seeds

Sowing delphinium

Delphinium can reproduce not only by seeds, but also by cuttings, buds and division, but in this article we will look at how delphinium is grown from seeds. Delphinium is sown in early March. Do not forget: when storing seeds in a warm and dry room, germination is worse. Fresh seeds must be sown immediately or stored in the refrigerator until required.

Planting seeds for seedlings

Before sowing, you need disinfect seeds: placing them in a fabric bag, lower them for 20 minutes. into a deep pink solution of manganese. Instead of manganese, you can choose a fungicide by making a solution according to the instructions. Afterwards, without removing the seeds from the bag, rinse them thoroughly with warm water and fill them with epin solution overnight (2 drops per 120 ml of water). Then dry the seeds so that they do not stick to each other.

Prepare the ground for seeds, for this:

1. Take humus, garden soil and peat in equal parts;
2. Pour in half of clean sand;
3. Sift.

To increase soil looseness and moisture capacity, add perlite to the soil in a ratio of 0.5 cups per 5 liters of soil composition. Then heat the mixture for 60 minutes. in a steam bath to remove fungal spores and weed seeds. Fill the containers for planting seeds with the composition and tamp it down a little.

Sowing seeds

Planting seeds happens like this:

1. Spread the seeds on the surface of the ground, immediately attaching labels with the name of the variety and time of planting.
2. Cover the seeds with about 4 mm of soil on top so that the seeds do not float up during watering, compact the top layer a little.
3. Gently pour warm water over the surface.

Cover the container with transparent material, and then with black film, since the seeds develop better in the dark, and place the container on the windowsill closer to the glass itself.

The best temperature for seed growth is +11-16C. To increase germination, after a few days place the container in the refrigerator or on a glassed-in loggia and don’t worry if The temperature here at night will drop to -6C. After two weeks, rearrange the container with the seeds on the windowsill. After these manipulations, shoots should appear in 1-2 weeks, and try not to miss this time so that you can immediately remove the film. Do not forget to make sure that the soil does not dry out, moisten it periodically and ventilate the container to remove condensation.

Delphinium seedlings

Healthy seedlings are strong, rich green, their cotyledons are significantly pointed. When the seedlings have several leaves, you can plant the flowers in pots of 250-350 ml and then grow them at a temperature of no more than 21C. The soil must be breathable and loose, watering must be moderate, so that a “black leg” does not form, which can lead to the death of seedlings.

Since the end of April, slowly accustom the seedlings to fresh air without removing it from the windowsill for ventilation. Let the seedlings stand in the bright sun for a short time. Seedlings are fed before transplanting to open land several times with an interval of 14 days with “Mortar” or “Agricola” so that the fertilizer does not fall on the foliage. Grown seedlings can be transplanted to open ground when the soil in the pot is completely entwined with roots - the seedlings are very easily taken out at the same time as the lump without damaging the roots.

Delphinium care

When the seedlings grow to 12-16 cm, they are fed with a mixture of mullein in the ratio of a bucket of manure to 11 buckets of water - for 6 large plants. After removing weeds and loosening the soil, the rows must be mulched with a layer of peat or humus about 3 cm. Thinning of flowers during care is done when the stems are 25-35 cm high: you need to leave 4-6 stems in the flower, this will make it possible to get more beautiful and large inflorescences.

Remove weak shoots from the inside of the plant, breaking them off near the ground. This will protect the flower from diseases and will allow air to penetrate. Cut cuttings, if they are not hollow and cut with a heel, can be rooted. The cuttings are treated with a mixture of crushed heteroauxin tablets and charcoal, buried in a mixture of peat and sand and placed under a film. After a month, the cutting gives roots, and after another half a month it is replanted, which is how propagation occurs by cuttings.

When the bush reaches half a meter in height, near the bush plant, trying not to damage the root system, dig 3 support rods up to 2 m in size, into which the bush stems are tied with ribbons.

Throughout the growing season, each bush “consumes” up to 65 liters of water. Therefore, during dry summers, it is necessary to pour several buckets of water under each plant once a week during care. When the soil dries out after watering, it is necessary to loosen it to a depth of 4-6 cm. Moreover, delphiniums require watering during the formation of inflorescences, and if heat sets in during this period, then areas without flowers form in the inflorescence. To prevent this, abundant watering and feeding with phosphorus and potassium fertilizers are necessary.

Diseases and pests

At the end of summer, flowers may form powdery mildew – fungal infection, which covers the leaves with a white coating. If measures are not taken in a timely manner, the plant will die. At the first manifestations, it is necessary to spray the bush twice with foundationol or Topaz.

Often black spots form on the leaves of the delphinium, which spread from the bottom of the plant. This is black spot, it can only be combated at an early stage by spraying the leaves twice with a mixture of tetracycline, in a ratio of 1 capsule per liter of water.

Infects plants and ring spot, which covers the leaves with yellow spots. This viral infection, it is impossible to get rid of it, and infected bushes must be removed. But the carrier of the infection, aphids, needs to be removed: the flower should be sprayed with actellik or karbofos for prevention.

The most dangerous pests for delphinium are slugs and the delphinium fly, which lays eggs in inflorescences. The flies are removed with insecticides, and the smell of lime removes the slugs; it can be placed in containers between the plants.

Delphinium after flowering

When the leaves dry after flowering, the stems of the plant are cut off at a height of 35-45 cm from the ground and, for reliability, their tops are coated with clay. This is done so that rains in autumn and melt water cannot get through the void to the root collar and do not contribute to the death of the flower from rotting roots. Practically all delphiniums are frost-resistant, both adult bushes and seedlings.

If the winter is snowless and frosty, then the beds with plants must be covered with straw or spruce branches. Only sharp and frequent temperature changes can destroy a delphinium, as they lead to excess moisture, which causes the roots to rot. The best way To prevent this, pour 0.5 buckets of sand into the bottom of the hole during planting so that excess water can escape deeper through it.

You may immediately think that dealing with delphinium, especially growing this plant from seeds, is a very difficult task, but if you are not afraid of the hassle and spend a little effort and your personal time, the results will simply exceed any expectations.

Delphinium - best plant for decoration

Delphinium (larkspur, spur) perennial is a tall herbaceous crop belonging to the buttercup family. The stem of the flower is hollow and can reach 2.5 m in height. Thanks to its spectacular bright inflorescences, delphinium looks good as a background plant in group flower plantings. In addition to its beauty, delphinium is very unpretentious in care, drought- and frost-resistant, blooms again after trimming faded inflorescences, and pleases the eye for several years without the need for replanting.

Popular varieties of delphinium

There are many species of this plant in nature; it is not possible to describe them all. Below we list only the most beautiful and popular varieties, widely used by gardeners in landscape design:

Delphinium Leroy

A tall crop that came to us from hot Africa. The flower is very heat-loving; its inherent advantage over many other species is its magnificent sweetish smell, somewhat reminiscent of the aroma of vanilla. The stem of Leroy's delphinium reaches 1.5 m in height, the buds are painted snow-white, sometimes greenish.

Delphinium pyramidalis

In the wild it grows in mountainous areas - this is what determines the plant’s ability to tolerate cold and frost well. This variety can easily withstand temperatures down to -20°C; the Himalayas are considered the plant’s homeland. This variety is completely undemanding when it comes to soil; it grows well even on poor rocky soils. From approximately July to September, delphinium produces inflorescences covered with small flowers, up to 3 cm in diameter.

Delphinium terry

The perennial is loved by many gardeners for its long and abundant flowering. This culture pleases the eye with its bright buds from May to August, the length of the plant stem reaches 1-2 m. The variety of shades is very large, the predominant colors are blue and purple tones. However, breeders do not stop there and develop new hybrid varieties. At the moment, in the gardens of Russia you can find terry delphinium in black, red and even yellow shades. This perennial crop can grow in the same place for 8 years.

Delphinium rareflora

It is a medium-sized plant, the stem of which does not exceed 75 cm in height. It is considered the birthplace of the culture Altai region. The lower part of the stem is covered with long hairs, the upper part is almost bare or with a short edge. The leaves are hard, pubescent, divided into uneven lobes. Inflorescences are loose clusters on the tops of the main stems, rarely on branches. Flowering period is July-August.

Delphinium Bruno

It is a heat-loving flower that does not tolerate frost well. As a rule, this variety is found in warm climates: in Tibet, the Pamirs, India, Afghanistan. However, in Russia, some gardeners plant this plant in flower beds, and with the arrival of the first cold weather, the crop is insulated with covering material. The height of the stem is up to 50 cm. The flowers are blue-violet or blue, collected in panicles of 5-10 pieces.

Delphinium tall

A herbaceous inhabitant of the Mongolian steppes and forests of Siberia. The tall, bare or slightly pubescent bluish stem can grow to gigantic sizes - up to 3 m, on average its height is 100 cm. The leaves are bare or partially pubescent, up to 16 cm wide, cut into 3 parts. The flowering period is only 20-25 days in mid-summer. The flowers are deep blue, collected in racemose inflorescences of 10-60 pieces. Delphinium tall is one of the most popular plants in breeding and has been cultivated since the second half of the 16th century.

Delphinium holostem

It is a medium-sized crop that reaches a height of no more than 1 m. The flowers of this variety are painted in a red-orange hue; the flowering period of the buds falls in June and July. This heat-loving plant is best grown in pots, putting them in a warm place for the winter.

Delphinium blue

undersized perennial, the inflorescences of which have a rich blue tint and a dark core. This variety also belongs to heat-loving crops, therefore, with the arrival of winter, the shrubs are transplanted into pots and brought into a warm room. If this is not done, new seeds will sprout in the flowerbed next year, but they will flower no earlier than a season later.

Delphinium labiosa

A perennial with a completely smooth stem height of up to 95 cm. It has a very attractive and unusual appearance. The flowers of this variety are painted in two colors: one surface of the petals has a blue-green tint, and the second is grayish-gray. The buds are collected in a racemose inflorescence.

Delphinium kashmirii

The stems are low - up to 40 cm, with serrated leaves divided into 5 parts. It is distinguished by an unusual shade of the flower - light purple with a black center. There may be other colors in the culture. The diameter of each bud is up to 5 cm.

Delphinium shortspur

Refers to low-growing crops. The height of its stem does not exceed 20-30 cm. This variety can be found in Alaska, the Arctic and some regions of Russia. This is a frost-resistant plant that can easily tolerate winter cold.

Delphinium: propagation and planting

Choosing a place to plant delphinium

The place for planting the delphinium should be well lit, but shaded from direct sunlight at midday. In an area unprotected from the sun, delphinium flowers will turn pale and lose their decorative effect. Due to the fact that tall shoots of delphinium can be easily damaged by strong winds (they easily break off at the base), choose a place for planting that is less windy and open: under the canopy of trees or next to bushes, a fence, or the wall of a house. Delphinium grows well in loose, fertilized soils. On light sandy loams, flowering will be paler and less abundant. In heavy clay areas it is necessary to add sand and humus. Acidic, waterlogged soils are not suitable for growing delphinium.

Planting delphinium seeds in open ground

Seeds are sown in open ground in May or September (under film). To do this, make small grooves in the prepared soil in the garden bed and sow the seeds, sprinkling them with a thin (no more than 5 mm) layer of sand or earth. If planting was done in the fall, the seeds will undergo natural stratification and the germination rate will be higher. Shoots appear in 3-4 weeks.

Planting delphinium seeds for seedlings

Under indoor conditions, seeds are sown for seedlings in March. The soil for this purpose is loose and nutritious. After distributing the seeds on it, they are sprinkled with a 3 mm layer of earth and compacted so that they do not float up during the first watering. It is necessary to water carefully, preferably through a strainer. After this, the bowl with the plantings is covered with a dark film or other covering material, because delphinium seeds germinate better in the dark.

The optimal temperature for germination is +10-15C. To speed up the emergence of seedlings, you can carry out stratification (exposure to cold): a container with seeds is placed in a refrigerator or balcony for a week at a temperature of +5C. After this, it is moved again to the windowsill. During this period, we must not forget to ventilate the crops, remove excess condensation from the film, and moisten the soil in a timely manner.

Shoots appear within 1-2 weeks. It is important not to miss this moment to remove the covering film. Picking is carried out when there are 1-2 true leaves. Seedlings are planted in open ground in late May - early June. These plants will bloom in August.

Planting rhizome cuttings of delphinium

To propagate delphinium by rhizome, bushes 3-5 years old are used. Division is carried out in early spring before active growth begins or in late August-early September after the end of the first wave of flowering. The rhizomes are divided into parts so that each of them has at least one growth bud. The sections are dusted with charcoal powder.

In the selected area, dig holes 50x40 cm. The excavated soil is mixed with humus and peat, and poured back. 50g of mineral fertilizers and a handful of wood ash are added to each hole. When planting, the root collar is left at ground level. After this, the plants are watered, weeds are regularly weeded and the ground is loosened. The distance between the bushes is planned based on the variety and type:
✿ 50-60 cm - for tall hybrids (height more than 1.5 m)
✿ 40-50 cm - for medium-sized people (1.2-1.5 m)
✿ 30-40 cm - for short people (0.8-1.2 m)

Planting delphinium cuttings

For cuttings, young shoots that have reached 10-15 cm in height are used. In the spring, the cuttings are broken out along with the “heel” at the base of the plant and rooted in a mini-greenhouse at a temperature of +25C and bright, diffused lighting. After the cuttings have taken root (about 3-4 weeks), they are planted in open ground.

Delphinium perennial:
outdoor care

Delphinium is unpretentious in care and cultivation. Caring for it consists of watering, weeding, early thinning, fertilizing and tying up.

Watering delphinium

Delphinium is quite drought-resistant and does not like excess moisture, but during the formation of inflorescences it must be watered abundantly so that not only the upper, but also the deeper layers of the soil are saturated with moisture. Here we must follow the rule: quality is better than quantity. It happens that with abundant watering and intense heat, bald (without flowers) areas may appear in the inflorescences. The use of phosphorus-potassium fertilizers during the budding period will help to minimize such manifestations.

Thinning and pruning delphinium

In the second year of the growing season, the delphinium produces a lot of shoots, therefore, in order for it to bloom profusely with large flowers, it is necessary to thin out the bush of the plant. This is done in the spring when the stems reach 20-40 cm. 5-10 (depending on the variety) strong shoots are left in the bush. For better air circulation, first remove unproductive stems in the inner part of the bush.

Instead of such thinning, you can cut off excess growth buds in the fall. As a result of this procedure, nutrition in the spring will flow to the remaining buds, which will develop at an accelerated pace. If the shoots are removed with the heel (a piece of rhizome), then they can be used as cuttings for propagating larkspur.

In order not to stimulate the growth of new shoots this year and thereby not weaken the plant before wintering, in the summer the inflorescences on the shoots are cut off as they fade. In the fall, after the plant has flowered and its leaves have dried, the stems are cut off completely at a height of 30 cm from the ground. If you cut them shorter, the likelihood of root rot increases - delphinium stems have a hollow structure and after pruning in the spring, melt water easily flows down them to the rhizome. To prevent this, experienced gardeners cover the top of the cut with clay.

delphinium garter

Delphinium has its own Achilles heel - this is the junction of the stem and rhizome, which easily breaks in strong winds. Therefore, as the bush grows, it is tied up in 2 places: at a height of 0.4-0.5 m and 1-1.2 m. Varieties with heavy inflorescences are also tied in the middle part (0.7-0.8 m). Rings on racks work well as support.

Preparing delphinium for winter

Delphiniums easily endure winter, withstanding frosts down to -40°C under the snow. But the alternation of thaws and frosts has a detrimental effect on this crop - its root system is located close to the surface of the earth and easily rots out. In the absence of snow cover, delphinium bushes can be covered with spruce branches or non-woven covering material.

Delphinium perennial: feeding

During the entire growing season, delphiniums are fed three times.

The first feeding is carried out in early spring, when the shoots have reached 15-20 cm in height: per 1 sq.m. you will need 10-15g of ammonium nitrate, 20-30g of potassium chloride and 30-40g of ammonium sulfate. Fertilizers are mixed and scattered around the delphinium bushes. Instead of these fertilizers, you can use mullein infusion (1:10) as a source of nitrogen - 1 bucket for 5 adult bushes. When forming buds, plants need potassium, but the nitrogen content should be reduced.

During the second feeding per 1 sq. m of soil, the dose of superphosphate and potassium is doubled compared to the first application.

For the third time (at the end or after flowering), only phosphorus-potassium fertilizers with microelements without nitrogen are applied to the spur bushes.

Delphinium: pests and diseases

Delphiniums are especially strongly affected by various diseases under unfavorable weather conditions: prolonged rains, prolonged drought. Therefore, the fight against pests and pathogens begins at the first signs of their appearance.

The palm in terms of prevalence is taken by powdery mildew. It progresses rapidly at high humidity and low air temperatures. Its signs are a powdery whitish coating on the leaves, which subsequently turns brown. To combat this disease, plants are sprayed with fungicidal preparations (copper sulfate, colloidal sulfur, Fundazol, ProfitGold, Topaz, Fitosporin-M).

Another common disease of fungal etiology is ramulariasis. It is characterized by the appearance of a large number of brown spots on the leaves of the delphinium. With further development of the disease, the spots become light gray with a dark rim along the edges and merge, forming extensive necrotic areas on the foliage. As a result, the leaves die prematurely and the plant is depressed. The spores of the pathogen overwinter on plant debris, so they must be collected and burned.

If various black spots appear on the delphinium bushes, then these are signs of a bacterial disease - black spot. Spots form first on the lower tiers of leaves, gradually “rising” up the plant. The stems of the larkspur turn brown and dry out. Early treatment will help save the plant. It is sprayed three times with copper-containing preparations: Oxychom, Bordeaux mixture, Previkur, Fundazol, Topaz. Between treatments, the ground under the bushes can be shed with a solution of Fitosporin-M, and the above-ground part of the plant with Baikal-M.

Of the viral diseases on delphinium, it is often found ring spot, which looks like yellowish spots in the shape of irregular rings. Leaves become chlorotic. This disease cannot be treated, so the diseased plant is removed and burned. The carrier of ringspot is aphids. To combat it, insecticides are used (Iskra, Fitoverm, Inta-vir, karbofos, biotlin, etc.).

Another malicious pest of this crop is delphinium fly, which lays eggs in buds. After hatching, the larvae damage the flowers by feeding on the stamens and pistils. Damaged flowers fall off prematurely and do not bear fruit.

WHERE TO BUY DELPHINIUM SEEDS

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