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New plant plugs.

Nicola BalfourNicola Balfour Posts: 13
in Plants

Hi, I ordered these Delphinium plant plugs from a mail order catalogue and planted them in the ground 4 days ago. I've been using a lemonade pop bottle at night as a cloche to stop slugs and snails eating them. Are they ok with the bottle over the top at night and with them being new plants are they ok to plant into the ground so early? I'm new to gardening and would like some advice from people who know what they are doing. 
Many thanks for your help. 😊

Posts

  • debs64debs64 Posts: 4,923
    I would be inclined to put them in pots to let them get a bit bigger before planting out. Slightly bigger than the pots they came in and you may need to pot on increasing size a few times. Larger plants will have a stronger root system and for perennial plants it’s worth the extra effort. When you see roots coming out of the holes in bottom of pots it’s time to move up a size. Hope that helps. 
  • Butterfly66Butterfly66 Posts: 886
    They look a bit small to be planted straight out into the garden and would probably have been better potted on for a while. But as you’ve got them in the garden don't disturb them but yes I would protect them from the low night temperatures with the bottles and might be worth keeping them on when we get the odd chilly, windy day too.

    i do wish companies would give advice on what care plug plants need and when they will be ready to plant out in the garden. Sometimes it’s even hard to work out what size plants you will be getting 😔
     If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.”—Marcus Tullius Cicero
    East facing, top of a hill clay-loam, cultivated for centuries (7 years by me). Birmingham
  • debs64debs64 Posts: 4,923
    I think if they have only just been planted out it may be better to get them into pots? Easier to protect from slugs too, I agree that the advice given by online companies is often very poor. 
  • Nicola BalfourNicola Balfour Posts: 13
    Many thanks for your advice, very helpful. I'm going to gently lift them with all it's root ball intact and put into big pots and grow them into bigger plants. I've also noticed that the edging of the leaves are turning brown which I think is wind or cold burn.  Thanks again everyone. Xx 
  • JacquimcmahonJacquimcmahon Posts: 969
    Yes I think too small too. They need at least another few leaf sets and probably much stronger roots.
    Marne la vallée, basically just outside Paris 🇫🇷, but definitely Scottish at heart.
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