Shall I carry on with these seedlings?
Is it worth carrying on with these delphinium seedlings? I sewed 20 seeds and only 4 sprouted and remain. This was before I read everyone saying delphinums are really hard to raise from seed, and that they never survive in flower beds anyway due to slugs. Then I regretted getting and sewing the seeds as I realised there are easier things to grow.
Shall I bother carrying on? I gather it will probably be next year before anything happens? I don't have a greenhouse. Do I just leave them growing on a window sill?
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Pot them into bigger pots and get them outside they don't need heat. Over winter they will die down, keep the soil just damp, and give some protection, but that could be putting the whole pot in a shed or garage. In spring, a slug pellet or three in each pot will help keep off the slugs until they are big enough to get in the ground. Once they are big enough, the slugs leave them alone.
Put them outside in a semi-sunny spot and guard them from slugs and snails. They'll die down in the winter - keep an eye on them when they start to re-appear in the spring - put sharp grit over them and stand the pots in a tray of sharp grit - that'll help keep the slugs and snails away. You might even need some iron-based slug pellets (not the metaldehyde ones).
When they're looking fairly sturdy in late spring, plant them out in your garden - you'll be glad you did
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Hi Wakeshine
These are perenial plants so should be planted out into the ground
Many years ago I had many in my garden and they grew very well, which I dug up and split once they got too big
Get them planted so they have a chance to establish their root system as the pots they are in are small
Good luck
Thank you all but there isn't much sun where I am at the moment. I can't find a sunny spot, let alone a 'semi-sunny spot' Dovefromabove, and AYM, there isn't anywhere 'warm or even hot'. I just went outside in my fleece!! And it's the end of July!! Can I leave them inside a bit longer?
Glad to know all your delphiniums survived though.
Can't wait to see your photos AYM.
all plants except tender houseplants are best outside. You need to get those aclimatised to the real world soon or you'll have them indoors getting weak and etiolated over winter.
In the sticks near Peterborough
I don't know why so many people have told me their delphiniums disappeared when they put them in the ground...do you think they will flower next summer? if so I look forward to it and it will have been a really long wait.
I'll bet that underneath that concrete slab you'll find lots of slugs living - favourite place for them.
Delphiniums don't need heat or bright sunshine; in fact they don't like it at all - that's why many Americans are so jealous of our ability to grow them.
Get them outside Wakeshine
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I would pot them on, put the pots outside, protect from the slugs, and then plant them out when they are bigger.
They do not need heat or lots of sun, as Dove says.
When you don't even know who's in the team
S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border