Delphinium perennial

Delphinium can be a real decoration for any garden. People have known this flower for a long time. The genus of larkspur or larkspur (this is also the name of the plant) includes more than 400 different cultures, belonging to both annual and perennial representatives. All of them are similar in a long flowering period, as well as in the presence of cluster or paniculate inflorescences.

Origin and description

The historical homeland of the plant is in Greece, the name itself came from the city of Delphi, next to which a huge number of these flowers grew. The name of the culture was given by Dioscorides, who was an ancient Greek physician and naturalist.

Delphinium, appearance

The plant has a straight, hollow stem that is easy to break, so tall species will need to make a garter. Dwarf plants have a height of 0.1 to 0.4 meters, tall ones - up to 2 meters, forest specimens are real giants (3 meters).

The delphinium's leaf plates are dissected and have jagged edges. They can be wedge-shaped or multifaceted. The color of the leaves varies according to the color of the flower. If it is dark, then the leaves are brown or reddish, if light, then green. The arrangement of the leaves is alternate, their quantity is influenced by the quality of the soil and the species of larkspur.

Flowers can be:

• simple;
• semi-double;
• terry.

The form itself is adapted for pollination by bumblebees, hummingbirds, to a lesser extent it is convenient for butterflies. Flowers can be blue or purple in color, cultural forms have a richer palette. Inflorescences are found both paniculate and pyramidal.

Simple flower

The flowers are 2-8 cm in size, this is determined by the species. One inflorescence contains from 50 to 80 flowers, located on half of the stem part.

Types and varieties of delphinium

It is possible to divide the representatives of the spur genus into 3 groups:

• The highest - the highest delphinium grows up to 3 meters. The leaf plates have a rich green color, the stem is covered with villi. Inflorescences are racemose, dense;
• Large-flowered - represented by an annual plant up to 0.8 m in height. The stem is branched vertically. The delphinium begins to bloom in the middle of summer;
• Field - also belong to annuals, height - up to 2 meters. The flowering period is July-September. Inflorescences are pyramidal, there are both double and simple flowers.

It is worth talking in more detail about some interesting varieties of larkspur.

Delphinium white

Lovers of perennial plants should take a closer look at the Galahard variety. Distinctive features include tallness (about 2 meters) and the presence of snow-white double flowers up to 7 cm in diameter. The inflorescence is cone-shaped.

White variety

The plant is used in the design of borders and walls. Delphinium white stands very well in the cut.

Delphinium yellow

This shade is typical for the semi-bred delphinium that grows in Iran and Afghanistan, it is not hybrid. The plant reaches 120 cm in height. Those who want to grow a beautiful flower are advised to purchase the seed material of the "Sun Knight". Here it is worth considering the feature that the yellow delphinium possesses - it is a huge thermophilicity.

Delphinium blue

You can meet such a representative in the Caucasus region. This perennial is also called beautiful delphinium. The height of the plant is up to 0.8 m, the inflorescences are up to 0.45 m long, the shape is racemose. The flowers can be either blue or purple.

Blue variety

Delphinium blue is represented by at least two more varieties and varieties: large-flowered or Chinese, "Tsarskoye", "Magic fountain", "Pacific".

Delphinium blue

Called Summer Sky, the variety will delight those plant lovers who want to grow light blue flowers. The height of the spur reaches 2 meters. Perennial crops prefer areas with good light and some shade during hot hours.

Delphinium blue begins to bloom in June and ends in July. Plants can be planted either singly or in groups. Another feature is the long standing cut. This includes the New Zealand delphinium.

Delphinium terry

Several varieties belong to this variety, but the "Black Knight" will look most effective. In height, the culture reaches 2 meters, the inflorescences are long, conical, the color of the flowers is purple, closer to lilac. In a flower garden, such a plant looks great with other representatives of perennial families.

Black Knight

Delphinium terry is represented by the following varieties:

• "Black Knight";
• The Guardian;
• "Purple Flame".

Delphinium pink

You can find the pink variety by purchasing the following varieties:

• Princess Caroline;
• "Red Giant";
• Dusky Maiden;
• Deep Sweethearts;
• "The pledge of youth".

Princess carolina

Delphinium pink "Pledge of youth" is represented by plants reaching a height of 0.7 meters, flowers are pinkish in color. All other varieties are also pink in various saturations.

Transplant after purchase in open ground

Next, about the delphinium long-term planting and care. It's time to figure out the intricacies of growing a beautiful plant.

What you need for landing:

• shrubs bushes (it is best to take plants 3-4 years old);
• landing place;
• garter supports if tall varieties are preferred.

Optimal location

With the right choice of a place for planting, the spur will always delight its owner with a beautiful flowering. The basic rules are as follows:

Landing space

1. Good lighting. An ideal site is one with sunshine in the morning and evening and shade in the afternoon. The culture tolerates heat well, but if the variety is brightly colored, then it will fade in the sun, which will lead to a loss of attractiveness and decorativeness.
2. Draft proof. Among the delphiniums, there are a large number of tall varieties, gusts of wind will break hollow stems with ease.
3. There should be no liquid stagnation. If moisture is not absorbed into the soil for a long time, then the root system will rot.
4. Particular attention must be paid to the soil.

How to prepare the ground

When growing a delphinium, if for some reason the soil on the site does not correspond to the ideal, it can be improved. For clayey lands use:

• sand - 1-2 buckets per 1 m²;
• mineral fertilizers - 50-80 grams per 1 m²;
• humus or compost - 20-25 kg per 1 m².

Depleted soil, before planting larkspur, is enriched per 1 m²:

• mineral dressing - 40-50 grams;
• organic fertilizer - 10-15 kg.

Lime is added to acidic soils, sulfur in granules to alkaline soils (30-50 grams per 1 m²).

Step-by-step planting process

The delphinium is planted according to the following principle:

• The earth is dug on a shovel bayonet.
• A drainage layer of 20 cm is laid out.
  

  Cuttings

• The excavated earth is mixed with fertilizers: compost - 1 bucket, ash - 2 cups, bone meal - 1 cup, superphosphate - 2 tablespoons. The quantity is calculated for 1 m².
• The burgundy seedling is lowered into the ground in such a way that the root collar is deepened by no more than 2-3 cm.

Reproduction of delphinium

There are several breeding options for a home burgundy.

Cuttings

Plants are cut in the spring, after the regrowth of young shoots. As soon as they reach a height of 10 cm, they can be cut off at the very root with a small particle of it. The cuttings are planted in a suitable container with soil, deepening the root by 2 cm. The ideal temperature regime in the room is + 20-25 ° С.

It is not recommended to put the cutting in a very sunny place, it is best to choose light shade. A glass or polyethylene shelter is used to create a greenhouse-like environment. After 14-21 days, the roots of the system begin to grow. The process takes 28-35 days.

Growing from seeds

This method assumes 2 options: the seeds are sown directly into the ground, or seedlings are first obtained from them, then the seedlings are transplanted to the site.

How to get seedlings

You can achieve flowering in the first year of a perennial's life by following the following scheme:

1. Sowing is carried out in February (in the presence of phytolamps for additional illumination) or you need to wait until daylight hours increase.
2. The seeds are processed before planting.
3. The choice of capacity for sowing also matters. It is recommended to use shallow seedling containers with drainage holes.
4. Soil preparation. You can use a universal seedling mixture or for succulents. For those who want to make it with their own hands: 2 parts of peat, 4 parts of garden or garden soil, 2 parts of humus or compost, 1 part of sand. Sift the soil, add perlite at the rate of 1 glass per 10 liters of soil.
5. The soil is disinfected (heating in the oven for 60 minutes). If the mixture is purchased, then it must be spilled with "Fitosporin".
6. Fill containers with soil, sow material over the surface, deepen and press down.
7. For dusting, vermiculite or a little potting soil is used.
8. Cover the containers with lids or plastic, put the crops in a dark, cool place. There they will begin to grow.

Seeds begin to germinate in the middle of the 2nd week. It is recommended to carry out daily checks of seedlings from 7 days (after planting). As soon as the crops appear, they will need to be transferred to a warmer room. Shelters are also removed.

Delphinium flowers are obtained from seedlings under the following conditions:

• wet soil;
• daylight hours 12-14 hours;
• temperature + 18-20 ° С.

Seedling

A pick is carried out when 2 real leaves appear. The sprouts need to be placed in individual small cups, the soil is suitable the same that was used for germination, you also need to add a complex mineral fertilizer at the rate of 2 tablespoons per 10 liters of soil.

Landing in the garden

You need to plant a delphinium flower in the second half of April, you need to start by preparing the garden:

• dig up the soil 30 cm;
• make fertilizing of a complex type;
• make grooves to a depth of 1.5 cm;
• make abundant watering;
• spread the seed along the grooves;
• cover with dry soil.

To obtain faster and more friendly seedlings, the garden bed is closed to create a greenhouse effect using agrofibre or dark film. The beds need to be moistened periodically so that they do not dry out. You can remove the material after shoots appear in 21-28 days.

By dividing the bush

You need to choose shrubs that have reached 3-4 years of age. Spring is best for reproduction, when leaves begin to grow.

Dividing the bush

It is necessary to extract the root from the soil and divide so that each delenka has one shoot, one dormant bud and many roots. The disembarkation is carried out at a prepared place.

Care

Delphiniums care and cultivation do not involve complicated procedures, the main thing is to do everything regularly.

Watering mode

During the growing season, one burgundy consumes 65 liters of liquid. If summer does not indulge in precipitation, then once a week each shrub is watered with 2-3 buckets of water. More often, but less abundantly, the crop is watered when the inflorescences form. Lack of moisture leads to the fact that some buds do not fully develop, and the inflorescences form with voids.

With the onset of late autumn, with insufficient rainfall, abundant watering is also carried out so that the larkspur can prepare for the upcoming wintering. After watering and drying the soil, loosening must be carried out.

Top dressing

Flowers are fed 2 times a season:

• at the beginning of spring, add urea, potassium sulfate (2 tablespoons of each component) and 1 tablespoon of superphosphate per 1 m²;
• before flowering begins, phosphate and potash dressings, 1 tablespoon per 1 m².

During flowering

To get larger and denser inflorescences, you need to thin out the delphinium. It is necessary to get rid of weak shoots, so that in the end 3-5 stems remain. This applies to both tall and undersized varieties.

Fragile stems and heavy inflorescences break easily, so you need to take care of the garter. It is recommended to fix the bush at different heights.

During the rest period

After flowering is complete, the shoots begin to die off, and their appearance is poor. If the collection of seed material is not planned, then the stems need to be cut and the cutting sites must be processed. After some time, some varieties of delphinium can grow shoots and bloom again.

Cropping Result

In the autumn, it is not necessary to prune shoots. If water gets into the hollow stems, then the case may end with rotting of the root system.

Preparing for winter

After flowering is complete and the leaves are dry, it is necessary to prune the stems at a height of 30 cm from the ground. All cavities are covered, for this you need to use clay or garden pitch.

If the variety is frost-resistant, then special shelters are not equipped. Only young plants will need protection. The base of the shrubs is covered with straw or spruce branches, grooves are made next to the plants so that excess water does not harm the root system.

Although it takes some effort to care for and grow a delphinium, it is well worth it. The spur will become a real decoration of the garden, which is not a shame to show to guests.