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Delphiniums

Janie BJanie B Posts: 963
in Plants
My delphiniums have just started coming through. Not gonna lie, they were magnificent last year, and I’m so happy they seem to have survived the winter (so far). Is there anything I should do now to protect them from any future cold snaps? And what about slugs... copper bands, wool pellets, plastic cloches...? Any suggestions? Many thanks. 
Lincolnshire

Posts

  • Lizzie27Lizzie27 Posts: 12,494
    Good for you. Slugs will love those new shoots so use everything you can think of. I found a good depth of hort.grit about a 1ft circle around each shoot worked as well as anything, plus one of those dome shaped plastic cloches secured by metal pins, until the delphs grow too big, plus regular sparse doses of slug pellets might do the trick.  I have to say that I've struggled for 3 or 4 years to keep mine going but am giving up this year - too much faff! 
    North East Somerset - Clay soil over limestone
  • yorkshireroseyorkshirerose Posts: 574
    I find sharp horticultural grit works very well. A friend of mine recommended putting the dust from a vacuum cleaner around new young growth as slugs cannot glide over it - I haven't tried it yet but seems a sensible suggestion. I would also cover any new growth with either a cloche or fronds of fern to protect from frost. 
    Hope your delphiniums survive and you have a lovely display again this year. Don't give up on them.
    A gardener's work is never at an end  - (John Evelyn 1620-1706)
  • Janie BJanie B Posts: 963
    Thank you both for suggestions... I wouldn't be growing them at all if they were too much faff, so we'll see what happens this year. I have ordered some of those plastic cloches...
    Lincolnshire
  • PerkiPerki Posts: 2,527
    One of my delphinium come up early one year , it had a foot of snow on it and got battered around a bit, but due to the weather going cold the slugs never touched it, they must of been hibernating . I use wool pellets for my plants expensive but they seem to work for me.
  • nultyphilip224nultyphilip224 Posts: 923
    @Janie B,..i have the same problem every year and i grow quite a few Delphiniums.

    At present my Delphiniums and Lupine are competing for size and of course its Slug food on offer with those young tender shoots,..i have no qualms about using Slug Pellets at this time of year,..if not i will not have Delphinium Blooms,..later when the plants are taller i switch to Neem Oil and spray the foliage,..by then nearly all the Slugs will be eliminated,..except those wandering from other gardens into mine.

    My Delphiniums when in bloom.






    Philip


    glengarry23 - YouTube
  • Janie BJanie B Posts: 963
    Thanks, @Perki I do have some wool pellets from a couple of years back, I may use those too. And @nultyphilip224 your delphs look magnificent! I'll look into Neem Oil, I've never heard of it!
    Lincolnshire
  • nultyphilip224nultyphilip224 Posts: 923
    edited January 2019
    @Janie B,..i have never come across such an all in one plant protector like Neem Oil,..it protects plants from Slugs and Snails,..all types of flies and protects rose foliage,..yet does not harm bees butterflies birds and so forth.

    Philip
    glengarry23 - YouTube
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