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Lupins and delphiniums

VerdunVerdun Posts: 23,348
I love my lupins and delphiniums in summer. Is there a better sight in June and July than fat lupin spikes and tall blue delphiniums? Last year I had 2 good crops delphiniums plus late flowers. But, delphiniums have to be blue....pale or dark but blue.....?
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  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,109

    But aren't they absolute slug magnets? - as I've frequently boasted, we seemed to have very little slug problem in this new garden of ours - I might have to eat my words - last summer I bought a lovely dark blue delphinium plant which flowered well.  This week its little shoots began to peek through the soil and I surrounded it with a layer of very gritty sand to keep the little rascals away and all seemed well until the other day when I discovered that a little grey slug had climbed the stem of a nearby plant and weighed it down so that it formed a bridge over the grit and it could reach the delphinium and chomp its way through all the new shoots image

    It's been firmly squidged and the gritty sand has been extended - but what's the betting it had friends .... image


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • Bunny ...Bunny ... Posts: 3,471
    Sounds like it had a hit team Dove image



    I love delphinium but slugs massacre them , I'm going to have some in large got this year where I am going to set up various obstacles , booby traps and devicesimageimage

    Also Verdun I actually like a mix if colours together , I do like white also , lemon and blue together is soft as is all three together and various shades image



    I too like my lupins and plan more this year... Even though the slug team will descend image
  • Bunny ...Bunny ... Posts: 3,471
    image @ keep out signs .. Don't think mine can read imageimage



    My mum has a white veronicastrum , it's lovely . I too support lupin , have too as very windy at times here.
  • discodavediscodave Posts: 510

    Maybe you should get a bouncer on the door bunny...

  • Bunny ...Bunny ... Posts: 3,471
    Hehehe
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,052

    If you scatter wildlife friendly slug pellets around susceptible plants at regular intervals from St Valentine's Day you'll get the slugs as they emerge from hibernation or hatch from eggs as spring advances and they'll be dead before they've had time to chomp or breed.  

    don't do blanket sprinkling.  Some slugs are essential for breaking down rotting matter but this way you get the perishers that eat your terasures.  

    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • Val40Val40 Posts: 1,377

    Have been trying for many, many years to grow both.  Every time I try again, they last one summer only. I have put it down to my heavy clay earth.  Any suggestions please.

  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,052

    I can't get lupins to grow either and am told they need light, well drained soil so i'm going to have one last go and will put them in a well drained bed behind a 2' retaining wall and see if that works.  

    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • Val40Val40 Posts: 1,377

    Oh well Obelixx, I will admit defeat.  Light isn't a problem, but well drained soil is non-existent.  Suppose I could try pots! Thanks for response.

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