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Plant stem damage
cathy paget
Posts: 36
in Plants
Hello everyone. I have just bought a delphinium and during the trip home the flower stem has been damaged. The stem itself is not fully split but is limp and bent over. Is there a way I can save it or will I need to cut it off completely? It seems a shame if I lose it.
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It will produce more cathy. You could try staking but it probably is too far gone now and would be best snipped off. Enjoy it inddors.
Thanks for that!
On a similar note, the top of my delphinum was eaten by a slug, what happens now? Will it produce more shoots? Or will there now not be flowers? Thanks
I wouldn't try splinting a delphinium - it's such soft tissue I think that damaged areas will be susceptible to infection which could spread to the whole plant.
At this time of year the delphinium will grow new shoots to replace the lost one.
I have successfully splinted a stronger shoot on woody shrub and I've known it done on a young tree
Last edited: 29 April 2017 06:31:28
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Ok, thanks!
I have successfully splinted a couple of broken off tomato plants. I used masking tape ( the paper stuff) around the break and then propped it up with a thin wooden coffeee stirrer.
The "mended" stems were slightly bulbous and swollen around the join, but surprisingly ended up stronger and thicker than their undamaged brothers. Weird!
I know it's too late for your delphiniums - but worth keeping in mind for future problems.