When you all start your perennials from seed, do most people keep potting up until fall and then put them in the ground or do you do it sooner? I think I'm getting some germination (via Deno) on some Chinese delphiniums and I wondered what the general consensus was. Marg
when to sow
PERENNIALS here where I live are a September on usual ,as they need to grow just large enough survive the winter , that is what nature has them do . They fall sow, grow to dormancy, and grow larger and bloom the following season . There are of course exceptions that you can grow , some that will bloom ,some that will only grow to certain size,but will live through the summer and well into fall until going dormant..
I have never had any luck with delphiniums so really do not know as to that.Although it appears I might get a few larkspur this year from winter sowing
Yes, I've got larkspur seeds to try winter sowing as well. Have not done them yet. I've bought at least 5 (they are expensive) standard delphinium plants over the last few years and they all died before ever producing a flower, but I'm thinking that the dwarf ones might have a better chance. I'm also winter sowing some of those.
I sow indoors early, and plant in the garden in the spring. My summers are not so fierce, but I do pay attention o the babies during unusually harsh periods. I think if I were to wintersow it might be different, but according to what I've read, if you plant HOS ( hunk of seedlings) in the garden early in the season, by fall they are big enough to survive the winter.
When do you consider early, Pfg? Since you are in the same hardiness zone as I am, I could probably do the same (next year if too late now).
Hi , am doing Delphs now...Here's some pix, germination is about 2 weeks , some less., surface sown. They should bloom the second year but there are exceptions. I am growing D. grandiflora chinensis (1rst year), 12-18", reseeds; D. elatum 'Guinevere' Lilac/white bee (2nd year) 4-6ft.; D. e. Blue/dark bee (2nd year) 4-6ft.; D. e. Dark blue/white bee (2nd year) 4-6ft; D.e. Hybrids (2nd year) 4-6ft. mix colors; D. e. 'Galahad' (white) (2nd year) 4-6ft; D. requienii (1rst year or biennial), this one is new for me, blue 3-6ft.
If you grow from seed just keep an eye on them thru the summer, just make sure they get enough water...Very rewarding to see them come into bloom the second and subsequent years.......Bloom is early summer ( late June-ish for meon the tall varieties, if cut back they will produce a second set of blooms tho much shorter. The grandifloras (12-18") will begin bloom in late spring and continue to frost if deadheaded (remember to allow some reseeding, they will make a patch), they are available in several blue to purple shades, white and pink. Another variety I've grown is D. belladonna, 3-5ft., these have their flowers more spread apart on the stems and many more stems than the hybrid elatums and longer lived, mainly in white and blue shades. Sorry no pix on those, am thinking I need seed for these again... Wish I had pix from my previous garden cuz they were gorgeous!!!!
Any other questions be glad to help...Kathy
I started my seeds under flourecent lights toward the end of Dec. When they are large enough I pot them into 2 1/2" x 2 1/2" inch pots till I can get them hardened off in spring and plant them out....
Pix 1: D. g. c. (144 plus more in another tray)
Pix 2" Mix of those listed above
Pix 3: One I grew from seed, the cage is for the deer
Not too late just need to get them started soon.
This year I started perennials earlier than ever before, hoping for first year bloom. Last year it was around now, the year before late January. The smaller they are in the spring, the more TLC they need. If they look really, really puny, like the co-op plants I got last year, I would pot them up for better control. But it's really never too late, just means they are less independent by the time the season gets going.
Thank you both. That is helpful. Kathy, you've got so many - that's great! I am disheartened to hear that deer are fond of them - I did forget to check for that before I got the seeds. My vegetable garden has 7' deer fencing around it, but not my flower garden.
In the other garden I was referring to above....the deer never bothered any of them....go figure...lol.
Pix D. grandiflora c., approx 14" and beginning to reseed, they can actually get more bushy.
I tried some delphs from the DS , zilch not a one germinated ,
Even they don't grow they usually germinate for me , disappointing ....
This message was edited Feb 23, 2013 3:44 PM
Mine that germinated were Summer Cloud. My grandiflora mix is just sitting there on the paper towel doing nothing so far.