I saw one of mine come back late, so I would keep checking it. I've tried to grow Delphiniums from plants and from seeds. I've had modest success with them, but they seem to need replacing for one reason or another. I tried to move my best looking one and that was a big mistake. Despite all my best care, it died. I have stopped trying to grow it in favor of pl*ants that need less work. Really they aren't that bad and once you have the pl*ants grow*ing, they seem to be easy enough. IF the germination rate on the seeds were higher, I would just grow them from seed every couple of years, but the best strains are the Dodswell seed from Australia and it is expensive to order the seed from them, then you get a pretty small percentage of germination. If you find a strain that is easy to grow from seed that you are happy with, I know they will work with the Winter Sowing method, which is very easy. If you really love them, I would resign myself to starting them from seed at least every couple of years to replace any that are missing.

It could be that you had a winter that wasn't to their liking. Can't really say the reason why they didn't come back. When I was growing them, I used an area that was raised about 8 inches, because I do have clay s*oil, which they don't mind, but I always like to give good drainage. I also used compost to amend the soil. They looked great when they were growing.

I grew Magic Fountain Delphiniums last year and was terribly disappointed this spring to find that I lost them.

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that is why i gave up toying with nearly all delph's ...

foo foo plants that are just not worth the foo .... if you know what i mean ...

there is at least one.. that is a re-seeder than has the same blue.. but much smaller flowers.. which i got from a garden friend. and have no idea what the name is ...

keep trying... but understand.. you are fighting a losing battle for the most part ... IMHO!!!! .. in our zone ...

good luck

ken

I've grown Magic Fountains for years. They usually only last 4-5 years and then are done. Mine are very happy with full sun, rich soil, good drainage, thick mulch and regular rainfall. They are not foo foo - I do nothing special for them not even stake them. I'm amazed how easy they are and why more people don't grow them. I suppose they just like this zone.
{{gwi:212248}}From 2008 Misc

Delphs are very sensitive to heat and humidity, both of which are plentiful where I live. The tag always says full sun, but I had some that only got 2 hours of sun per day and bloomed beautifully. They came back for 3 years and then disappeared.

I'd advise you to put them where they'll get dappled sun or morning sun only, and they'll be more likely to come back. Even then, they'll probably be a short lived perennial - 3 years at most. They like rich soil and plenty of water too.

Deanna

They also like lime - give them a dose of horticultural lime each spring.

I love delphiniums :)
Growing from seed is difficult though.

They are heavy feeders and a good dose of compost in the Spring will get them going. If you cut them down after blooming, they will often rebloom. I do stake mine, or use tomato cages to keep them upright although not all of them require that.

I agree with the full sun comment. Full sun, to a certain extent, but if you have a location that gets some dappled shade from the hot afternoon sun, they tend to like that better. Not shade, but dappled shade :) I grow mine around the roses as they like about the same levels of sun, water and ammendments.

Not sure why yours didn't come through the winter. Sometimes one just won't make it, but that's like any plant. Mostly, mine come back just fine. Many of mine are already a couple inches up already.

I wish you luck with your new ones this year. They truly are beautiful flowers!

... and I should add that they really don't like to be moved. Not sure why (its not like they have a huge taproot or anything) but they hate to be moved. Almost every time I've tried to move one, it has croaked. Put it where you want it, and let it establish itself :)

I've had some that have been moved a couple of times with no problem. I have some that were with me only 3 or 4 years and I also have some that have been with me for 15 years. I enjoy them far too much to ban them from my garden. I put down compost around them every year, mulch them, cut back after bloom and give them a good drink when needed.

We have a variety of opinions here! I grow some from seed (Winter Sowing) every year but find they re-seed. I have had them in the same areas for over 10 years and if they are short-lived, they must be re-seeding in those places. Growing them from seed is extremely easy IMHO.

I agree that they are very easy from seed. I think the range of opinion probably reflects specific soil conditions (especially pH), light, heat and drainage.

Thank you everyone for your responses. I really appreciate your willingness to share from your experiences and hopefully this year will be a success in my garden, too! Has any one ever tried rooting stem cuttings of Delphinium? And how often and when do people fertilize theirs? I planted mine with lots of compost and added some lime, bone meal and wood ashes. Do you add more compost when they bloom and again each spring? Someone mentioned that I should cut them right down after the first bloom. Is that the whole plant with every single leaf or just the flower stalks.
Once again, thank you every one for your responses.

I had a shorter variety that was simply gorgeous! Never returned the next year though. They had great soil and all they could want, but I consider them annuals - expensive ones! I may try them again but I won't expect them to return. I had to stake even the shorter ones.
Don't be disappointed if they don't return but be really unexpectedly happy if they do!

I really like mine, don't do much extra to them, except the soaker hose going thru that bed. Bed gets some 12-12-12 fertilizer sprinkled over the whole area. Depending on height, I may stake them if real tall, over 4ft. I also am not sure if they are the same plant, or reseeding. I don't find them in other places around that bed, so I beleive they are staying the same plant. Probably close to 10 years old. They do only last a couple years at my mother's house, with afternoon sun. All her other plants in that bed do fine.

I always cut the flower stalks after the first bloom, though I sometimes am late on secondary bloom stalks so they might throw some seeds. I try for no seeds, so roots are able to get all the nourishment.

I think mine are Magic Fountains, both light and dark blue, dark purple, with one white one.

I hope you decide to give winter sowing a try. I never had good luck with delphs until I used this method. I agree that good drainage is also a must after you move the seedlings into your beds.

Teresa

You might try sowing the Dowdeswell's Delphinium seed, as someone mentioned already. Although I think they are actually producing cultivars & seeds in New Zealand.
I bought a packet (100 seeds) of their seeds through Hazzard's Greenhouse, of the 'New Millenium' series, rather inexpensively last year & sowed them late last summer. (So you really don't have to order directly from N.Z.) to obtain them. Great germination rate & the petals of the florets & colors of this outstanding variety are totally amazing!