Read that if you prune Delphinium's once their flowers start to fade you will be rewarded with flowers at the end of the summer.

Question is how hard do you prune them, as below the main flower stem you have 4/5 leaves which each have smaller flower stems coming off?

Do you just take off the main flower stem or cut below any flowers?

I'm also guessing you should feed (what?) to help promote flowering?

Thanks

"Tiger303" wrote in message
...

Read that if you prune Delphinium's once their flowers start to fade you
will be rewarded with flowers at the end of the summer.

Question is how hard do you prune them, as below the main flower stem
you have 4/5 leaves which each have smaller flower stems coming off?

Do you just take off the main flower stem or cut below any flowers?

I'm also guessing you should feed (what?) to help promote flowering?

Thanks


--
Tiger303

I'm asking myself the same questions! Growing Delphiniums well is
difficult. Definitely they need feeding, and I should think that potash is
the main thing that should be in that feed, so as to promote flowers, as
opposed to leaves. The pruning aspect is harder. I read that serious
Delphinium growers only allow one flower spike in year one, three in
year two, and five in year three or somesuch, so as to allow the plant
to achieve its full potential, but I just let them flower as they want.
They're
only 4 feet tall tall though, so aren't terribly tall by Delphinium
standards.

Andy.

cheers andy, like yours mine are nearly 4 feet tall, however there are 3 main flower spikes which still look lovely despite the rain and the fact that they're past their best. only bought it this year, but as for whether its a 1 or 2 year old plant i have no idea. guessing two, due to the 3 main stems and looks to bushy to be just 1 year old.

will prune hard soonish