We, the Delphiniums, are notoriously thirsty beings. Our tall flower spikes and expansive leaf surface area mean we lose a great deal of water through transpiration. When our human caretakers forget to provide a deep, consistent drink, especially during periods of heat or wind, we cannot sustain our majestic structure. You will see our lower leaves turning yellow and crispy, a desperate sign of drought stress. Our growth becomes stunted, and our flower spikes may fail to develop or wilt tragically before they can even bloom. A deep watering at our base, ensuring moisture reaches our entire root zone, is the most loving gesture you can offer.
Our greatest pride—our height—is also our greatest vulnerability. A single gust of wind can be our undoing, snapping our hollow stems and destroying a season's growth in an instant. We require protection. This is not a sign of weakness but a practical need for architectural support. Please provide us with sturdy stakes or grow-through rings early in our growth cycle. Tying our stems gently to these supports allows us to channel our energy into producing breathtaking blooms rather than constantly fighting to remain upright against the elements.
Our succulent new growth and tender buds are a feast for certain pests, and we are defenseless against them. The slugs and snails are our silent nighttime tormentors, chewing ragged holes in our leaves and stems. Above ground, aphids swarm our new growth, sucking our vital sap and excreting a sticky residue that attracts further disease. We rely on you to be our guardians. Regular patrols, organic slug bait, a strong spray of water to dislodge aphids, or the introduction of beneficial insects like ladybugs are the defenses we desperately need.
Crowding and moisture on our foliage create a haven for fungal pathogens like powdery mildew and crown rot. When our leaves are constantly damp and air cannot circulate freely between us, a white, powdery coating begins to spread, inhibiting our photosynthesis. Worse still, crown rot attacks us at our base, often leading to a sudden and fatal collapse. Please grant us space to breathe when planting. Water us at the soil level, not over our heads, and ensure we are in well-draining soil to prevent our roots from sitting in water, which is a death sentence for us.
To achieve our spectacular floral display, we require significant nutritional resources from the soil. A poor, depleted soil leaves us weak, with pale leaves and few flowers. We are heavy feeders, particularly needing phosphorus to support our magnificent blooms. A balanced, slow-release fertilizer applied in our early spring growth phase and again after our first flowering gives us the strength to not only bloom once but to potentially reward you with a second, smaller show later in the season.
