Greetings, caretaker. We are the Delphiniums—towering spires of sapphire, amethyst, and purest white. To help us thrive and put on our most spectacular show for you, please follow this annual rhythm, tuned to the varied heartbeats of the U.S. climates.
Beneath the frozen earth, we are dormant, our energy conserved in our crowns and roots. This is not a time of idleness for you, however. This is your time to plan. Order our seeds for spring sowing. Peruse catalogs for new cultivars that make your heart sing. In milder zones (7-9), you may gently tidy our sleeping area, removing any old foliage to discourage slugs and disease, but take care not to disturb our crown.
As the soil warms and daylight lengthens, we begin to stir. This is a critical time for support. As our new, tender shoots emerge, apply a balanced, slow-release fertilizer around our base to fuel our rapid growth. In regions with heavy spring rains, ensure our feet are not waterlogged. For you starting us from seed indoors, now is the time. We need a cool start; do not place us in a hot room.
We are growing with immense vigor now, racing towards the sun. Our hollow stems, while strong, are vulnerable to wind and heavy rain. You must provide us with stakes or grow-through rings *before* we need them. We do not wish to be bent or broken. Continue to ensure we receive at least one inch of water per week, deeply and at our base, to encourage our roots to journey downward.
Behold! Our flower spires open, a beacon for bees and hummingbirds. Your task now is vigilance. In the intense summer heat, we may require more frequent watering. Watch for powdery mildew; good air circulation is our best defense. As our lower blossoms fade, you can carefully cut the spent flower spike back to a side shoot, and with luck and care, we may grant you a second, smaller flush of bloom later.
The heat breaks, and we experience a renewal. After our summer performance, a light application of fertilizer can help us recover our strength. For our established clumps (3-4 years old), this is the ideal time for division. Gently lift us, separate our crowns with a sharp knife, ensuring each division has healthy roots and shoots, and replant us promptly. This rejuvenates us and grants you more of our beauty.
Our foliage begins to yellow and die back as we prepare for our winter rest. Once we are fully dormant, after a good hard frost, you should cut our stems down to just a few inches above the ground. In colder zones (3-6), we appreciate a warm blanket of mulch—straw, pine boughs, or shredded leaves—piled over our crown after the ground freezes. This protects us from damaging freeze-thaw cycles. In warmer zones, a lighter mulch will suffice.
