New delphiniums - what next?

[align=left]I just received an online order of three young Delphinium La Boheme's. I thought I would be planting the straight out into the garden and they would survive the winter outdoors and flower next summer. However the leaflet that came with them said to pot them and keep out of frost. Can anyone confirm whether these need to be kept indoors (I have no greenhouse) over the winter and the planted out in the spring or will they be happy to plant in the ground now?

Thanks

Naomi[/align]

 

Hi njoywat and welcome to the forum.

Delphiniums are normally hardy. But its late to be getting young plants. I suspect that (unless they are a special more tender variety) they would probably survive if planted outside now.

However, if I had just received them, I would want to protect them in case they didn't survive. I don't think they would want or even like to be inside the house - it would be too hot. A greenhouse would be ideal. Or a coldframe, or just put them in a shed close to a window - but you must remember to water them a small amount. The don't want to totally dry out - but at the same time they will need very very little water over the winter.

You can improvise a cold frame by getting a very large plastic drinks bottle and cutting off the bottom, and placing it over the pot. Placing it next to the house on the south side will also help.

 

I would go with the instructions you received. It is late in the year now to plant out very small plants. I wouldn't take them into the house - they won't like it.
I see you have no greenhouse but you could put your potted plants up on a table or something to raise them up (the temp will be a little higher up there) on the warmest side of the house and cover them over with a bit of fleece in frosty weather. Fleece can be left on for days at a time with no harm to the plants. As PeterS says don't forget to give them a very little water in milder spells. They don't want to dry out completely.
If you do decide to chance it and plant them out - or when you plant out in the spring - watch out for slugs. They just love them and your plants could disappear overnight.

 

I would want to keep the frost / cold off their roots. IMHO that is the main problem with overwintering plants in pots - in the ground they get cold from the top, in pots they cold from all sides!

If you can be bothered put them outside on days when the temperature is above freezing and its not blowing a gale, and bring them in at night. Obviously its dark at night :hehe: so doesn't matter if they are in total darkness - garage or frost-free shed will do. They just won't like having no light for weeks on end - although once they have died right down they will probably be fine in the dark until they shoot in the Spring, but getting some air will prevent them getting dank etc.

As others have said: inside your house will be too warm.

 

Thanks all, such helpful replies so quickly. I'm going to get them in pots make some drinks bottle cold frames (who knows I might go all out and buy a cold frame) and when it gets really cold I'll protect them in the shed.

I'll keep everything crossed that I can keep them alive over the winter.

 

I would reiterate Alice's warning about slugs as well - they seem to make a beeline for Delphiniums and you could lose all your hard work in one night, especially if they are young plants.

 

I am too mean to buy a cold frame. There are so many ways you can improvise for very little cost. We have black plastic boxes for recycling. Something like that with a piece of glass on top would make an excellent cold frame. I use old bricks and breeze blocks to make a rectangle and then put a piece of glass on top. Mine is about 20 feet long and cost very little - it would be expensive to buy. An added benefit is that in the summer you can dismantle it and stack it away - which you can't do with a purchased cold frame.

As the others say do beware slugs.