Re: Delphiniums in the heat

>> Does anyone have experiences to share (good and bad) growing
>> delphiniums in regions with cold winters and hot (up to 100deg F)
>> summers. This could be for both Pacific Giant types and English Type
>> hybrids. I am interested to learn of your methods and preferences when
>> growing these plants to assist compiling a region specific culture
>> page for our web site.

I just started growing delphiniums last year in Southern California. We
have summers in the 100+ range and right now it's in the low fifties, and I
still have three blooms. I thought they would have stopped blooming long
ago, but they haven't.  Our temperatures will get down into the 30s, but so
far this year, it has not. As this is my first season, I don't have a
strict regimen of care. I planted them along a sheltered chain link fence,
at the foot of some nerium oleanders which have been pruned to provide an
overhead bower. I worked steer manure and compost into the soil before
planting, other than that I did no additional feeding. They got sun from 10
am to 7 pm in the peak of summer.When the sun is most directly overhead at
midsummer, they get some dappled shade from the oleanders overhead. (We're
at approx. 34 N latitude.)  I generally water about once a week, more
frequently in the hottest part of the summer.  I'm sure they will be better
next year. Last year they were put in as small seedlings from the nursery.
As I recall some of them were "Black Knights."

Hope this helps,

Karen


Zone 9a, Sunset Zone 20            @ @ @ @ @ @   @ @ @ @ @@
So.Calif, near Descanso Gardens _\|_|_/_|_|____\|_|_|_|//___
http://www.greenheart.com/karenw/garden 


---------------------------------------------------------------------
To sign-off this list, send email to majordomo@mallorn.com with the
message text UNSUBSCRIBE PERENNIALS
Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index