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why is my delphinium so sad?

why is my delphinium so sad?

Comment from Shoot User
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I planted a Guardian Lavender Delphinium in south-east facing front garden about 3-4 weeks ago and it almost immediately looked very sad - the leaves are very droopy. I have kept it watered regularly and have no idea now if it is under or over watered, or needs feeding, or more sun..... Today I dug it up again and have put it back in a pot, hoping to revive it - any suggestions gladly received!
Posted: Saturday 9th of July 2011 04:32 PM

  • Re: why is my delphinium so sad?

    Angie Robertson
    If it looked sad almost immediately then I would say that it wasn't getting enough water.
    Did you soak it in the pot before planting it in the ground? Did you tease the roots out before you planted it? I'm not sure how much damage you have done by taking it out of the ground but did you notice if the roots had grown?
    You could try give it a feed with an appropriate multi purpose feed, as per instructions. Slugs love delphiniums...could this be the problem?
    Sorry to ask so many questions but answers will determine what has gone wrong. Angie
    Replied: Sunday 10th of July 2011 10:59 PM

    • Re: Re: why is my delphinium so sad?

      Shoot User
      thank you Angie, having read your reply, I went out and watered it immediately! To answer your questions, I watered the plant before planting it - but might not have 'soaked' it. But I did put loads of water in the ground, and sprinkled blood, fish and bone into the hole. I didn't tease out the roots (had no idea about that). When I took it out of the ground on Saturday, I made sure the roots were covered in soil, so didn't notice whether they'd grown - but had no trouble getting it out, so perhaps the roots hadn't spread as they should. I fed it in the pot and cut off the seed pods.

      I was aware that slugs could be problematic, so I put a ring of copper tape on the soil around it when I originally planted it and soon after that I watered it with a slug-repelling solution. So I don't think slugs are to blame this time!

      Maybe I should replant it and water it more?
      Replied: Monday 11th of July 2011 08:23 PM

      • Re: Re: Re: why is my delphinium so sad?

        Angie Robertson
        Louise, the only slug repelling liquid I know of is nemaslug (please forgive my spelling), this liquid should be put onto the soil not on the plant. Is this the liquid you used?
        If you took plenty of soil out when you checked the plant you maybe would not have seen the roots. Delphiniums need full sun to perform at their best.
        When you say you cut off the seed pods...what do you mean by this? Seed pods would only be produced after flowering.
        Replied: Tuesday 12th of July 2011 08:42 PM

        • Re: Re: Re: Re: why is my delphinium so sad?

          Shoot User
          I've used nemaslug before, in early spring, and it wasn't that - it's stuff called 'slug clear' and goes on the plants to make their leaves unappealing to the slimy critters.

          The plant was flowering when i bought it and continued to do so. Now that the flowers are fading and petals are falling, there are things that look like seed pods to me! so i chopped them off. There are healthier, new leaves appearing, so i may replant it at the weekend - teasing out the roots first and watering well. Sadly, its not going to get full sun, wherever I put it, because of the trees in the street.

          Thanks anyway!
          Replied: Wednesday 13th of July 2011 07:02 PM
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