| We live at 7500 ft elevation and I've just bought a packet (yes, it's Burpee) of Delphinium, Giant Pacific Mixed. I knew as I was buying it that they're perennials, but so caught up in starting my seeds to move outside when the weather's right, that I didn't give thought to when they'd actually bloom. I've forgotten if perennials bloom the first year they're planted from seed, or if they need two years of growth. I really want a bed of delphinium - badly - and of course want bloom this year. |
| Your delphiniums should bloom the first year from seed, probably from mid-summer through autumn. Snip back the spent flower stalks and you may get a second flush of slightly smaller blooms. If you allow the flowers to remain they will probably develop seeds, which you can harvest to plant next year, or allow to spill on the ground around the plant to encourage new plants the following year. It's a process called self-sowing and is recommended because delphiniums are relatively short-lived perennials. Enjoy! |
