I am in the process of starting delphiniums.
Somehow, I have got about 22 different varieties this year.
The seeds are being chilled for two weeks in moist growing medium
and then brought to a cooler window for germination.
Some seeds are in plastic containers of vermiculite and out in the unheated garage.
Nothing has germinated yet.

i think i will experiment to see what works best with the delphiniums . i have extra seed so hopefully if i waste a few i will learn the best way .

Crystal, I put my seeds in the freezer for at least a week and then plant them and put them on my floor next to my lights. I did an experiment one year and put some seeds in the dark and some under lights. The ones with light germinated much better than the ones I did in the dark so I've done them like that every since and I start some every year. An Elderly Master Gardener from my garden club told me about the freezing them for at least a week and that helped my germination alot.
Here's a pic of this years seedlings. I gave some away cause I don't have enough room in my garden for all the ones I started. Hope this will be a help for your experiments.

Good----these will freeze in the unheated garage.
I think often you can overcome weeks of chilling by freezing the seeds in growing medium.
All of these had different requirements as to chilling or freezing when I did searches on them.

I just put the packet of seeds I the freezer. But then, I planted them all. Worked fine.

Cyrstal-I've had pretty good luck winter sowing them.

thanks for awesome advice yall . i have other seeds that like cool germination and i just put them under the table in my greenhouse and they are already up . i put all of my seeds in the freezer every year . mom always taught me to freeze them to replicate winter . plus it keeps bugs from eating your seeds . i was just confused about germinating them in the dark . so i am experimenting with a few ideas yall gave me . i have one flat in my kitchen where it is dark most of the time unless i open the curtains . then i put one under the table in the greenhouse . then another flat is in my bedroom which is the coldest room in the house . i will update you on which sprouts first .

Can't remember if I'd mentioned it earlier, but I had the same confusion about salpiglossis; the instructions said to germinate them in the dark. So I 'd surface sow them and cover them with a piece of cardboard or another pot till they sprouted. Sigh. This year, I just covered them lightly with vermiculite, and they came up just fine and actually look much better than the ones I fussed over with trying to keep them dark. The plants are much more compact and sturdy looking; probably because they got light as soon as they sprouted.

I think that "dark" just means low light.
Covering with vermiculite works!

Ha, ha! There's dark and then there's DARK. I remember reading about messing around with Poinsettias and the instructions I read for them essentially said something like "stuff them in a box, seal it up, and stuff it in a closet and don't open the door!"

Rain Rabbit,

The seeds have to be in the dark, just cover the seed tray with a sheet of cardboard, it is only the seeds that need to be in the dark, not the gardener.

Also really watch the slugs when you put them out, try crushing garlic into a sprayer with warm water and spray the plants at the bottom. After they have grown a foot they are safe. By the way stake them up for about two feet from behind the plant when you put them out and each flower stalk if you are serious about big blooms that the wind won't blow over. The leaf body will cover off most of the stake. I usually plant the year two into raised beds or 3, 6, then 12 inch pots. Easier to drop the plant from a pot into its final planting space.

Cut back to the ground after flowering, fertilize and get a second set of blooms. If you want you can just let the leaves grow and feed the plant without blooms, it will set the plant up for a big show the following year.

Rainrabbit, you can also get excellent seed from an Engish company called Blackmore and Langdon. They offer mixed seed packets from their stock for about $4. The seeds produce some tremendous plants as they come from their stock, which is Chelsea gold medal standard, and you should see the blooms.

It takes almost the same effort to raise great plants as good, and an extra dollar for the best seed is worth the money. I will post some photos next week, you will also have the best plants to give away.

How'd it go?

Ducks eat slugs.
Copper tape or wire around your plants will keep them off, too.

Thanks crittergarden,

I live in a city so ducks are not an option really, busy posting dahlia at present , but will return with some delphinium shots later. My delphinium are no names but from a quality provider, but I only have a few.

Peter

Peter, they are lovely, gorgeous colors!

I have a very nice plant in my garden, I have no idea what cultivar as it was here over 11 years ago when we bought the house.

Margaret, do you have seeds to share of that lovely cold hardy delphinium?

CG, I think may I have some from last year, will check later.

Wow, Margaret, if I knew where you lived I would be over the wall with a spade for a plant like that, and I am a law abiding citizen.

Now I see that I am going to take Delphinia more seriously next season, holy moley!

Peter

I love Peter's first photo, the violet Delphinium. Great color!

Would anyone like some seeds collected from my pale blue with lavender edges plant? I only had the one Delphinium survivor, so these seeds are self-pollinated. Just Tree-Mail your address, but it may take me weeks to get them in the mail.

http://garden.org/thread/view_...

Delphinium elatum 'Pacific Giant'
short-lived Perennial in cold Zones
said to live 4+ years above Zone 7, but mine died after 3 years of blooming.
from Botanical Interests
needs dark to germinate, maybe 2 wees of cold wet stratification
slow & irregular germination

Sorry CG, I checked my seed stash and I don't have any Delphinium seeds, guess I sent them all to Sharon. I will save you some next season if my plant performers as expected.

Peter I sure am glad you don't know where I live, wouldn't want to find my plant missing some morning.