Delphiniums
A very good delphinium support can be made on a small scale using the same idea as above. You can fashion a peice of wire to go over the plant, becomming invisible by late-spring
Another option is to use peony rings or tomato cages. If using tomato cages, be sure to get the largest size available - delphniums get very large indeed.
Many just rely on their own perspicacity and a few stakes. If you use stakes promise yourself and your delphinium to check the supports regularly.
When thinking about all this staking and support - don't bother thinking about planting right up against a tall wall - the wind will thrash them.
Dead Heading
Faded flowers should be cut off not only because they can be ugly but also because ripening seeds can slow down the growth of more flowers, and I am willing to bet that more flowers is probably what you want. Once the flower is, in your personal opinion, past it's prime, cut the spike of flowers down to 5 cm (2.5 inches) above ground. That is almost right to the ground, but that's OK. Reduce water, gradually increasing again as new growth emerges from the base of the plant.
Cleaning up for Winter
Cut down and tidy around the plants in early winter. Put slug bait down if you have slugs in your area, and mulch around the plants to protect the crowns from frosts.
The way the pros do it
As mentioned earlier, the commercial growers grow delphiniums through one layer of metal netting. After the first flush of blooms the plants are cut back to about 1 foot off the ground. I wouldn't recommend this unless your soil is very fertile, because in poor soil the stems that arise from this 1 foot of stem would be weak and brittle. After the second flush, they generally cut all plants down to ground level, but they stagger when they do this so they have a constant supply of stems for market. Sometimes they move the wire mesh up a foot as well, and much of this depends on the health of the plant and the efficacy of the growing season.
Propagation
Next to pure and simple division (fall is best for this)cuttings are a very good way to propagate
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