delphinium 'Sweethearts'

Grow in a fertile, well-drained soil in full sun; shelter from strong winds and stake well. For best flower spikes thin shoots when 7cm high to leave a minimum of 2-3 shoots on young plants and 5-7 shoots on established plants

Deadhead by cutting spent flower spikes back to small flowering side shoots. Removing of the flower spikes straight after flowering may encourage a second flush of flowers in late summer. Cut down all growth to ground level after it has withered in autumn

Propagate by taking pencil thick basal softwood cuttings in early spring

Prone to slugs, snails, leaf miners and caterpillars

May be affected by powdery mildews, crown rot and a virus