Guide to growing garden plants - Consolida (Larkspur)
Consolida is a hardy annual that reaches from 30cm to 120cm in height.
The plants are very upright and can have spires of blue, white, purple or pink flowers.
Larkspur flowers from Summer into the beginning of autumn. Consolida plants are also known by their common names of Larkspur and Annual Delphinium.
How to grow Larkspur (Consolida)
Larkspur can be grown outside from seed. The seed should be sown outside before the last frost of spring or in the autumn. Once the seed is laid down it should be lightly covered. It should be sown into a sunny area of the garden that has a rich organic soil. If planning to grow Larkspur seedlings indoors then the seeds should be prepared by placing the seeds (within soil) in a black bag, then placing in the fridge for two weeks. Seeds should then be sown out in peat pots and grown in the dark at a temperature of 10 to 12 Celsius; they normally take about two or three weeks to germinate. Seedlings should be transplanted following the last frost of spring at a spacing of 40 to 60cm.
Caring for Larkspur in the garden
Larkspur (Consolida) is pretty easy to look after, they should be staked, require a light fertilizing a couple of times, and should be dead headed to prevent them setting seed and taking over the garden.