my corydalis plug plants arrived with 7 inch long thin floppy stalks and few leaves at the top. what shall I do

Question

they have been watered and planted in small compost filled pots. I don’t think they can survive as they will never stand up on such stems.

Answer 1

This is a bulb plant, and it has probably finished everything it's going to do for this year. I suggest letting the stems fall naturally and allow the bulb to soak up any nutrients from the stems until the stems turn yellow or appear dead. Then, clip the stems and put the pot away for spring. If you're in an area that gets a hard winter freeze, remove the bulbs from the soil, let them dry, and store them in a cool, dry environment until spring. Here are tips on how to do that: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/bulbs/bgen/preparing-bulbs-for-winter-how-to-store-bulbs-for-winter.htm

This is a helpful article about growing corydalis:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/flowers/corydalis/growing-corydalis-plants.htm