Talkback: How to grow lupins - Page 2

i have been given 3 lupins bulbs which i have planted but the lady didnt say if they would pruduce this year or not so do i just leave them if any body cud give me any advice thanks

Highland Jeannie wrote (see)

When's the best time to split/move, I need to swap 2 over?

Any time now-before they get too big.

elsie123 wrote (see)

i have been given 3 lupins bulbs which i have planted but the lady didnt say if they would pruduce this year or not so do i just leave them if any body cud give me any advice thanks

Presumably these are roots-the should flower this year-watch out for slugs/snails

ooops sorry yes i did mean to say roots ok will look again at them tomorow thank you

sotongeoff wrote (see)

Highland Jeannie wrote (see)

When's the best time to split/move, I need to swap 2 over?

Any time now-before they get too big.

Thanks Geoff, wasn't too sure whether it should be done now whilst they are just starting to grow, but the temps are cold, or when they get bigger but it's warmer. I only planted them last year but they have really taken off!  I'll have a dig if the forecast is reasonable.

I've found that mine don't like the cold damp clay in much of my garden but given a sunny well drained spot they do quite well.  They seem to be very prone to an enormous aphid which is hard to control unless you spot them when they first arrive.  Growing new plants from saved seed every two or three years has proved my best option. 

Thanks Verdun - will try to remember - will be about the same time I start to wage war with the lily beetle - perhaps I can spray them both at ther same time.

I  was given a white an pink lupin last year in the summer, I planted them in rich potting compost, feed them every 2 weeks with Miracle Grow, had them in dappled sun most of the day and a few hours of full sun in the afternoon, I sprayed them pretty often sometimes once a week with powdery mildew treatment ( it comes back without regluar sparying). My tow were small when I got them and they grew to really nice sized plants that summer producing about 4-5 flower spikes each that summer. 

I moved house that same year and put them in full all day sun and they struggled and wilted, so I planted them out at my new house in a dappled shade area. This year the white one is coming back healthy and strong already with a tuft of leaves waiting to burst out in spring. However the pink one sent up only one leaf shoot that looks like its struggling, I have a feeling this cold March may finish it off.

I did go to Homebase a few weeks back and there were some lupin seedings in the sale as they had wilted due to not being watered so I got about 30 large plugs for £9. I have since planted them in compost one plant per  container and put them in a poly tunnel. I took them out just this Tuesday when the weather was warm and left them ou for the week they have recoved from their wilt and have formed strong tufts of leaves that have started bursting out some have one or two large leaves so I am hoping to have a garden full this summer. I have since put them back under the tunnel due to the Freezing weather.

I love lupins. I find them extremely hardy where I live and need no special treatment at all. I was lucky I had a couple of them already established when I moved here. Still debating whether to divide the lovely purple one, don't want to kill it, but might just have to be brave when the weather warms up.

I bought a bare root one which did very little in the first year I planted it, but the 2nd (last year) it came up treat.

The seeds that I sowed last year are growing in well in my cold frames, not sure if they will flower this year, but maybe. I must have been lucky no need for spraying and they grow really well in my heavy soil