These are my new Lupin seedlings and i was wondering if they should be in the ground rather than pots. They seem to be too fragile at the moment so what would be the best way to bring them on a bit so they become more sturdy.
Are they still under cover? I put mine outside when they were about the size of yours, still in the pots, and that seemed to help them 'strengthen'. Now they are having to rough it in the ground. I did sow them around March time though.
I have grown around 30 lupins from seed ready for next year, at that size I would put them outside for a few weeks to put on a bit more growth and then into the ground. As they're already in sizeable pots, you could always leave them in the pots until you see a healthy root system poking through the bottom.
My Lupins stay in their pots until next Spring, keep potting on when the roots are showing at the bottom of the pots, when they are big plants they have a better chance of survival from slugs, if you put them out as small plants they’ll be gone by the morning. Also, they don’t always survive their first winter out, so keep them protected until next March/April.
Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor.
I don't plant any of my seedling lupins out until they've produced a flower so I can see the colours. This year's are currently in 2l pots and any that flower by autumn will get planted then, and the rest stood in a sheltered(ish) spot for the winter.
Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
Hi All, many thanks for ALL your suggestions on the Lupins. I think i will harden them off as suggested and plant in to the ground next Spring. Don't want to lose them now. can't thank you enough for your advise.
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Also, they don’t always survive their first winter out, so keep them protected until next March/April.