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Lupins - foliage

Hello!

So I planted my first lupins this year and they put on a good display. The problem is the foliage looks really bad now - is this normal? Should I cut back or dig up and replace with something else? One doesn't look as bad but the rest look awful. Thank you! 

Posts

  • punkdocpunkdoc Posts: 14,333
    Lupin foliage often looks terrible in late summer. I treat the plants as biennials, sowing new seed each year in June, with the new plants being planted out the following Spring.
    How can you lie there and think of England
    When you don't even know who's in the team

    S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
  • LoxleyLoxley Posts: 5,399
    My mum's lupins got covered in mildew and aphids... I cut the foliage right back to the base. It formed a clump of healthy new foliage after a few weeks. 
  • LynLyn Posts: 22,852
    I keep my Lupins for years, the clumps are about 3’ across now,  cut the leaves right down to the ground now. 
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • Thanks everyone! By down to the ground, is that literally right to the ground or with a few cms above? I'm a beginner, can you tell?! 
  • debs64debs64 Posts: 5,029
    My lupus are covered with aphids but I noticed lots of ladybirds 🐞 on them so have left them. They do look awful but hopefully they are fattening up the ladybirds! 
  • Janie BJanie B Posts: 943
    Mine are the same! I love the lupins, but hate the late summer foliage. Next year, I've vowed to plant some annuals in amongst the dying foliage once the lupins are over.... I planted some salvia viridis Blue Monday seeds this spring, that have become lovely plants... they may fit the bill. 
    Lincolnshire
  • Janie BJanie B Posts: 943

    Lincolnshire
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