Moving Lupins

Wildlifelover

Evening,

i bought three sorry looking young lupin plants from Homebase in early spring and popped them into a largish pot, not really expecting much. They’ve actually done well and despite the slugs having a good go at one of the plants (will the plant come back next year if it’s badly eaten?), the other two have wonderful flower spikes.

Should I keep them in the pot or plant them out at some point? If the latter, do I just empty the pot and tease away the roots, possibly diving them at the same time and when is best to carry out such work?

Thanks from a very novice gardener!

Posy

I wouldn't move them at the height of flowering, myself. Later, you can plant them up or out as long as you water very well. The slug-eaten one may recover, depending on how much is left but be very careful with all of them because slugs just do love them and will demolish every bit, given the chance.

Wildlifelover

Ok, thanks. I’ve been out every night looking for the slugs but I’m yet to find one - pesky little things!

Blue Onion

Lupins are rather short lived.. and I think if yours put energy into flowering despite their difficult life.. they are unlikely to manage much next year.  Enjoy them in the pot.. and then pop them on the compost heap.  Or if you want to try, you could put all of them together in a hole in your boarder after they finish their flowering.. and see how they do.  

Crazybeelady

I've found Lupins to be really tough plants, and their lifespan is said to be about six years, so not that bad. I grew a load from seed last year and some did ok, some were rubbish. But this year, one of my most rubbish ones is loving life, in flower and 3 times as big. They all got snowed on etc through winter, they didn't mind. My issue with them is the aphids rather than slugs 😡

Eustace

I would wait for the flowers to fade before moving the plants to ground. If you deadhead them after flowering, you might even get a second flush. My lupins in the ground have flourished well rather than those in pots; the flowers are bigger and taller.