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Lupins

ShutterflyShutterfly Posts: 24
in Plants

I bought a couple of Lupins from a garden centre this year. I absolutely love them and want more, so I've bought a packet of seeds to add other colours. I've just had a second flush of flowers come through which will soon go to seed so I assume that I can still direct sow them this year?

Do I need to pre-soak the seeds I bought or will this wet weather mean I don't have to do that?

Posts

  • punkdocpunkdoc Sheffield, Derbyshire border.Posts: 13,027

    Lupin seeds do not need pre-soaking.

    Personally I would sow them in pots, as seedlings are a magnet for slugs. If you sow now they will be big enough to flower next year.

    There are ashtrays of emulsion,
    for the fag ends of the aristocracy.
  • ShutterflyShutterfly Posts: 24

    I could do that if it's okay to leave the pots outside as I don't have a greenhouse or cold frame.

    I don't have any slugs or snails in the back garden as yet - I think they're content munching on the campanulas in the front garden or, maybe, they just haven't yet migrated from neighbouring gardens as it's been so long since anything has been grown in our back garden lol.

  • LynLyn DevonPosts: 21,143
    The little seedlings will not survive outdoors in their first year, as it's late to sow, they won't be big enough to go out.

    You will have slugs in your garden, they will chomp the tops off seedlings as soon as the leaves appear.
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • Fishy65Fishy65 Posts: 2,275

    Ah Lupins. I bought a pack of seeds and also wish to try them as I've never grown them before.Or in fact ever had any in my garden. Sow them in pots in the spring then and grow them on?

  • Victoria SpongeVictoria Sponge WearsidePosts: 3,466

    I sowed a pack around March time in a seed tray indoors as I don't have a greenhouse. They're outside now in 1 litre pots. If they have enough roots come autumn I'll plant them out and the rest can chance it in their potsimage

  • kimrosefreakkimrosefreak Posts: 41

    you could sow some seeds now, and protect the young plants over the winter and put them into position next spring, the plants you already have in the garden you will be able to take basal cutting next spring , to increase your plants if its a particular good one, I adore lupins but find they only last a few years.image

  • ShutterflyShutterfly Posts: 24

    Thanks for the input/advice. I think I will try a few in pots indoors this year and sow the rest in the spring, if they don't survive it's no huge loss - the seeds only cost about £2. Worst case scenario, I have to buy more from the garden centre next year lol. 

    I just don't have many good window spots for growing plants. The front of the house only gets sun in the morning and the other side of the house gets the sun all day but the plants in those windows have tended to burn. We do have a little conservatory but I've found seedlings get leggy in there.

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