The furry seed pods formed after the flower spike can be cut away and you may even have a second flower flush. You can scatter or pot up the seeds for next year too, The foliage will die back over winter and then you can remove the brown spent leaves in spring to allow room for the new growth. Slug protection will be required on new growth as they cant seem to resist a Lupin!
Yours look a bit leggy - does anyone advocate cutting right back in this instance?
Last year was my first for growing lupins. Once the flowers went to seed pods, I dried them out and potted them this spring (I still have hundreds left over stored in a paper bag). The original plant grew back twice the size and along with the newly grown plants, I have a beautiful cluster of lupins. I agree with the others that you could either cut the stem back to the next leaf joint and hope for another flowering or leave a bit longer (autumn) and use the seed pod for next year's free plants.
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The furry seed pods formed after the flower spike can be cut away and you may even have a second flower flush. You can scatter or pot up the seeds for next year too, The foliage will die back over winter and then you can remove the brown spent leaves in spring to allow room for the new growth. Slug protection will be required on new growth as they cant seem to resist a Lupin!
Yours look a bit leggy - does anyone advocate cutting right back in this instance?
Thanks Verdun - my post went through after yours - good advice.
Hi Natalie,
Last year was my first for growing lupins. Once the flowers went to seed pods, I dried them out and potted them this spring (I still have hundreds left over stored in a paper bag). The original plant grew back twice the size and along with the newly grown plants, I have a beautiful cluster of lupins. I agree with the others that you could either cut the stem back to the next leaf joint and hope for another flowering or leave a bit longer (autumn) and use the seed pod for next year's free plants.
Enjoy your garden, foxyp.