caring for lupines

Watering: After planting lupines, keep the soil evenly moist to ensure good root development. Once your plants are deeply rooted, they can tolerate dryer conditions and will only need water during periods of drought. Applying a layer of mulch will help lock in soil moisture and keep the roots cool.

Do you need to deadhead lupins?

Deadhead lupins once flowers have faded and you should be rewarded with a second flush of flowers. In autumn, cut lupins right back to the ground after collecting seed. Lupins are not long-lived plants – expect to replace plants after about six years.

Do you cut lupins down after flowering?

Lupins do not take too kindly to being chopped back hard after flowering - they take months to recover. However it is important to deadhead to avoid your lupin plant producing lots of seeds. Keep the vigour in the parent plant and deadhead as the flowers fade.

Should lupines be cut back in the fall?

The flowers persist for several weeks before being replaced by seed pods in summer and autumn. ... Fine Gardening recommends deadheading lupines once the stems are 70-percent finished flowering. Snip off the main stem right above the location where it branches at a side stem once the flowers on the main stem start to fade.

Do lupines spread?

Lupines are deep rooted and do not spread except through re-seeding. Seeds will not come true to the original variety planted, but will eventually revert to blue-violet and white.

Do lupines rebloom?

Although they bloom for only part of the growing season, using the rest of the season to store energy for the next year, you can help a lupine make a second round of flowers by deadheading -- a simple process that can have big rewards.

Do lupins grow back every year?

Lupins are perennial (i.e. they come up year after year) shrubs which start into growth after the last frosts, produce their first flush of flowers in late May / June and can continue flowering into early August if dead-headed correctly (see below).

Do lupines bloom all summer?

Growing tips

Plants bloom in summer, but if you cut the spent slower stalks back after blooming, the plants may reward you with a second flush of bloom in late summer or fall. Lupines are cool season plants that are at their best in areas with cool summer nights.

Why are my lupins dying?

After several years of research, the cause of lupin sudden death has been identified as a root rot caused by the soil-borne fungus Phytophthora. Accordingly, the disease will now be known as Phytophthora root rot of lupins.

What perennials should not be cut back in the fall?

Don't cut back marginally hardy perennials like garden mums (Chrysanthemum spp.), anise hyssop (Agastache foeniculum), red-hot poker (Kniphofia uvaria), and Montauk daisy (Nipponanthemum nipponicum).

Do Lupines flower the first year?

Lupines (Lupinus spp.) make a spectacular statement in the perennial garden with their tall spikes of pealike flowers. ... Bloom times vary depending on growing conditions and planting methods, but lupines usually bloom the first year after planting.

Should I cut back perennials in autumn?

Perennials are not demanding plants, but trimming them after flowering finishes in autumn helps improve their appearance and flowering. However, you can leave some stems over winter to provide homes and food for wildlife, and then trim back in spring.

How often do lupines bloom?

Cultivated from a California native wildflower (L. nanus), it grows quickly from seed and blooms profusely throughout the summer months, until the cooler temperatures of autumn arrive. The softly colored blooms come in an array of pretty pastels including light blue, pink, white, and violet.

How do lupines grow?

Easy to grow, lupine thrives in cool, moist locations. It prefers full sun to light shade and average soils, but will tolerate sandy, dry soil. Plants develop long taproots, so loosen the soil to a depth of 12-20 inches using a rototiller or garden fork. They will not grow in clay.

Are lupines invasive?

In a nutshell, it is an invasive plant that can crowd native species out of their preferred habitats. Also, their seeds are toxic to animals if too many are consumed, which could threaten both grazing farm animals and native herbivores.

Do lupines reseed themselves?

Lupines reproduce by self-seeding, but relying on self-seeding isn't recommended when you want to replicate the qualities of a particular ornamental lupine.

How long do lupines last?

Although they are perennials, lupines are in the class of short-lived perennials. They put all their energy into those magnificent flower stalks and wear themselves out in the effort. Lupines live in the range of two to five years.

Where do lupines grow wild?

You can find lupine in oak savannas, sand prairies, and pine barrens plant communities. Lupine foliage can look a little worn by the end of summer, so plan for late summer and fall bloomers nearby in the garden.

What do lupines look like?

The lupine plant grows from a long taproot and does not like to be moved. ... Wildflowers of the lupine plant generally come in in hues of blues and white, although domesticated lupines offer flowers in blues, yellows, pinks and purples. Tall, spiky racemes produce lupine flowers similar to those of the sweet pea plant.

How do you overwinter lupins?

Overwintering

With tree lupins, you can cut off seedheads to stop self-seeding. ...
With border lupins, cut down the spent flower spikes to the base to encourage more to be produced.
The leaves of border lupins can be trimmed off when they die down after the first frosts, if you wish to keep the garden very tidy.

Do lupines multiply?

Individual lupines plants do not spread. As they get older the root gets bigger and sends up more flower stalks. Lupines, do, however, produce dozens of pealike seeds per plant, which are dispersed when the pods pop open in late July or early August.