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Re: Lupines

At 10:12 PM 06 07 97 -0400, you wrote:
>I just read the very complete post on caring for delphiniums before, during
>and after flowering.  Thanks to Tom Turpin.  Does anyone have similar care
>instructions for Lupines. Mine have finished blooming and the plants look
>ghastly!  Is this normal?  Will they repeat?  I live in zone 5 (Central
>Massachusetts).  TIA.
>Brian Chandley
>Worcester, MA   USA
>bmchan@cleome.ultranet.com
>
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Lupins -- messy aren't they?  I'm in southwest BC and have designated "my"
microclimate as 5+ (others say 7, some 8 -- it depends on the weather, eh!).
Generally cool & damp.  Extremely so this year.

What I've learned about lupins is that they get aphids like crazy, look
awful after they've bloomed and fall over unless well staked if it gets
windy or rains hard.  (That's every other day this year!)  They're short
lived and don't like to be moved once established.  I'm guessing here but
I'm beginning to suspect that they don't like to be crowded.  I have some in
full sun with a lot of phlox that is taking over.  This year the lupins in
the shared phlox bed grew to about 24" and then just stopped.  No blossoms
at all.  (I know phlox doesn't like to be crowded - but it's doing fine
thanks, and I'll thin them out this fall.)  

The good news (other than how beautiful lupins are in bloom) is that you can
cut them back hard or to about 18" and they will survive **here**. At 18"
some will repeat if the weather co-operates.  

They also reseed easily.  For the past two years I've scattered seeds
directly into a nursery bed in the fall.  (Conventional wisdom says it's
better to soak or score the seeds for increased germination.)  I've had good
results with Russell Hybrids, transplanting in early spring when the
seedlings are about 6".

Regards, Donna. (hoping for summer sun soon!)



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