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Gardening

Lupins

(13 Posts)
BBbevan Sun 02-Jun-19 14:50:16

I was given a small lupin plant as a free gift with some bulbs in March. I planted it in potting compost and kept it in the greenhouse. If grew about 6 inches. At the beginning of May I planted it in the garden. ( we have sandy soil and grow camellias and rhododendrons easily) However the little lupin has failed to grow. It looks quite healthy but small. What have I done wrong? And what should I do now?

lemongrove Sun 02-Jun-19 14:53:47

Leave it, it may come up better next year.
It could be a small variety ( there are small, medium and very large varieties) however six inches is very small, could just be a rubbishy plant.

sharon103 Sun 02-Jun-19 15:00:46

As lemongrove says, there are dwarf and bigger varieties. My lupins are in flower now but had them a few years. As the plant looks healthy I would still leave it in the ground as it may grow bigger next year. It may need some feed. I use a liquid seaweed on my plants and veg it's brilliant. Better than anything else.

Alima Sun 02-Jun-19 15:21:41

Always loved lupins as they remind me of my Dad. Never been able to grow them as slugs and snails seem to thrive on them.

BBbevan Sun 02-Jun-19 15:27:17

No slug damage on mine. But I will give it a feed of something. Can I just put seaweed around it, as we live near the sea ?

dragonfly46 Sun 02-Jun-19 15:31:11

My garden is alive with lupins and foxgloves this year. I love the old fashioned plants.

Namsnanny Sun 02-Jun-19 15:46:13

Bbbevan...seaweed itself will be too salty and won’t breakdown quickly enough to be of use.
You could turn it into fertiliser though. It’s quite a bit of (smelly) work though!!?

Greyduster Sun 02-Jun-19 15:54:12

I posted this afternoon on another thread about the fact that I have never been able to get lupins to thrive in any garden I have had, and that DS is bombarding me with photos of his beautiful specimens. It used to irk me that you would see glorious acres of the b****y things growing wild at the side of railway tracks as you passed in a train, yet they spurned all my nurturing and attention. I have given up on them, but foxgloves love me and are at their lovely best right now!

Namsnanny Sun 02-Jun-19 16:01:32

Greyduster...me too! Only I know why they don’t last here..it’s the slugs and snails...mana from heaven to them.Delphiniums as well!

Hertsbet Sun 02-Jun-19 19:25:02

Some lupins are dwarf so it might not grow much taller. Leave it and feed it is my advice. I grew some from seed last year and planted them out this spring. They are full of flowers, so I'm really pleased. I feed all my plants and shrubs every two weeks with a liquid feed from Poundland.

kittylester Sun 02-Jun-19 19:39:24

My lupins become lovely silvery lace so I gave given up. Sadly my foxgloves don't flourish either!sad

J52 Sun 02-Jun-19 19:39:25

I’ve sown Lupin seeds this year, they’ve all come up and have little Lupin leaves.
As they grow I will put them in the cold frame as they will not flower until next year, if then. Stay with your little plant, it will grow.
BTW slugs love Lupins so protect it.

gillybob Sun 02-Jun-19 20:17:17

My lupins seem to attract aphids rather than slugs and snails who seem to prefer the hostas. ( I have set beer traps so at least they die happy) As others have said there are dwarf varieties so maybe that’s what you have BBbevan ?