Article by DavidMarks
Our main Lupin article can be found
here. But sometimes our readers askspecific questions which are not covered in the main article. This page liststheir comments, questions and answers. At the end of this page there is also a formfor you to submit any new question or comment you have.
COMMENTS / QUESTIONS LEFT BY OUR READERS
| Date: 01 June 2018 |
From: Jimmy |
| QUESTION: When I cut back dyeing flower heads, how much stem do I leave?
ANSWER: I just cut away the flower head and leave the lower stem. I’ve not tried it but I am sureat least half of the stem could also be removed. |
| Date: 17 May 2016 |
From: Tom |
| QUESTION: Hi, thank you for your detailed information. A couple of my newly planted lupins are struggling in a raised bed. The bed received a fair amount of ash (from wood burner) over the winter. Some are doing fine but others are going yellow and have stopped growing. Some leaves are brown. What can I do?
ANSWER: I wouldn’t add ash to the ground in which lupins aregrowing. Ash turns the soil lime whereas lupins prefer a slightly acidic soil.This could well be the reason for the leaf problems. |
| Date: 24 April 2016 |
From: Vivienne C |
| QUESTION: Thank you for your very easy to understand information, After many failures with lupins have moved to Essex and told the soil no good for lupins. All lupins planted last year l am delighted to say have all come up very healthy. Good luck to everyone growing them they are a beautiful plant
ANSWER: Well done! |
| Date: 1 November 2015 |
From: Alan B |
| QUESTION: I would like to re-site my lupins, the existing bed is to small. Planted earlier this year. Any problems doing this?
ANSWER: In theory they are not well suited to beingtransplanted because they develop long tap roots and these inevitably get brokenon transplant. However, in practice they seem to survive well. Yours are lessthan a year old so your chances of success are high. I would move them in springtime rather than now, just make sure you keep the soil moist but neverwater-logged. |
| Date: 3 October 2015 |
From: Geoff R. |
| QUESTION: Can you tell me if I need to cut back container planted Lupins?If so when should this be done?
ANSWER: I have added a new paragraph in the main articleabove to answer this question. It says “When the foliage dies down in late winter there is no need to remove it unless you really want to for the sake of appearances. It is best removed in spring when new shoots appear.” |
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COMMENTS / QUESTIONS LEFT BY OUR READERS
ANSWER: I believe they are after the nectar. Unfortunately, to get to the nectar theydestroy the flowers.
ANSWER: I just cut away the flower head and leave the lower stem. I’ve not tried it but I am sureat least half of the stem could also be removed.
ANSWER: Woodlice rarely do any damage to plants and Icertainly would not try and do anything about them. They are beneficial inalmost all cases, breaking up fallen debris and making it quickly available as afertiliser.
ANSWER: The cold won’t be a problem for lupins inPennsylvaniabut the hot summers will be a problem. Left in open ground the sun will bake theroots over the summer. You have two options, the first being to grow them fromseed each year and treat them as annuals.
The second option is to protect theroots somehow from the heat in summer.
Mulching the plants in midJune might work and / or planting them next year in a shadier position. Isuspect though that you will be fighting a loosing battle and the first optionis the only realistic one.
ANSWER: I wouldn’t add ash to the ground in which lupins aregrowing. Ash turns the soil lime whereas lupins prefer a slightly acidic soil.This could well be the reason for the leaf problems.
ANSWER: Well done!
ANSWER: In theory they are not well suited to beingtransplanted because they develop long tap roots and these inevitably get brokenon transplant. However, in practice they seem to survive well. Yours are lessthan a year old so your chances of success are high. I would move them in springtime rather than now, just make sure you keep the soil moist but neverwater-logged.
ANSWER: I have added a new paragraph in the main articleabove to answer this question. It says “When the foliage dies down in late winter there is no need to remove it unless you really want to for the sake of appearances. It is best removed in spring when new shoots appear.”
WHY NOT LEAVE YOUR QUESTION / COMMENTSABOUT THIS PAGE?
ENTER THEM BELOW. EMAIL ADDRESS IS OPTIONAL.
YOUR COMMENTS WILL BE ADDED ABOVE WITHIN A FEW HOURS.
IF YOU WISH TO ATTACH A PICTURE PLEASE ATTACH IT TO AN EMAIL SENT FROM OUR
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