May I be the proud recipient of the lupine seed? I have a place they'll surely thrive on, and reseed, to my delight. Thank you. gramsharon aka Sharon

I'm not sure what you mean by 'popped them' but I definitely wouldn't put a soaked seed directly out in freezing cold. To put them on hold, put them in the fridge which will keep them cold enough to prevent sprouting. When you have a day above freezing, put them outside.

Zinnias, like most annuals, need to complete their life cycle in a single season so they need to develop roots, grow fast, produce foliage and colorful blooms fairly quickly so as to attract pollinators, then produce seeds with the goal of continuing their species. Lupines & other perennials germinate and develop seed leaves followed by their first "true" leaves that resemble the mature plant's leaves. But they can take the time to develop healthy root systems because they're not up against the calendar like annuals. Many perennials will not bloom the first season when grown from seed because they're putting all their energy into developing strong root systems and plant structure to support their subsequent growth years. Perennial flower production can wait until the plant is mature, strong & healthy. My seed-grown lupines didn't bloom until their second year but the show was well worth the wait. Another tip about lupines: they do best in lousy soil. The plants in the photos are growing in my neighbor's south foundation bed where I planted them because the soil is nothing more than sand and rocks. The ones I planted in my healthy, sandy garden loam that's rich with worm p**p didn't do anywhere near as well.

Hi, It would be best to leave the pods on the plant. The pods will eventually burst, but you should have no problem collecting them if left on the plant. I always seem to get to them before all the pods burst, and then I always have too many, lol. If you are worried still, you can bag the pods. Normally I recommend little sheer gift bags, but since the lupines have long stalks, a pantyhose leg would work. Remy