Need some advice on planting lupines

teengardener16

7 years ago

I am in chesterfield county and I was wondering if it is possible to grow lupines???

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Comments (6)

Sarah Humphries
7 years ago
It's TOUGH. They don't like the humidity. Although my aunt grows them like crazy in Pennsylvania, and its only two hours north from me.
beigestonehill
7 years ago
I am from Maine and love lupine but have never had much luck growing them here in Virginia. Maybe if you buy well established plants they might survive a few years.
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gastone21 (z7a VA)
7 years ago
I started seeds last fall. Pretty much a 100% germination rate. The idea was to plant them out in the fall and have them overwinter in the ground and flower in the spring. But only one survived (out of numerous). It's growing now, but I'm skeptical that it will flower before the heat and humidity hit. The seeds were cheap enough that I'll try it again, but this time I'll probably start the seeds indoors in the late summer (late Augustish). Give them a chance to put on some good growth before I put them out for the fall and winter. If I get them to flower first before the die I'll consider it a win.

I saw them for sale last year at the Greenspring Garden plant sale, but the price was astronomical, like $15 per plant.
beigestonehill
7 years ago
My wholesaler always has them and they are in south west Virginia so someone must be able to grow them in Virginia or they would not continue to sell them. Good luck! Lynn
harold100
6 years ago
If you have never grown them before, know this: The seed should be soaked overnight to speed germination. Many will burst open by morning, but plant them all anyway.

Some give advice to scarify the seed, but that is too hard to do by rubbing them on sandpaper. I even tried that by holding them with tweezers. The easier way is to hold them with the tweezers while making a slice through one end of it with a large toenail clipper. The seeds are very tough.

I have had only 2 plants to bloom 2 years ago. They dropped many seed which came up, but they all lived to be 6 inches tall and died. I live in Danville VA and it just gets too hot and humid here for their liking. I have one plant from those original seed coming up now at 10 inches tall and I just bought some more in a Burpees packet, they are 3 inches now. Sure hoping for better luck this time.

Good luck with yours!
harold100
6 years ago
Hello teengardener16 . I was just looking through my old responses and wondered if you ever had success with the lupines? I had to post here since you do not have your houzz mail turned on.

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Need some advice on planting lupines

Comments (6)

Sarah Humphries

beigestonehill

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gastone21 (z7a VA)

beigestonehill

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