Lupin seeds

[lesley12]

I pinched some Lupin seeds yesterday from a plant. Can anyone tell me when and what I should do with them?

Thanks in advance.

[Alice]

Hello Lesley, you can plant your Lupin seeds now. 1 seed in a 3" pot , let it germinate and grow on in the pot and plant it out later in the year to flower next year.
Or you can keep your seeds until spring , do the same, and plant out to flower the same year.
Looks like 6 of one and half a dozen of the other
BUT
I see you are in Cumbernauld. Can be cold winters there. I don't think you would benefit from an autumn planting (in warmer climates plants set out in autumn get well established ready for the next year, never worked for me. I go for a spring planting every time.)
I would keep the seeds and plant them in the spring next year. Lupins are hardy, but seedlings are not. If you can keep them indoors you can plant early and plant out at the end of May. If not, plant in May and set out when well grown in 3" pots, but they might not flower until the next year then.
Just a thought - if you pinched plenty of seeds, go for belt and braces, Plant half now and keep some for spring - just in case. Good luck. They are pretty tough and will get on fine. Favourite flower - love the scent - and happy memories from my childhood.

[lesley12]

Hello Lesley, you can plant your Lupin seeds now. 1 seed in a 3" pot , let it germinate and grow on in the pot and plant it out later in the year to flower next year.
Or you can keep your seeds until spring , do the same, and plant out to flower the same year.
Looks like 6 of one and half a dozen of the other
BUT
I see you are in Cumbernauld. Can be cold winters there. I don't think you would benefit from an autumn planting (in warmer climates plants set out in autumn get well established ready for the next year, never worked for me. I go for a spring planting every time.)
I would keep the seeds and plant them in the spring next year. Lupins are hardy, but seedlings are not. If you can keep them indoors you can plant early and plant out at the end of May. If not, plant in May and set out when well grown in 3" pots, but they might not flower until the next year then.
Just a thought - if you pinched plenty of seeds, go for belt and braces, Plant half now and keep some for spring - just in case. Good luck. They are pretty tough and will get on fine. Favourite flower - love the scent - and happy memories from my childhood.

Brilliant Alice. Got lots of seeds so will try half and half. Thanks.

[Flummery]

Lupins are not a very long lived perennial so it's always useful to sow a few seeds every couple of years. I've got a nice speciment in the front garden and I'm saving a seed-head for that purpose!