I would like to know what I'm doing wrong.I take a good planting mix, and put my seeds in, I might add a gal. milk jug, cut off half way.The seed does sprout, but the plant will die before it gets the second leaf.
Is it my soil, or do I have too much shade, Water? It is driving me crazy, because once I had one to make three leaves, and a bud, then die.
I have read a lot about them, and I'm thinking it might be the potting soil.
I am open to corection Please. Mike
Nothing but trouble with Lupins
I don't know the problem, but I feel your pain!!!
Have you had success with other types of seeds using that same method & same type of potting mix? If you're having trouble with everything (or the lupines are the only thing you've tried) then too much water would be my first guess. It is very easy to overwater seedlings and since they have such tiny root systems you don't really have an opportunity to notice symptoms and then correct the conditions as you would with an older plant. If your potting mix is on the heavy/poor draining side that would make it even easier to overwater them, but it's also possible your potting mix is OK and you just need to adjust the watering frequency.
I plant , in cut off gal. jugs all types of perenniels, and most thrive on my shelves, where they get morning sun, but not direct sun light.They are all watered the same, and most do quite well.I do hibiscus, gerbera, rudbecia, day lilles, and quite an assortment of perenniels. The lupine is the only thing I can't get a grip on.Only about 35% of the seed sprout, and before I get the second leaf, they drop over, and die.
My mix is peat 40%, and coarse sand 60%, I have more drainage than most, in the fact I cut triangles on all sides, at the bottom of the jug.
Maybe I should use perlite insted of sand. Thanks for your help, and I am determined to over come this obsticle. Mike
I've never started lupines from seed, so I'm not sure if they're picky about something that other seeds aren't. I would think if it was a watering or soil moisture retention issue you would have seen similar problems with at least some of your other seeds, so it may be something else. Hopefully someone else has grown these from seed and will have some better ideas for you!
Thank you just the same. Mike
I've started Lupines before. I used seed plug trays. These trays have 72 small hollows and hold not even a teaspoon of soiless mix. This creates a plug. They live in the trays until they get their second or third leaves. They like tight shoes. I only use the mist setting to water them and no direct sun. My daughter taught me this way of starting seeds. She used to work at Ball Seed Company and that's how they start their plants. I think a lot of seeds need small, confined spaces to get started. They like it. When it's time to transplant them you scoop out the plug with the end of a spoon and move to larger sized container, like the six packs annuals come in at the store. Eventually you can graduate to pint or quart containers and then to gallons. You can buy these seed plug trays at Parks. They are made to fit in the standard size flats. I've had lots of luck starting seeds this way. It's a little work intensive, transplanting to larger containers in steps, but it works.
I have started the seeds before - just soaked 'em overnight and stuck them in the ground.
Pastime, it is all in the experience, and I can see that you have done this with confidence.I plan to do the next seeds just this way.I had to study to find out what "soilless " mix is, but now the only problem is there isn't a store in my vacinity that has any seeds.Might have to order some. Thank you so much, and I just happen to have 2 trays of plugs.Mike
Mike, don't forget to use the mister setting on your hose nozzle for watering the plugs. A sharpened chopstick or pencil works good to poke little holes in the soil to drop the seed into. It's very tedious work, but you're assured of getting good germination. Have fun.
Pastime, I've been trying the plug trays lately (for other things) without a whole lot of success -I think I need to use some temp stabilization, but I'm also wondering about the soil-less mix. Are you using straight peat? I'm worried that the perlite in the Promix is making it too ... crowded? Airy?
I have started many this year under lights and then plant them into a community box. I have lost a good many there. Yesterday, I just took Gallery Blue from the styrofoam cup (with soilless mix)which had been under lights and planted them
in the bed. I have put a couple layers of nylon netting over them to protect
them from the sun. Oh yes, I do soak the seeds for a couple days before planting, some even germinate in the water if I forget. If mine survive and bloom next year, they will be my first lupins.
I'm not sure it's lack of experience, as I don't know anyone who has been able to grow lupines successfully here in our humid climate. Bluebonnets are a lupine, and that's the only one I've ever seen around here.
I think Lupins are like delphinium and primrose; they do not like heat and humidity. Here we have a cooler climate than most of VA where it is terribly hot and humid.
Here in zone 5 my Lupine bed only lasted a few years, then died out. I really love them though, they're so soft to touch. We had some really hot, humid summers in the 90's which probably caused their demise. That's certainly not the problem here this year.
Mike,
What you are describing sounds like 'damp off'. All kinds of lupins suffer from being kept damp in warm climates. Lupines are a cool season plant. They prefer Maine over Georgia.
Try starting them in the fall, you are far enough south they should grow thru most or all of the winter.
Place the seed where you want the plant to grow, water them in and water only when the soil is completely dry (about once every 2 weeks). If you get any kind of rain don't water them.
Don't add compost or soil amendments, it holds too much moisture. Lupines are legumes they don't need fertilizer of any kind. They perform best in poor soil.
I have tried all kinds of lupine seed here, they grow for awhile, then die. We are too warm and humid in Florida.
Thanks Dale, that makes sense, and I do have too (perfect) soil for them, and too liberal with water. I can't do much with the heat, and humity though.
I feel like I have made progress through this fourm. I have strived for 26Yrs. to improve this soil that has been farmed with fertlizer, and soybeans. My beds are rich, and the grass area is hard packed, and sparce. Yhank all of you DGers for learning advice. Mike
Mike: I have lusted for years for lupins and finally given up. I've planted them in my gardens in Charlotte, Kannapolis and Asheville. They come up, form lovely leaves but don't flower and eventually die. I've concluded it's just too hot and humid for them, so I admire them on DG and continue to yearn for some of my own. This is just MHO.
Angie
They were beautiful here along the freeway in the Willamette Valley in Oregon. The summer was unseasonably hot for us, which meant the got all the sun they wanted. Temps were in the high 80's during their bloom time. They do like our sun.
Our soil is very clay and they seem to do well in that, so I wouldn't provide them with sharp drainage. And I agree that they do like poor soil - too many nutrients and they don't know what to do with them. You'd probably get more foliage than flower.
Good luck, Mike!!
Yhank you K. Mike
I understand lupins were introduced to Finland from Canada in the eighteenth century. They have thrived here, and become a common wild flower. In June roads are lined with them for miles.
They're a cold climate plant, capable of surviving under snow with temperatures in the minus twenties Celsius, and of germinating in our cool spring temperatures. I would guess you are over coddling them.
Pat
Out of a pack of seeds I produced 2 great plants. I picked the hybrid seeds that "handle the heat better", split the seed then right into the ground. The ones that made it were closest to the edge of a raised bed that is ringed with 2 high cement pavers.
The soil is obviously raised...well draining..some clay.....almost never amended. The only fertilizer that is used is home made compost. And once the plant came up I gave it space...planting nothing around it for 2 seasons.
Seemed to work...but even though I'm in OH. It's zone 6b here because of the Lake.
That means a little bit warmer in the winter, and a little cooler, windier in the summer.
Still lots of sun...but maybe more temperate in the climate.