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Lupins not looking healthy

Andy163Andy163 Posts: 59
in Problem solving
Can anyone explain why my lupins are looking like this? Lupin gladiator planted in the spring. Great display all year, dead headed regularly but now looking like this but I'm not sure why? Its tricky business this gardening stuff!! 

Posts

  • punkdocpunkdoc Posts: 15,039
    Lupins usually look like this at the end of the season, that is why some people replace them, when they have finished flowering, or just cut them back to the ground.
    How can you lie there and think of England
    When you don't even know who's in the team

    S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
  • Mary370Mary370 Posts: 2,003
    Unfortunately, as punkdoc says, this is what lupins look like at this time of the year.  If the foliage is healthy looking I leave it, if it looks bad I jut cut to ground level. 
  • Lily PillyLily Pilly Posts: 3,845
    Mine have been disappointing this year, I think the dry conditions had a lot to do with it. I have put stakes in the ground beside them so when they die back in the winter I can look out for them.
    Weeds are flowers, too, once you get to know them.”
    A A Milne
  • plant pauperplant pauper Posts: 6,904
    My lupins were a picture until 'the beast from the East' sat on them and completely destroyed them. I had no choice but to take them to ground level. They are putting on some nice new growth now but in a normal year they get a bit scraggy and brown through the natural ageing process. Cut the dead bits off and give them a tidy up and a feed. It might be a bit late for more spikes this year but they look like quite young plants and will bulk out next year. 
    Last year one of mine threw up a spike coming up to Christmas. The snow put paid to that when it came.  :/
  • Andy163Andy163 Posts: 59
    Ok great nothing too much to worry about. They are quite small as they were bought this year. I'd hope that they'd start to bulk out of the next couple of years. I'll go about tidying them up a bit. What sort of feed would you recommend. I've got some balance liquid maxicrop seaweed, would that be ok or should they have something more specific? I've got other ones in another part of the garden that all the foliage looks fine so was just worried about this clump.
    Thanks for the advice 

  • Dirty HarryDirty Harry Posts: 1,048
    I deadheaded mine a while ago now but it's still been growing plenty. Three small new flowers are now just starting to get some colour in them, nothing like yours.
  • plant pauperplant pauper Posts: 6,904
    I've just had a quick read about and apparently you don't need to feed them. Sorry for the duff information. (It also explains why mine do rather well :blush:
    Trim odd all the dead brown bits and wait is all you can do really at this point. They should be fine. Keep them watered though.
  • Mark56Mark56 Posts: 1,653
    I zoomed in, can I see Lupin Aphids or a fungus on the top of the leaves that are alive? I had to deal with an infestation myself this season. Keep them watered regardless 
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