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Chatelaine Lupin

susan_gardensusan_garden Posts: 14
in Problem solving
My lupin has lots of lupin aphids, but otherwise was doing really well.
then overnight it went like this with every leaf withered.
It definitely has enough water and other lupins in the bed are fine.
Not sure if there is anything I should do?
This morning some of the leaves have come back to life, but not all.


Posts

  • strelitzia32strelitzia32 Posts: 758
    It's the aphids. There are probably to too many infesting it to save, but you could try a hose spray down. Otherwise Chop it down and get rid of the material with the aphids on, or they'll just take a stroll across to your next lupin for a tasty take-out. Spray your other plants with water to knock any aphids off, they hide in the flower spikes.

    I love lupins, and for the first time I've lost 2 huge ones to aphids. Radical cut and burn saved the rest, but I won't be replanting more now the aphids have turned up.
  • susan_gardensusan_garden Posts: 14
    Thanks for the reply.

    Yes, there are a lot and I've been hosing them off, but perhaps there are still too many.

    Do I just need to chop off all the flowers, or do the whole plants need to go?

    One of the other lupins also has lots, but seems to be doing better. The third lupin in unaffected.  If I get rid of the two infected lupins will the aphids just come back next year when I plant more?
  • strelitzia32strelitzia32 Posts: 758
    It depends how bad the infestation is, and how much effort you want to put in. Technically if you picked off every single aphid by hand, then trimmed the really dead stems, you'll be fine. The practicality is that these lupin aphids are a nightmare, they hide in the spikes and they come straight back after washing them off.

    I cut mine to the ground after a week of trying to wash the aphids off, the infestation was too bad.

    There's no point only cutting the flowers off, you unfortunately need to get rid off all the aphids.

    Whether they come back or not is a bit of luck. This is the first year I've had bad infestations, not a whole lot can be done about it unfortunately.

    I'd love to know how the professional gardens full of lupins avoid it...
  • Mary370Mary370 Posts: 2,003
    I've had lupins for years, last year those American lupin aphid destroyed them all.  No lupins this year but I'm growing some for next year, hopefully those horrible aphids don't find my lupins next year, it's sad not seeing them  flower this year, I really miss them  :'(
  • susan_gardensusan_garden Posts: 14
    Thanks for all the advice. I've had them two years in a row now. The lupins grew back this year, but just got infested again. I might give up! You see so many gardens with lots of lovely lupins, but perhaps they are just lucky!
  • jayne10bjayne10b Posts: 105
    In my experience, you can only grow Lupins in the SE if you are prepared to use an insecticide.
  • Janie BJanie B Posts: 963
    One clump of my lupins had the dreaded aphids last year... decimated completely, so I got rid of that clump completely. All the others are fine and flowering well this year, and no sign (yet) of the nasty critters...
    Lincolnshire
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