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Lupins
Torg22
Posts: 302
I went to the National Flower Show yesterday at Hylands Hall in Chelmsford. I was really taken back by all the Lupins for sale and on display at the show, I had no real idea that they were such showy plants!
In one of the tents they had a display and at 4pm on Sunday they allowed us to buy items from the display at a reduced price. My wife twisted my arm and we bought a Persian Slipper Lupin (as well as an Acer), its absolutely amazing. Just hope the snails don't think so too 
Thought I would share a couple if pics.
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Slugs and snails love these and so do aphids so be ready with defences. I never had any success in my last garden which was very fertile but apparently too alkaline so i'm trying again here and bought The Page yesterday - lovely soft red.
Yours look very healthy. As soon as the flowers go over, remove the stem and feed it. You may then get secondary flowering later on.
Wow I didn't know that about a 2nd flowering, I will take your advice! Is this quite early for Lupin's to be in flower? A smaller one I bought from the nursery a few weeks ago doesn't look anywhere near flowering.
Yours has probably been grown under shelter in a greenhouse or polytunnel; Mine aren't that big either.
When you do dead head, look for side shoots and cut back to just above them. The second flowers won't be as big but there should be two per stem.
One of my lupin plants has been flowering for quite a few days now ... it's quite a bit ahead of the others in the same west facing bed in Norfolk.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Thats a good'n!!
I think with this week's weather forecast they should start to develop nicely.
As mentioned , slugs just love Lupins, its like putting an all you can eat buffet out for them. Instead of off the shelf slug pellets try protecting them by mulching with bark or gravel. Slugs hate a rough surface. or you could try a copper ring around the plants . Old broken egg shells also work as again the slugs hate the sharp surface the create. Your lupins look great !!
I have tried all the rest over the years - the only thing that works in my garden are slug pellets.
I don't know why that bed isn't troubled by slugs ... there's a hosta there too that survives unscathed and I've not used slug pellets of any kind or nematodes in the front garden ............. but I have seen a large toad lurking there on several occasions
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I rely on my natural predators here too. If that doesn't do the trick, gravel as stated or wool pellets work a treat.
Last edited: 22 May 2017 20:48:27
I already have copper tape around mine. I'm hoping that's enough to deter them.