Lupins are the perfect perennial for creating a cottage garden, but they also suit many other garden styles while standing tall in flower beds and containers. They usually flower around May and June-time with stunning vertical and flowering spikes of colour.

Growing Lupins from Seed

Lupin seeds don’t come true to colour so if planted from a seed packet, your lupins will grow in a variety of hues. If you were going for a specific colour scheme, the best way to do this is to grow from cuttings taken from a lupin plant that is already your desired colour.

Growing lupins from seed is not too difficult and once they’ve established in your flower bed, they’ll return again next year and are even able to self-seed!

Let the seeds soak

Soaking your lupin seeds for at least 24 hours in warm water before planting will help them to germinate better once planted in the soil.

How/when to plant Lupin seeds

Once they’ve soaked thoroughly (this isn’t absolutely necessary but often helps with germination), grab some pots/trays and compost to begin sowing. The best time to do this is in early spring, but can be sown anywhere from February to September as long as the conditions are adequate.

You can also sow your lupin seeds directly into the ground during autumn or early winter as they are incredibly hardy and can naturally overwinter. 

Visit our propagation page for more tips and tricks on growing your own.

Plant them out

Once the seeds have started germinating (this usually takes anywhere between 14-60 days), you can start to consider planting them out. Be aware of slugs as they enjoy eating young lupin plants so it may be better to let them grow to a suitable size indoors/in a greenhouse if your garden tends to get overrun by slugs. 

A good way to help deter slugs, resist frost and increase time between waterings is to add some mulch, such as Strulch around the crown of the plants once in the ground.

Plant your lupins approximately 12” apart to allow them space to grow.

Where to Plant

Lupins love the sun! Planting them somewhere where they can enjoy some morning/afternoon sun and then get a little shade in the evening gives them adequate light without making it too difficult for them to survive in any blistering summer heat.

Lupins also appreciate well-drained soil in the back of a border so they’re sheltered from any harsh winds that could knock the tall stems over.

Lupin Maintenance & Tips

  • Deadheading:
    • It’s a good idea to dead-head your lupins so that you get flowers throughout the summer, this ensures a tidy flower bed and encourages new blooms.
  • Pruning:
    • It’s not necessary to chop back too hard after your lupins have finished flowering as they have a longer recovery time compared to other plants.
  • Fertiliser:
    • Lupins don’t generally need feeding with fertiliser as they can thrive even in poor quality soil. They are in the legume family (known for nitrogen fixing), it means fertilising is just not necessary.
  • Watering:
    • Don’t overwater your lupin plants as they can succumb to root rot. Regular watering about once/twice a week, especially when there’s been no rain, is enough.
  • Winter Care:
    • You don’t need to do a lot to help care for your lupins over winter after they’ve flowered as they can withstand frost to around -25C. They can live for 6-10 years on average depending on their growing conditions.

Common pests and diseases

  • Aphids:
    • a natural way to reduce the number of aphids is actually to entice ladybirds and birds to your garden. They’re both avid aphid hunters and can help diminish the pesky aphid population for you.
  • Brown Spot Fungus:
    • Appear as brown patches on the plant. It’s important to remove and destroy the affected plants immediately.
  • Powdery Mildew:
    • Shows up as white patches that resemble powder on leaves. Cut away the affected plant and wait for regrowth.