Lupin seeds...

[Baldy881]

I have some seed pods from some Lupins in the house, they've been in a small sealed bag for a number of months now and i think the seeds will be ready to sow. I attempted to grow some from the same situation a couple of years ago and managed to germinate only 1 of approx a dozen seeds planted.

My mum told me she'd managed to kill the plant when i left it in her care!! (that's what she said although it has amazingly flourished in her garden this year after she planted out the remains of said flood damaged plant! lol)

I want to sow these other seeds i have, but wonder if it is the right/wrong time of year to be doing so? Will i be ok to get them going now? Any tips for managing to get a few more of them to germinate?

Cheers

Baldy

[Simpo Two]

Lupins are outdoors plants not houseplants...

I'd make some nice tilth, chuck the seeds in, rake over, light watering as required and let nature take its course. I had some lupins once but they got nuked by aphids.

[Baldy881]

Yes i know they are outdoor plants but can/should they not be propagated indoors? The last lot were (well, last one!). If i attempt to sow outdoors the pesky cats will have them dug up and covered in st before they have half a chance.

[Mr GrimNasty]

By the power of Google:

"By seed from early to mid spring.

• (Lupin seeds have a hard coat that is broken down naturally by moisture. You need to soak your Lupin seeds for 24 hours prior to sowing, in cold water, otherwise they will not germinate).

Best germination temperature: 70 deg F.

Time from sowing to germination: 4 - 8 weeks.

Germination can be slow, so be patient."

Edit to add, in my experience you also need to collect the seed when the pods and seed are brown and on the point of bursting, not whilst still green.

Edited by Mr GrimNasty on Thursday 12th May 12:22

[Simpo Two]

Yep, the better the conditions the more will germinate and thrive. But you'd better crack on, it'a already mid-May! You'd normally be putting plantlets in the garden about now.

[Baldy881]

Thanks chaps

Sod this power of google business though, if we all did that there'd be no forum posts EVER!

May explain my last attempts poor showing, the seeds were not soaked so perhaps that's why only one little fella made it through.

I'll get my girty to crack the pods this aft then and get them seeds into soak