Maine Garden Ideas
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How to Grow and Care for Lupines

Wild Lupines
Photo: ©Nannette Richford
Lupines grow wild throughout Maine blanketing roadsides and filling ditches with color in late spring and early summer. Although the wild version of lupines are typically shades of white, pink and purple, cultivated versions include brilliant red and shimmering yellows. The lupines above are wild lupines that I transplanted to my flower bed. 

How much sunlight do lupines need?

Lupines prefer full sun for 6 to 8 hours a day, but will grow in partially shades areas. The excpetion to the rule is that newly planted lupines do best if they are grown in a shady location for the first summer and transplanted to sunny location in the fall.

What kind of soil do lupines need?

Lupines prefer cool, moist, slightly acidic soil with good drainage.  Till to a depth of eight to 12 inches and remove all foreign objects from the soil. Amend with a generous layer of compost or aged manure and work it into the top six inches of soil. Add peat moss to the mixture to increase acidity if necessary. 

How do you plant lupine seeds?

To start your lupines, you will need to prepare soil in a shaded are. Plant the lupine seeds to a depth of ½ inch and cover with soil. Firm down lightly to secure the seeds. Water to moisten the seeds and keep the area moist until seedlings emerge in 14 to 28 days. You will need to grow the young seedlings in shade for the first summer and transplant them to a sunny location in the fall. As an alternative you can dig up wild lupines and replant them in your garden. Make sure you have the landowner's permission before digging wildflowers!

How much water do lupines need?

Young lupine seedlings need moist oil to thrive, but once they have established a strong root sytem they can survive on less water and even tolerate dry soil. However, lupines thrive with one or two inches of rain a week and benefit from supplemental water if rainfall is inadequate.

​Water your lupines once or twice a week or whenever the soil feels dry to the touch 1 to 2 inches below the surface.

When do you transplant lupines seedlings to a sunny location?

Burpee Seed recommends transplanting your seedlings to your permanent location in the fall. Water well until seedlings are established. Although your lupine plants may not appear to grow at this time, they are developing a strong root system to support next year's blooms.

When do lupines bloom?

Lupines bloom in late spring or early summer. However, newly planted lupines may not bloom in the first year. They may bloom in the fall or skip the season entirely and bloom the following psring.

Should you cut lupines back?

Lupines can be cut back to the ground level once the blooms fade. This may force a second flush of blooms in the fall. Otherwise, cut the foliage back after the foliage is killed by frost in the fall.
Copyright © 2014 Nannette Richford



  • Home
  • Garden Thyme Blog
  • Themes
    • Butterfly Gardens
    • Moon Gardens
    • Sensory Gardens
    • All About Fairies
  • Flowers
    • Annual Flowers >
      • Alyssum
      • Cosmos
      • Geraniums
      • Marigolds
      • Morning Glories
      • Nasturtiums
      • Petunias >
        • Reviving Petunias
      • Snapdragons
      • Sunflowers
      • Sweet Peas
      • Zinnias
    • Perennial Flowers >
      • Golden Glow (Rudbeckia laciniata ‘Hortensia’)
      • Lupines
      • Purple Coneflower (Echinacea Purpurea)
    • Maine Wildflowers
  • Veggies
    • Warm Season Vegetables >
      • About Beans >
        • Growing Beans
        • Growing Pole Beans
        • How to Make a Teepee Trellis
      • About Corn >
        • Growing Corn
        • What is Baby Corn, anyway?
        • Can you grow corn in containers?
      • Cucumbers >
        • Grow a cucumber in a bottle
        • Growing Pickling Cucumbers
        • Growing cucamelons (Mexican Gherkin)
        • Why do cucumbers blossom but fail to set fruit?
        • Trellising Cucumbers
        • Making Cucumber Relish
        • Powdery Mildew on Cucumbers
      • Melons
      • Peppers >
        • Growing Peppers
      • Squash >
        • Growing Zucchini
        • Spaghetti Squash
      • Tomatoes >
        • How to Harden Off Tomato Plants
        • How (and when) to Prune Tomatoes
        • Magnesium Sulfate (Epsom Salt) for Tomatoes
        • Blossom End Rot in Tomatoes
        • Growing Cherry Tomatoes in Hanging Baskets
        • 4 Best Tomatoes for Short Seasons - Early Tomatoes
        • 5 Early Maturing Tomatoes for Short Season Gardening
        • How to Ripen Green Tomatoes
        • How to Make Sun-Dried Tomatoes at Home
        • How to Grow a Pomato Plant
    • Cool Season Vegetables >
      • Cole Crops
      • Greens >
        • How to Grow Spinach
        • How to Grow Malabar Spinach
        • How to Grow Swiss Chard
        • Harvesting and Cooking Beet Greens
        • How to Grow Microgreens
      • Onions & Garlic >
        • How to Grow Garlic
        • How to Grow Onions
      • Peas >
        • Growing Garden (shelling) Peas
        • Growing Sugar Snap Peas
      • Potatoes >
        • How to Grow Potatoes in Containers
        • How to Grow Potatoes in Hay Bales
      • Root Crops >
        • Growing Beets
        • How to Grow Carrots
        • Turnips vs Rutabagas
  • Herbs
    • Growing Basil
    • Growing Chives
    • Growing Lavender
    • Herbal Tea Garden
    • How to Grow a Culinary Herb Garden
    • How to Grow Herbs in Sponges
    • Colonial Herb Garden - Classroom Project
    • Herbed Butter
    • Making Herbed Oils
  • Gardening Basics
    • Seed Starting Basics
    • Grafting Basics
    • Soil >
      • Starting a New Garden
      • How to Prepare Soil
      • How to Test Soil Drainage
      • What Type of Soil Do You Have
      • Soil Mix Recipe for Containers
      • How to Make Compost Tea
      • How to Use Mulch
  • Garden Pests
    • How to Control Japanese Beetles
    • How to Control Blister Beetles
    • How to Get Rid of Colorado Potato Beetles
  • Birds
    • Hummingbirds >
      • DIY Hummingbird Feeders from Recycled Bottles
      • Annuals for Hummingbird Gardens
      • Perennials for Hummingbird Gardens
    • About Birdseed
    • Choosing a Birdfeeder
  • Fiddleheads and Fairies
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • How to Marinate Roasted Vegetables