Planting and caring for lupine in open ground, whether it is necessary to prune for the winter

A great way to decorate a plot of land is to plant it with bright, attractively shaped flowers. Representatives of the Legume family amaze with their aesthetic beauty, thanks to which they have become popular when creating the design of a personal garden. Lupins need proper planting and care when growing in open ground, which are recommended to be studied in advance by every gardener who wants to grow this beautiful plant.

Description of culture

Lupine belongs to unpretentious perennials, distinguished by a straight stem, on which alternately located finger-shaped leaves with long petioles and large candle-shaped inflorescences. The flowers are racemose. Lupine grows 1.5 m in length, the root system is capable of penetrating into the soil 1.5-2 m deep. The fruit is a bean containing no more than 45 irregularly shaped seeds.

The popular name for the fruit of the plant is wolf bean, and from the Latin word Lupus is translated as wolf. Lupins are from the legume family, which is characterized by the presence of a nitrogen-fixing root system. It occurs during the symbiosis of bacteria, which have the ability to absorb molecular nitrogen from the air and convert it into forms accessible to plants, with root tubers.

Thanks to such relationships between organisms, the fruits of the plant contain proteins, which is not typical for other families, and lupine is also able to enrich the soil with nitrogen and other inorganic nutrients. This representative is considered an excellent green manure.

Common lupine is found in the territory from the Pacific to the Atlantic Ocean, there are more than 200 varieties in total.In the Mediterranean-African part, 11 species of annual representatives grow, and only 1 perennial. They can grow in conditions of virtually no moisture, so they are sometimes found in the deserts of California, Peru, Texas and the Sahara.

In 1911, the famous English breeder D. Russell developed new varieties of lupine, differing from others in their excellent decorative properties. In honor of the manufacturer, the species were named “Russell hybrids”; they are quite popular among gardeners who use them to decorate flower beds and garden plots.

Varieties and varieties

Depending on the comfort of the environment, lupine can live as an annual, biennial, or perennial. Flower growers give preference to perennial species, which are successfully cultivated throughout central Russia. The most popular types include:

Narrow-leaved, or blue

The plant is short, no more than 50 cm in height. Despite the fact that this variety of lupine is called “blue”, the inflorescences can have, in addition to the characteristic shade, purple, pink, and white colors. One representative can have a huge number of large and lush peduncles, like Arctic lupine.

The plant is used as green manure; it is characterized by unpretentiousness, winter hardiness, grows quickly and does not require additional fertilizer. Some varieties, such as white lupine, do not require pruning or shaping. It is important to get rid of leafless stems and faded inflorescences in a timely manner.

When choosing lupine seeds, you should pay attention to their shape - it should be oblong oval and have a marble pattern.

Multileaf

A tall ornamental plant, reaching about 1.5 m in height, the root system deepens to the same distance, and is winter hardy. It is characterized by the size of candle-shaped inflorescences with a height of 35 cm. The most popular variety is red lupine. It blooms from June to August and likes to grow in open, sunny areas.

Decorative

Decorative varieties of lupine are used mostly for decorating summer cottages and are not used as green manure or pet food. Reaches more than 1 m in height, has a tap root system. This type of lupine has various shades of inflorescences, due to which it is actively cultivated in Russia

Yellow

A low plant, up to 1 m high. Lupine inflorescences are slightly reminiscent of a spike and are yellow or light orange in color. If we compare the culture with other popular varieties, then yellow lupine is more heat-loving. Since at least 12 degrees of heat is required for seedlings to appear, and when frost occurs again, the planting material dies. It is recommended to choose sandstones or sandy loams as a growing site.

White

White lupine is often used to decorate the local area and is also used as a forage crop. An annual plant that grows more than 1 m in height, it has a pubescent, straight stem with a large number of branches. Lupine buds are white in color, collected in thin inflorescences that stretch up to 30 cm. They grow quickly and bloom within 1.5 months after sowing. White lupine blooms for 90-150 days.

Low growing varieties

Low-growing varieties include dwarf lupine, the most common among gardeners. Its height varies from 20 to 50 cm.The leaves have a gray-green tint. Lupine blooms throughout the summer. It is recommended to start sowing in April. The plant does not require certain strict conditions of growth and cultivation and has a high germination rate.

Features of the use of lupine in landscape design

Lupine is used in the production of decorative items, in the manufacture of cosmetics, hygiene products, especially soap and plaster.

The culture is excellent for decorating a garden plot; it looks best in single plantings, but can also be planted in compositions.

Tall varieties of lupine are used by designers to create an attractive background in flower beds, and low ones are used to form garden paths and borders. Planted along buildings and fences, it looks harmonious with other perennials.

How to plant a flower on the plot

It is possible to grow lupins in your garden using seeds. For fast and high-quality germination of perennials, it is necessary to properly plant, having first studied all the intricacies of its implementation.

How and when to plant lupins with seeds

Although lupine is an unpretentious crop, it is necessary to approach the planting process wisely. The growing area should be chosen depending on the variety, since each of them prefers different lighting.

Basic recommendations include partial shade or a sunlit place. The soil needs to be prepared in the autumn; it should be fresh, loose, loamy, slightly acidic.

Sowing is carried out in the spring. Equip the soil with fertilizers such as peat and sand. It is not recommended to deeply deepen the seed material. After sowing, slightly moisten the soil and cover it with film or a damp cloth.In the future, in order for the plants to germinate quickly, maintain an optimal temperature of 20-22 degrees. Thus, in a short time, namely in 2 weeks, you can obtain seedling material from high-quality seeds.

After 3-5 true leaves appear on the lupine sprouts, begin planting the lupine seedlings in the ground in a permanent place. You should not waste your time with this, since late replanting can negatively affect the development of the root system.

You can also sow directly into open soil. To do this, in the last days of October or in the first ten days of November, sow to a depth of 2-3 cm.

Shoots will decorate the garden plot in early May, and flowering will delight you in August. It is important that the distance between seedlings varies from 30 to 50 cm.

Technology for planting lupine seedlings in open ground

After choosing a well-lit area, you should choose a neutral soil. In the fall, if there is acidic soil in the garden bed, you need to add dolomite flour in the amount of 5 kg per 1 m2, and alkaline peat in a similar volume. When the seedlings become stronger, transplant them into open soil in a previously prepared place. Landing algorithm:

1. Dig holes, keeping a distance of 30-50 cm between them.
2. Add a little humus to each hole.
3. Water the seedlings and let them stand for 1 hour.
4. Remove seedlings with a lump of earth from the container.
5. Place into the hole, being careful not to disturb the integrity of the roots.
6. Fill with soil substrate and press down a little with your palms.
7. Water abundantly.

The plant will take root only in the next season. In the first year of life, lupine bushes will be small and the inflorescences will be few.

Proper care of perennial plants

Since the crop is unpretentious, growing it in open ground does not bring many problems to the gardener.The main requirements for caring for perennials are timely weeding and high-quality fertilizing.

Soil and lighting requirements

Lupine grows quickly in a mostly sunny area and also tolerates partial shade. It is not recommended to plant in areas where there is no direct sunlight throughout the day.

Watering and loosening

Mandatory procedures when growing lupine are watering and loosening. The abundance of moisture depends on the variety and variety of the crop, so you need to familiarize yourself with its characteristics in advance. The main requirements include high-quality watering at the time of bud formation, since it is during this period that the perennial plant experiences the maximum lack of moisture. The rest of the time, water as needed in moderate quantities.

After each irrigation, carefully loosen the soil, being careful not to damage the root collar.

Weeding the soil on the site

Like all perennial ornamental plants, lupine needs timely removal of weeds, especially in the first years of growth. Next, the crop will begin to independently secrete alkaloid substances from its root system, which negatively affect the growth and development of many plants, including weeds. Therefore, in future years, lupine will not require regular weeding of the soil.

Top dressing

The presence of the necessary nutrients is an important component of caring for this perennial. In the second spring after planting lupine on the site, fertilize using minerals; it is also recommended to apply inorganic fertilizers.

You should not get carried away with products that contain nitrogen; when using them, you should follow a strict dosage.

Superphosphate or calcium chloride are perfect for such purposes.It must be applied in proportions of 20 and 5 g per 1 m2. Also add organic matter, such as ash, in a timely manner; each bush should receive 2 tbsp. l. fertilizers

Fertilize the soil under old plants annually in the spring until the crop enters the flowering phase.

Formative pruning

Many novice gardeners are often interested in whether they need to prune lupins for the winter.

In fact, an adult plant needs systematic pruning of wilted shoots and faded inflorescences, which is usually done in the fall after abundant lupine flowering.

Care after flowering

It is recommended to care for the perennial plant after flowering. This happens around October. Caring for lupine includes trimming flower stalks and collecting seeds that fall out during the process of tearing beans.

Transplantation: terms and rules of work

An unpleasant and time-consuming procedure for both the gardener and the plant, but sometimes it is simply necessary. It is recommended to replant the crop in the spring. You need to make a trench around the bush, dig a deep hole, since the tap root sometimes penetrates into the soil at a distance twice as long as it grows in height on the soil surface.

Pull the bush out of the soil, rid it of the soil, being careful not to damage the rather fragile roots and not to tear off the tubers with nitrogen-fixing bacteria, since without them the perennial will not survive in the future. Next, place the plant in a pre-prepared hole, dug to the same depth in which the bush previously grew.

For quick rooting, it is recommended to add a little soil from the previous place. Water the transplanted bush generously, cover it with dry soil and keep it in the shade for 2 weeks.

Creating support for tall flowers

When growing tall varieties, it is worth considering that a perennial plant is characterized by a thin and fragile stem. It can break under the influence of strong winds or heavy rainfall, so you need to take care of the support of the perennial in advance. For such purposes, it is recommended to use a garden pole; if one is not available, an ordinary thin wooden stake will do just fine. You don’t need to tie the crop too tightly, leaving a little free space.

Pests and diseases: control and prevention

Although lupine is a perennial plant with good resistance to diseases and pests, sometimes certain difficulties arise when growing it. The greatest danger to lupine is:

• aphid;
• growth fly larvae;
• weevils;
• white rot;
• powdery mildew.

The causes of bacterial diseases are considered to be a suboptimal, namely swampy, growing environment for lupine. Excessive amounts of moisture have negative consequences. Fungal diseases can occur when spores are present in the soil or on seeds.

If a fungus begins to form on a perennial plant, it is necessary to get rid of the affected parts. For preventive purposes, it is recommended to treat the shrub with a solution of potassium permanganate in a ratio of 1 to 10 and periodically water the plantings with it. For pests, you should use certain pesticides by spraying flowers with them.

Preparing the plant for winter

To preserve a perennial in winter, you need to hill up the bushes in the fall so that the root collar, the most vulnerable place, does not freeze in cold weather. It is better to mulch a perennial plant using sawdust.

It is worth remembering that lupine can withstand temperatures as low as -8 degrees.

Sharper drops in temperature can negatively affect the life of lupine.

Methods of culture propagation

Lupine is propagated using seeds or cuttings. Experts distinguish only two types of propagation for lupins: seed and vegetative.

Cuttings

Vegetative propagation using cuttings is recommended only for representatives aged at least 3 years. Bushes 5-6 years old also cannot be called excellent material for seed propagation, due to the fact that they lack lateral buds. They need to be cut using a sharp knife at the base of the stem, preferably with part of the root collar, and planted in the shade on sandy soil.

When a root has formed at the cut cutting, it can be sent to a permanent place.

The procedure is carried out after summer flowering, and with three-year-old bushes - in the spring, and it is worth taking cuttings with lateral shoots and the presence of leaf axils.

Other methods of reproduction

Other methods of vegetative propagation include dividing the rhizome. In the fall, dig up the roots of an old bush that is at least 4 years old and inspect them for the presence of young segments on which sprouted or dormant buds will be abundantly placed. Carefully separate such parts and plant them in a new place.

Seed propagation is considered one of the most unreliable for this species. This is explained by the fact that decorative varieties of seeds in the neighborhood are subject to splitting into colors. Therefore, to obtain larger numbers, it is recommended to resort to vegetative propagation.

When to collect and how to store lupine seeds?

During the ripening period, the fruits crack and the seeds are dispersed by the wind.Collecting them after a break is inconvenient, so you should take care of this in advance. As soon as the beans begin to dry out a little, tie them with gauze. Then they will not crumble and after the fruits are fully ripened, they can be collected without any problems.

When the fruits turn yellow, they should be carefully placed in a plastic bag and stored in a dark, dry place.

Lupine seeds have different shapes, colors and the same smooth top cover, and retain the ability to germinate for 5 years.

Tips and recommendations from experienced gardeners on growing crops

Before you start growing, you should carefully read the recommendations of experienced gardeners who have been growing such a perennial plant as lupine on their plot for many years:

1. To speed up the germination of lupine seeds when planting seedlings, mix the seeds with the crushed roots of an adult perennial plant.
2. In the first year of planting seedlings, it is recommended to immediately cut off the inflorescences before they have time to produce seeds. This is necessary so that the lupine takes root faster and does not waste its energy on fruit production.
3. In order for the perennial to flourish until the coldest weather, it is advised to plant it in partial shade, then it will be able to last a long time. But there is also a disadvantage of this method - the inflorescences will not be in such large quantities.
4. In ancient times, lupine fruits were eaten by people, but now they can be used as animal feed due to the large amount of proteins contained in the above-ground part of the perennial.

Such a bright and unusual perennial plant can also be found as a weed, but because of its presentability it is also used as a beautiful decoration for a flower bed or garden.At the same time, it does not require a large investment of personal time and energy from the gardener, since it is considered one of the most unpretentious. If you carefully study all the rules of planting and care, then lupine will delight others with its lush, numerous buds for 5 years.