Tips on Growing Top-Notch Lupines

Lupine Westcountry Persian Slipper from Gulley GreenhouseGulley Greenhouse in Fort Collins, CO, is one of the nation’s premier growers of lupines. The region’s northern climate makes it ideal to plant lupines in a 72-cell tissue culture liner directly into a 2-gallon pot in late September.

“We let the plant root completely out to the edge of the pot,” says Beth Gulley. “Bulking is key, as more crowns mean more flowers.”

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Gulley produces several hybrid selections from United Kingdom-based Westcountry Nurseries.

“The flower and plant size of these varieties are bigger, so growers are often willing to pay for the higher input costs,” Gulley says.

Cool fall nights are ideal for initial plantings. Once you see the foliage and the roots touching the edge of the pot, Gulley recommends cooling them down and putting them to sleep through February.

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“In early to mid-March, we move them outside,” Gulley says. “Lupine love the cold and can handle snow. They won’t have their flower spikes yet, so the foliage is really resilient.”

To get varieties like ‘Masterpiece’ looking healthy, Gulley’s team of growers applies preventative drenches and sprays in the fall. Gulley notes that lupines are susceptible to a lot of different root and foliar diseases, including Pythium and anthracnose, a foliar leaf spot disease.

“We also treat them with a 1 part per million Bonzi drench in the spring, just as you start to see the first buds coming,” Gulley says. “That keeps the foliage down, while allowing the blooms to shoot through.”

In terms of seasonality, Gulley says lupines can be grown in time for Mother’s Day if you grow them in a covered hoop house.

“You can also time them for Memorial Day like we do, to hit that late spring/early June sales window,” Gulley says.

More production tips are available here.

Note: Information for this story was presented in a video during Darwin Perennials’ Digital Days in June. Check out the complete video here.

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