How to Start Lupine
- 1). Wait until the last frost passes in early spring. Place the lupine seeds on a damp paper towel and fold the paper towel in half. Put the paper towel in a plastic bag and place in the refrigerator. Leave it for seven days.
- 2). Select a site for the seeds that has well-draining soil and receives full sunlight to partial shade. Remove any weeds in the site with a garden spade.
- 3). Cover the site with 2 inches of organic compost. Till the compost into the soil to a depth of 18 inches. This loosens the soil deeply enough so the lupine's taproot can easily establish itself.
- 4). Remove the seeds from the refrigerator and scatter them over your prepared soil site. Cover the seeds with 1/8 inch layer of garden soil, or simply rake the site after you scatter the seeds.
- 5). Water the seeds until the soil settles, using a low-pressure sprinkling attachment on your garden hose. The high pressure of a regular garden hose may disperse the soil over the seeds and make it difficult for them to germinate.
- 6). Apply organic fertilizer to the plants, after they sprout, once a month according to package directions. Water once a week until the soil settles around the base of the plants. After the flowers bloom, remove spent blossoms to prolong the blooming season.
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