Lupine one-year planting and care. Growing perennial lupine seedlings

Lupine is a very interesting light and moisture-loving flower. According to various sources, there are about a thousand species of this plant that successfully grow in different parts the globe... The flower is able to survive in difficult climatic conditions and assimilate nutrients from the most unfavorable soils. It is widely demanded due to its useful properties, because from it you can get a valuable oil - a natural antioxidant. It is often used for cosmetic purposes as well.

Popular varieties

Lupine - unique flower from the legume family, representatives of which are perennial and annual, shrubs, semi-shrubs and herbaceous plants. Lupine has a taproot that extends two meters into the soil. It is covered with swellings that absorb nitrogen from the air and saturate the soil under the plant with it, the stem is grassy and woody, the branches are erect, creeping and protruding. The leaves are alternate, located on cuttings, the inflorescences are represented by a brush, are at the top of the stem and have a completely varied color from white to purple.

In our climate, gardeners have mastered three types of annuals and one perennial lupine... Let's take a closer look at each of them.

Lupine multifoliate

A perennial plant used in decorative purposes... Varieties of this species successfully take root in cold weather conditions, it grows even in the undeveloped taiga. The stem of the plant, upright in height, can reach 1.5 meters, the palmate leaves are slightly lowered down. Inflorescences are about 40 cm long in the shape of a candle. This species is undemanding to the soil, it grows even on the poor nutrients soils. The plant can withstand low temperatures, but it is better to cover it for the winter. The most popular varieties of multifoliate lupine:

• minaret;
• apricot;
• roseus;
• castellan;
• albus;
• carmineus;
• edelknabe;
• Princess Juliana;
• Schloss Frau;
• abendglut;
• rubinkenig;
• Burg Fraulen.

Almost every one of these wonderful varieties of lupine belongs to the hybrids of Russell, the famous English breeder.

Lupine white

An annual flower capable of self-pollination. Representatives of this species grow to about two meters in height. The plant has oblong smooth leaves with a little hair on the back, the inflorescences reach 30 cm in length. The most common varieties of white lupine are:

• degas;
• desnyanskiy;
• gamma.

The only drawback in growing white lupine compared to other species is that it is picky about the soil, because its root cannot accumulate alkaloids. Many varieties of this species cannot fertilize the soil, so they need additional feeding. That is why white lupine is actively grown and used as a food additive for cattle feed.

Lupine blue

An annual self-pollinating flower, which is also called narrow-leaved, its stems reach 1.5 meters in height, and the inflorescence can be not only of blue color, but also pinkish, white and purple. Blue lupine is distinguished by frost resistance, unpretentious care, early maturity, and is highly valued on the farm. Varieties of this species are rarely used for decorative purposes; they are suitable as fertilizers for the soil and as fodder for livestock. Before planting plants for these purposes, you need to find out about their characteristics, some of them accumulate such an amount of alkaloids in the root that it can harm animals, and as a fertilizer it is just right. The following varieties are popular:

• crystal;
• hope;
• rainbow;
• knight;
• siderat 38.

Lupine yellow

Another annual plant, the stem of which does not exceed one meter in height. The leaves are palmate elongated, the inflorescences in the form of a spikelet are yellow and orange. This species is mainly grown as a feed additive, its fruits are rich in protein, which is very beneficial for the growth of animals. Among them there are varieties that are strictly forbidden to give to animals. Today the popular varieties are:

• reliable;
• overexposure;
• torch;
• zhytomyr;
• Grodno 3;
• prestige;
• Demidovsky;
• academic 1.

For decorative purposes, flower growers have chosen to grow such perennial breeding varieties of lupine as fireworks and lulu.

When to plant

It is recommended to plant lupine seeds for seedlings in February, in which case the grown seedlings can be transplanted into open ground already at the beginning of spring, after all the snow has melted. Growing lupine in this way, flowering can be observed in late July or early August.

Seed preparation and sowing

To grow lupine seedlings in containers, it is necessary to prepare the soil, for this you need to mix sand, peat and earth in a ratio of 1: 2: 2, the mixture must be loose. You can then sow seeds mixed with powdered tubers on the roots of the old plant, this will accelerate the growth of nitrogen-fixing bacteria.

Seedling care

When growing lupins from seeds at home, the seedlings must be properly cared for. You need to adhere to the basic rules:

• when the first shoots appear (after 10 days), remove the film;
• water in moderation;
• loosening the soil;
• if there is not enough natural light, provide artificial.

After the seedlings have five real leaves, they can be planted in a permanent place, the main thing is that the weather conditions allow this to be done.

Planting

Lupins are unpretentious to the composition of the soil, but when transplanting them into open ground, it is recommended to introduce peat. Flowers love sunny places... They feel better on slightly acidic, slightly alkaline and neutral soils.

On alkaline soil, the flower will turn yellow; to avoid this, it is necessary to add one square meter five kilograms of peat. If the soil is acidic, liming with dolomite flour in an amount similar to that described above will help. This procedure lasts for 4 years. This can be done in the spring before they begin to dig up the soil and in the winter over the snow.

When planting seedlings, the distance between plantings should be observed, it should be at least 50 cm. Perennial lupins grow slowly, therefore, empty places in the first year can be planted with annual crops.

Further care

In the first year of growing lupine, care is easy. The soil must be periodically loosened and it is imperative to get rid of weeds, and if the root collar of the flower is bare, add earth. You can feed with mineral fertilizers.

Plants need hilling after two years of flowering. After five years of growth, the plant grows old and loses decorative view, you need to remove it and plant a new one.

If the flower is exposed to constant winds, it must be tied up. To keep spontaneous reproduction under control, cut the inflorescences before seed formation. Watering should be moderate.

Pest control

Great harm to both annual and perennial flowers can be caused by root weevils and aphids. If they are found, treat the plants with special preparations (insecticides), effective means garlic water is also considered.

Treatment for diseases

The main disease affecting plants is anthracnose. For cure, they are treated with fungicides (ridomil, mical). Less often they are struck fungal diseases if this happened. cut the diseased plant at the root, new shoots will grow healthy.

Collecting new seeds

When lupine fruits ripen, cracking occurs and they fly in different directions. To avoid this, the seeds are harvested when the beans have turned yellow and have just begun to dry. This should be done selectively in several stages.

To collect seeds, you should choose only healthy plants that have shown themselves in all their glory and are not sick.

Perennial lupins in winter

After the end of flowering and collection of lupine seeds (in October), the leaves and peduncles of the plants are cut off. So that they do not freeze in winter, they are huddled and covered with a thick layer of sawdust.

As a rule, such measures are enough to save plants from frost even in the coldest regions.

Nice perennial flower lupine is familiar to most of us. In some abandoned areas, it grows so that it can even be mistaken for a weed. In fact, this is a wonderful plant that has all the positive qualities:

• Long bloom;
• Beauty, decorativeness;
• Unpretentiousness.

Who doesn't want to grow a flower like this? Plus, it's not difficult to do this at all. A couple of simple tasks - and will appear on your flower bed colorful candles lupine.

Lupine is famous for its roots. This system is pivotal and in some cases it reaches 2 m deep into the soil. There are peculiar swellings on the roots. They have an important task - to absorb nitrogen from the surrounding air, and then enrich the soil with it, which is located directly under the plant.

The leaves of this plant deserve special attention. The fact is that they resemble a palm tree in their shape. These are palmate-compound leaves that grow on rather long petioles. Even after the lupine color changes, these leaves will not spoil the flower bed, but on the contrary, they will decorate it.

Lupine inflorescences are an apical raceme, which sometimes reaches almost 1 m in height. Concerning colors then it is very wide. Lupine flowers can be white and yellow, pink and cream, red and purple, and different shades purple, blue colors.

Since lupine is a legume, its seeds resemble beans. Depending on the species, they differ in size and color.

Types and varieties of lupine with a photo

Today, there are hundreds of species of lupine. Nevertheless, only a dozen of them can be called garden and decorative. Most often these are perennials that grow up to 50-150 cm.

The most known species of this plant in nature are as follows:

It is also worth remembering the following types of lupine: silver, changeable, tree-like, dwarf, etc.

As for the varieties, most often only a few of them are grown in culture. For example, the "Princess Juliana" variety grows up to 110 cm, has long clusters of white-pink flowers. The flowering period reaches 40 days.

Another variety is Aprikot. This plant has orange flowers... The inflorescences reach 40 cm in length, and the plant itself grows up to 90 cm.

Lupine possesses one interesting property... It is an excellent tool that enriches the earth and even helps to turn it into black soil. The fact is that the plant has a very powerful root system that can loosen the soil. In addition, the roots of lupine contain bacteria that help to saturate the soil with nitrogen. Thus, soil fertility is significantly increased.

To turn lupine into fertilizer, you need to do the following. An annual lupine is sown first. This can be done as soon as the ground thaws: from the earliest spring to the end of April. When a peduncle appears, you cannot leave it. Flowering in this case is useless.

But it's time to dig up the site. In this case, everything goes into the soil - lupine leaves, roots. You need to dig deep enough - about 1 bayonet of a shovel. Also, greens can be cut with a flat cutter near the soil itself. The roots are still for a long time will enrich the land.

Immediately after such a digging, the same lupine is sown on the site again. And again it is dug up during the ejection of the peduncle. After 3 such digging has been carried out, even the most clay soil... It is worth noting the fact that lupine changes the acidity of the soil, being a natural deoxidizer.

The planting time for lupine depends on how you are going to grow it. For the seedling method, sowing seeds is necessary as early as possible. The beginning of March is best suited.

But right into the ground, lupines are sown a little later. By this time, the snow should melt and the earth should warm up a little. The month of April is more suitable.

There is another way - sowing lupine before winter. In this case, this process is carried out in October, on the last days of the month.

Lupine seeds are sown for seedlings, usually in colder regions. For this, it is necessary to use containers as deep as possible. They must have drainage holes. As for the soil, it is best to independently prepare a substrate from earth and peat (2 parts each), as well as sand (1 part).

Lupine seeds can be scarified for better germination. This is a special violation of the integrity of the plant's seeds. It is made with sandpaper, river sand and in other ways.

It is better to sow this flower immediately in separate containers. The root system of the plant is built in such a way that it does not like transplants. And in adulthood, he practically does not tolerate such procedures. Shoots can be seen very soon - after 10-20 days. But for this you need to maintain desired temperature- about 20 0 С. Do not expect that all seedlings will appear together, this plant is not particularly different with such seedlings.

When the seeds fall into the ground, it is better to cover the boxes with foil, which will provide the seedlings with everything the necessary conditions... When the plants are 20 to 30 days old, the first true leaves will appear on them. At this time, it’s time to plant them in the ground. And you can't wait long, because you run the risk of damaging the seedlings, it will take root badly and start to hurt.

Seedlings

You need to carefully choose a place for lupine seedlings. Most of all, this plant likes sandy loam soils, as well as slightly acidic or slightly alkaline loamy soils. Before planting, the soil must be prepared. To do this, you can simply loosen the top layer with a flat cutter or cultivator. Then you can add organic fertilizer... For example, "Biovit" and others are suitable.

It is necessary to plant seedlings rarely enough to leave room for growth in width. Depending on the height of the selected varieties, the distance between the lupins should reach 30-50 cm. It is desirable that the area be bright, sunny and spacious. Hills are great.

You can grow lupine and sowing in open ground. To nurture beautiful flowers, it is worth preparing the soil even before the onset of winter. First, the site is dug up - approximately on the bayonet of a shovel. Then you need to add to the soil mineral fertilizers... It can be dolomite flour, superphosphate, or ordinary ash. As for the seeds, they need to be soaked in a foundation (50% solution).

Before sowing, shallow grooves should be made on the site - about 1.5-2 cm each. A distance of up to 50 cm is left between them. Then the area is watered. Scattered seeds should be covered with soil a little. Mulching is best done with peat.

After about 2 weeks, germination can be expected. After the appearance of no more than 2-3 true leaves, it is time to plant the lupine in a permanent place. If it was sown on the desired area, then during this period the plants are thinned out. There should be no less than 30-40 cm between the bushes.

Reproduction

Lupine can be propagated not only by seeds. Another way is vegetative propagation... It allows you to better preserve the shades of colors that you like. Few undertakes to divide old bushes. They have too long roots. But plants that are 3-4 years old are well suited for this.

Rosettes are best suited for grafting. They emerge at the base of the stem from the buds and are used for reproduction in the spring. But side shoots, which form in the axils of the leaves, are more suitable for cuttings in the summer. This procedure is carried out after flowering, and the roots of the cuttings appear in about 20-30 days. Already throughout the current year, plants from cuttings can bloom.

Lupine care

Therefore, lupine is a favorite flower of many gardeners, which does not require special care. If this is a perennial species, then at first you only need to periodically loosen the soil. Weeds will be removed at the same time. As the lupine grows, its lateral rosettes begin to separate, and the root collar peeks out. To avoid this, you can take measures - hilling bushes.

It is necessary to monitor the age of the bushes. So, if they turn 5-6 years old, the middle part of the plants begins to die off little by little. This significantly reduces the quality of flowering. Such bushes should be removed and replaced with new young plants.

If you have chosen high grades of lupines, then it is important to take care of the supports. The fact is that in strong winds and bad weather, the stems can break, bend.

As for flowering, this period can be extended a little. To enjoy him almost until the very frost, you need to promptly eliminate the inflorescences that have faded and wilted. Don't wait until they dry up. If everything is done correctly, then perennial varieties of lupine can bloom not even once, but twice throughout the season.

You don't need to water the plant too much. He likes moderate hydration better. Good soil and a lot of sunshine are more likely the key to a beautiful and long flowering.

When budding occurs, lupine is susceptible to aphids. Later, it is attacked by the larvae of the sprout fly, as well as by the nodule weevils. Main method fight - insecticides.

The most terrible diseases for lupine are rot (root, gray). Also, the plant can suffer from spotting, fusarium wilting, rust, mosaic, phomopsis.

Compliance with agrotechnical requirements for cultivation helps to avoid most of these problems. Lupine grows best after cereals, and in one area it can re-grow only after 3 years.

One of the most famous representatives of the moth family is lupins or wolf grass, as it is popularly called. The plant belongs to the ancient species and has been known for more than 4 millennia. The herbaceous perennial can grow up to 110 cm in height. Finger-shaped leaves are located on powerful, strong erect stems. The color of the leaves is rich and bright: coral, pink, blue, purple. The inflorescence contains many flowers, racemose form. The flowering period is long: from May to August.

Flowering begins from the bottom of the crop, gradually moving upward. The garden planting is actively used in Japanese and English gardens. Among the numerous varieties, one and two-year representatives are also found. It has a powerful root system reaching up to 150 cm. The root rosette of leaves is always turned towards the sun. Their special decorativeness, which is similar to the leaves on a palm tree, has long been noted by gardeners and is used to create exoticism in the garden.

Use in landscape design

The unusual shape of the inflorescences, reminiscent of candles, has become a real boon for designers and owners of personal plots. If you want to decorate the garden with a bright and incredibly spectacular flower bed, then there is no better plant than wolf grass. Absolutely unpretentious plant, strewn with its flowering free area land, will make the landscape colorful and juicy in summer. Universal lupins can be planted both in single and group plantings.

You can use several varieties to create a multi-colored carpet. Tall "candles" are suitable for creating a bright background, they are able to emphasize other, more calm colors of the culture. With their help, traces of communications and other unsightly phenomena are masked. Garden paths and the borders are decorated with low-growing varieties.

Combination with other plants

Mixed group plantings present wolf grass in the most favorable light. If you plant it in the center of the flower arrangement, then the neighboring plants will effectively complement it and reveal all the facets of the color.

By planting a plant in the middle of a mixborder, you can not only create an original planting, but also protect the lupins from drafts. The most successful combination with:

Plant propagation

Seeds

Seedlings are sown for seedlings in March. Before planting, they are soaked in warm water for a day, wrapped in gauze. During this time, they will break through the shell. A special mixture should be poured into the container for planting: turf soil, sand and peat in equal parts. It should be light and loose, so loosening should be done before planting.

Experienced gardeners advise the change to mix with the tubers of dried bushes. They contain special bacteria - nitrogen fixing, which stimulate active growth and development of seeds. Deepen planting material in too large holes is not worth it. Optimum depth- 1 cm. After sowing with a spray bottle, the soil is watered and covered with foil or glass to create a greenhouse effect and maintain the necessary moisture in the container. The first shoots appear in 14-16 days.

They are transferred to open ground after the appearance of 5-6 leaves on the seedling. This takes up to 28 days. You should not overexpose young plants in containers. Otherwise, you can seriously damage the root system during transplantation.

Seeds are sown in open ground after the risk of repeated frost has passed. The optimal time is the end of April. The soil is prepared long before planting - in the fall. It is dug up, getting rid of the roots of weeds, for the purpose of prevention, it is treated with special chemical agents for various kinds of diseases. The hole is 2-2.5 cm deep. A representative of the flora will begin to please with its flowering only in a year.

For the winter, seeds are planted in early November. The plot is covered with peat from frost.

Cuttings

A significant advantage of this method over the previous one is the ability to introduce rare and unusual varieties... By the seed method, such representatives of the flora never reproduce. Plants that have reached 4 years of age are suitable for harvesting planting material. Lateral shoots formed from rosettes are used.

In March, cuttings are cut from the root rosettes, and in June from the leaf sinuses. Cuttings are cut when the garden planting is dormant (after flowering). Use a sharp knife. The place of the cut on adult wolf grass is treated with wood ash. Renewal bud is also cut out with nearby heels of the root collar. Delenki are planted in a container with sandy soil. The root system is able to develop within 3 weeks. Then young seedlings can already be planted in a permanent place.

Planting and leaving

Site selection and soil preparation

Choosing the right site, you can achieve a special decorative effect of the plant, bright and long-lasting flowering. A sunny area with a little shade is best. A place in complete shade encourages greenery to the detriment of flowering.

Every year, in the fall, the land for planting lupins is carefully dug up, removing weeds and treating them from diseases. For active growth and development of wolf grass is suitable slightly alkaline or slightly acidic soil, sandy loam and loamy when using fertilizers are also suitable. The acidity level of the soil is measured special device... If the soil is acidic, then the pH level is lowered by adding dolomite flour... The addition of peat will make the alkaline earth suitable for planting lupines. It is imperative to make a drainage layer in the hole. Stagnant moisture contributes to rotting of the root system.

When landing is observed optimal distance- 45-50 cm between holes. The process ends with abundant watering. The plant pits dig up much more than the seedlings.

Loosening is very important for the first 2 years of the plant's life, when it is too weak to fight off weeds. For older representatives, hilling is necessary to hide bare roots.

Watering and feeding

Potassium chloride is suitable as a fertilizer for lupins

Watering is necessary sparse and moderate... The culture belongs to the drought-resistant group. Waterlogging and stagnation of soil, and melt water does not tolerate well. Most of all, a garden planting needs watering in spring, when it is actively growing and developing, and on hot summer days. Drying of the upper layers of the soil serves as a guideline between watering. The average frequency is once every 10-14 days.

Frequent fertilization is not necessary. A representative of the flora is able to fertilize itself. The first year of life, a young seedling does not need feeding. It is brought in after a year (mineral, potassium chloride or superphosphate).

Diseases and pests

Wolf grass is extremely resistant to insects and diseases. But improper care, especially over-watering and feeding, can make the bush weak. Then he can be attacked aphids and gray rot... To combat them, special chemicals are used. As a preventive measure, they are treated with soapy water. Each well must be provided with a good drainage layer.

Pruning

It is important to remove faded inflorescences during the flowering period. This will help extend the life span of the bright perennial. Thanks to this, the bush can bloom again. Lupins over 5 years old are best removed. By this time, they have already lost their decorative effect and turned into a weed.

Lupine (lat.Lupinus) is a genus of the legume family, which is represented by both annual and perennial herbaceous plants, shrubs, dwarf shrubs and dwarf shrubs. Translated from Latin "Lupus" means "wolf", and the plant itself is sometimes called wolf beans. In total, about 200 species of lupine are known. Cultivated are only the variable lupine, which the Incas were still engaged in breeding, and the many-leaved lupine.

The root system of lupines is pivotal, sometimes extending 2 meters deep. The roots are covered with small swellings that absorb nitrogen from the air and enrich the soil under the plant. Stems are woody or herbaceous, branches are creeping, protruding or erect.

Lupine leaves are alternate, on long petioles, palmate-compound, connected to the stem by a leaf cushion with a long stipule. Inflorescence is an apical brush on which a large number of flowers are whorled, semi-whorled or alternately. The brush sizes in some species reach one meter, the color of the flowers is varied - yellow, white, red, pink, cream and purple lupins, as well as all shades of purple.

Lupine seeds different types differ in shape, size, and color. The lupine beans of the Mediterranean species are larger than the American ones. Drying, the beans crack and scatter seeds around them - very small grains of lupine. Lupine not only decorates flower beds, it is also grown as a green manure: stems and leaves of lupine rotted in the ground become an excellent fertilizer. In addition, fodder lupine is grown.

Lupine growing from seed

Sow lupine seeds for seedlings in a loose soil mixture for germinating seeds, consisting of peat (one part), sod land (one part) and sand (half part). Before sowing, the seeds are mixed with powdered root nodules of old lupins to accelerate the growth of nitrogen-absorbing bacteria. Seedlings will appear in a week or two, and if you want all the seeds to sprout at the same time, you need to cover the crops with wet gauze and keep them warm.

Seedling of lupine. It should be recalled that seed reproduction does not guarantee the inheritance of coloration and other traits of mother plants by young lupines. Lupine from seeds is usually grown for the purpose of a breeding experiment. Purple and pink colors dominate, therefore they can persist in the next generation, and White color most likely, it will be lost during seed reproduction. After the appearance of 2-3 true leaves, the seedlings are planted in a permanent place - do not delay with the transplant, since the core root system will be a significant hindrance to you.

Lupine planting in open ground

When to plant lupines. If you are using a seedling method of seed propagation, then sow the seeds in early spring, in the beginning of March. If you decide to sow directly into the ground in the spring, then sowing lupine is carried out in April, after the snow melts, but the site should be ready in the fall. Many flower growers prefer to sow lupine before winter, at the end of October. There are many advantages in autumn sowing and there are almost no contraindications: the seeds will not have time to germinate before winter, since they will ripen in the ground in a very comfortable conditions... Seeds are buried in the ground to a depth of 2 cm, then the plot is mulched with peat, in the spring the lupine will rise together and bloom by August. If you grow lupine seedling method, then, as already mentioned, planting lupine is carried out when the seedlings have 2-3 leaves, and do not tighten so that there are no problems with the transplant.

How to plant lupines. Lupins are most suitable for slightly acidic or slightly alkaline loamy or sandy loam soil in a sunny area. To prepare the site for the spring planting of lupine seedlings, in the fall the acidic soil is limestone or dolomite flour at the rate of 5 kg per 1 m², and this is enough for 3-4 years. Too alkaline soil is dug up with peat with the same calculation - 5 kg per 1 m². In the spring, germinated and strengthened seedlings are planted in the soil prepared since autumn at a distance of 30-50 cm from each other.

Lupine is an unpretentious and very useful plant With large inflorescences in the form of brushes and leaves of complex shapes. Growing up, it creates bright and effective flower arrangements. You can enjoy this beauty for a long time. Decorative hybrids of perennial lupine fell in love with gardeners due to the variety of colors - monochromatic, as well as two- and three-colored. Having grown on the site garden varieties this plant, in the future it will be possible to admire original decoration your flower garden.