Splitting Lupins

Helen Leggatt

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Jul 22, 2001, 7:55:51 PM7/22/01

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How do I go about splitting my large lupins?

Is it safe as I don't want to risk losing this one, but its getting too big.

Nick Maclaren

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Jul 23, 2001, 3:17:34 AM7/23/01

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In article <YFJ67.8102$H11.69705@NewsReader>,

Don't. Start again with a small one. If you need to reduce
a lupin, it can be cut back, but they don't take kindly to
root disturbance and don't live long, anyway.

I don't know if they can be propagated by splitting at all,
but it certainly isn't an easy and reliable method.

Regards,
Nick Maclaren,
University of Cambridge Computing Service,
New Museums Site, Pembroke Street, Cambridge CB2 3QG, England.
Email: nm...@cam.ac.uk
Tel.: +44 1223 334761 Fax: +44 1223 334679

Robert Leigh

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Jul 23, 2001, 6:05:42 AM7/23/01

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in article YFJ67.8102$H11.69705@NewsReader, Helen Leggatt at
helen....@btconnect.com wrote on 23/7/01 12:55 am:

> How do I go about splitting my large lupins?
>
> Is it safe as I don't want to risk losing this one, but its getting too big.
>
>
>
>

It works fine. dig up, cut into largish bits with good bits of root (ie dont
be too greedy ) trim foliage back, replant. I think technically it may be a
good idea to dust the roots with fungicide before replanting but i've never
bothered and never regretted it.

Mystified query to previous poster - if you've never tried how can you
possibly know that this "certainly" isnt an easy or reliable method? i
thought cambridge was meant to be quite big on the empirical approach.

Nick Maclaren

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Jul 23, 2001, 8:20:28 AM7/23/01

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In article <B781B583.B950%r...@perryash.co.uk>,

Robert Leigh <r...@perryash.co.uk> writes:
|>
|> Mystified query to previous poster - if you've never tried how can you
|> possibly know that this "certainly" isnt an easy or reliable method? i
|> thought cambridge was meant to be quite big on the empirical approach.

Why do you think that I haven't tried? And I know a fair number
of other people who have tried and failed, too - not just in
Cambridge. Furthermore, all commercially produced lupin plants
that I have seen have been grown from seed, rather than root
cuttings or division.

Lupins are notorious for disliking root disturbance and being
short-lived. I am surprised that you manage to propagate them,
but there are few absolutes in gardening.

Robert Leigh

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Jul 23, 2001, 10:26:40 AM7/23/01

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sorry - assumed that if you'd tried at all you would have had at least some
success

Philip Mcmillan Browse in the RHS book on propagation lists lupins as one of
the perennials for which division is a standard method of propagation so it
cant be that difficult

Brenda

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Jul 24, 2001, 8:44:32 PM7/24/01

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>How do I go about splitting my large lupins?
>
>Is it safe as I don't want to risk losing this one, but its getting too big.
>

>When I cut down my lupins at the end of the season (Octoberish)
I have just dug my trowel into the side of the root clump and hacked a
bit of root off.
These I have planted and they have all survived. At least if you only
take off a clump of the main root and it doesn't survive, you wouldn't
have damaged the main root by digging it up.
You could have a look at the root and there may be a bit of new
'stuff' growing above ground level with some 'roots' on. Pull it away
and plant that.
>Brenda
>