Looks like I'll be sprouting my sweet peas this year due to the poor weather. Long, low, wet paper towels in covered plactic container on top of the fridge. Has always worked well for me.

Libby

I either Winter sow or direct sow my seeds. Winter sowing works well for me, the only trouble I sometimes have with some seeds is that slugs and snails have a blast once they're on the ground. Lupines are some of the martyrs. They are one of my favorite flowers and I can't grow them to save my life. The trouble is never the germination, which is fast and problem free just by sticking a couple of seeds into a pot, but once they get on the ground. Slugs and snails think they're their private salad bar. The very few that survive the snails dissolve to dust once our hot Summer weather settles in...

Direct sowing works less well for me, as my ground is not really soft and fertile for the seeds to germinate and the loads of birds I have in the garden, particularly the blackbirds, do them in. I do direct sow a few things, such as poppies, but other than that I prefer to sow in pots, either Winter sow or normal sow.

Good luck with your lupines, they're the most beautiful flower - I hope you saw the ones Martha grows in NS, they're out of this world.

Eduarda

I winter sow all of my perennials. I have the best success rate that way. Annuals, I'll winter sow the hardier varieties that can tolerate some cool weather. The rest I sow indoors.

I think it's a personal preference. But I had best luck with lupines being winter sown.

Tracy

Hi Annette, Yes I also sprout some of the seeds using the paper towel method. I place the baggie on top of the lights on my light stands. I also soak some seeds. Other seeds I just sow in plastic bowls or 4 inch pots.

The lupines that I started this year I used the paper towel method. I wished I would have done that for the delphs that I started. Didn't think of it till to late. Oh well.I have soaked hosta seeds till they sprouted too..as you say a lot faster. And I always soak morning glories for a days or 2......well last year it was more like a few weeks. haha I forgot about them, luckily they were still in a bit of water when I found them. And yes sprouted. haha This year I will try not to forget about them.

I don't soak sweet peas, just plant them indoors in cell paks. They pop up fairly quickly. I have lots of sweet peas to get going this year.

Sierra

Wow, starting seeds on top of a fish tank...Never even thought of that...I have a 55 gallon tank, hum, I gotta try it :)

Will look quite pretty in my livingroom, but I'm doing it...haha

also using the heat on top of frig is a great idea! I've never thought of sprouting like that but I might because I keep trying to grow Lupine "Sunshine" the annual which is supposed to be fragrant. No success yet.

I share a secret with you folks try this,

When I open my Lupin seeds I pour them into a dish run the hot tap untill it is warm enought to put my hand under
(not hot) then I put the seeds in the warm water.I then leave them overnight.Its better to get into a warm bath that gets cold then a cold bath that gets freezing?
Next day I take a kitchen paper towel and place it over the plug hole of the sink. I then empty the water and the seed carefully into the plug hole whereby I lose all the water but get all the seeds in a tidy little heap.I then sepearate the seeds from the paper and leave them all day to dry in a bowl in the airing cuboard.untill,
Early evening.
I then fill enough 4inch flower pots with a cheep compost and place 4 Lupin seeds in each corner of the pot. I take a pencil and using it has a dibber I make a hole with the pencil point to a depth of Half of a inch.I then put 4 seeds in the four holes and cover them with a fine sived layer of compost.
When I have done the whole packet in this fashion I put the pots on trays and take them out side where I give then a warm shower by filling the watering can with warm water I then fill the trays with the same warm water and put the whole lot in the airing cuboard once again.
leave them in the airing cuboard for 2days and risist the urge to open it
on the 3rd day before you open the cuboard stand outside it and sing this little song

"Oh what fun"

"Oh what fun"

"Lets see what the lovely seeds have done?

You will be amazed more or less all the seeds will have germinated but will still have the seed shell attached to the seed head. Remove them to a window cill in direct sunlight/daylight for three days.do not water them directly but spray them sufficently with ordinary tap water.after the 3rd day on the cill the seed heads would have discarded there shells and would have grown enough to place out side whereby give up the sparay and water once a day with a watering can "dont over do it. When the lupins are big enough to handle tranplant them to separate pots.

I have 83 seperate lupins growing in my bedroom at present and will put them out in the garden after the 31st May when there is no more frost. Remember I live in London England where the climite is quite mild all year round.

Planting out side is another art but lets get the seed grown first good luck

Hi folks
I do not buy lupins for scent/fragrant,You will find few lupin that do have a fragrance has far has im aware.
I buy them for there fastasic colours.Kew gardens London. offer a wide range of all types of lupin.

I'm a great fan of Lupins too. I now have 30 new lupins started from the last package of seeds I sprouted, they're all in 4 inch pots outside in a protected area as there's still no room in the greenhouse. Have you had much success in moving them once they've been planted out? I know they have a long tap root and I was thinking of planting them in a temporary bed so I can see all the colors before planting in amongst my other perennials. I'm really looking forward to seeing pictures of your lupins in bloom, a beautiful sight it must be.

Annette

You will have to wait to Mid/Late July 08 Annette. Thats top bloom time for my Lupins in London. Dont forget to dead head lupins to get even more flowers.