Seed Saving – Lupins

Collecting lupin seed is easy. Mine is not quite ready yet. The picture below shows a lupin plant producing seed. I usually let the pods get a little bit browner & drier before I harvest.
When the seed pods look like the photo below, it is time to harvest the seeds . . . pull off each of the pods, and let dry on a screen or plate. when seed pods are fully ready they will crack open easily. careful they will do that naturally in your garden if you don’t get to them in time.
 if you look closely, you can see the dark brown seeds in the pods
& finally, when you hear that rattling sound, and the pods are mostly brown, your seeds are fully ready to harvest!
Let dry, store in a dark & cool place until the Spring!

13 Comments

  1. sunil sharma June 9, 2018 at 9:30 am #

    You have told about the mature condition of the seed pods but in the last picture when the pods become yellow (cracked) and black seeds appear, then harvest it, in this situation, its seeds will not be automatically developed by falling down?
    http://naturebring.com

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  2. Seed November 14, 2018 at 8:32 pm #

    I need to grow lupin

    Reply

    • Teresa August 5, 2019 at 10:53 am #

      Can I just put the seeds straight into the ground in the spring time?

      Reply

      • Jillian August 6, 2019 at 9:26 am #

        They will need to be stratified first. Dry out thoroughly, remove from the pods, if they haven’t already cracked open themselves during the drying. And then put them in the freezer for up to a month. This will mimic the winter, and allow them to germinate come spring. You can sprinkle them around the garden this fall, and the process will happen naturally that way as well.

        Reply

        • Vickie February 23, 2020 at 12:43 am #

          Thank you for your help!

          Reply

        • Jane July 5, 2020 at 2:52 pm #

          I don’t understand. If you put the seeds into the ground, and the ground freezes, is that not sufficient “stratifying?” Thank you.

          Reply

          • Jillian July 6, 2020 at 10:40 am #

            Yes, that would work as well for sure!

  3. ARIEL BAHR June 10, 2020 at 3:24 pm #

    If someone gave me some that we’re a little more green (picked too early), can I still dry them and plant them? Thank you!

    Reply

    • Jillian June 11, 2020 at 8:14 am #

      It is best if they develop fully and dry on the plant. If the seed is fully developed and starting to turn colour to black, they may still work! They will need to go in the freezer for a bit once dry to mimic winter if you are in an area that gets it.

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  4. Dayna June 20, 2020 at 10:07 am #

    Once you harvest put in freezer can u plant in ground summertime to force sprouting same year? Mine seem to bloom best second year. I’m trying to get garden to have blooms every year not every other year.

    Reply

    • Jillian July 6, 2020 at 10:42 am #

      I don’t think they would bloom until the following season regardless. Sometimes you get a second bloom in fall if you cut back the flowers, but generally a one time spring bloomer here in Ontario anyways. Spread lots of seeds around, and they will bloom at different stages, I generally don’t get a bloom until the 2nd year from seed, but I have heard others say they can bloom year one.

      Reply

  5. Dorothy Melville August 5, 2022 at 7:21 pm #

    My Lupins have been in my garden for years and are beautiful, but can I divide them and replant in another part of the garden?

    Reply

    • Jillian August 8, 2022 at 9:39 am #

      You can!I have always found them a bit easier to spread from seed than transplant. So, I generally just scatter the seeds around when they would naturally start dropping into the garden, which is mid to late July in my area. They seem to struggle a bit as transplants, but can work if well established and happy when they are moved, happy growing!

      Reply

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