Lupins - perennial garden plants the legume family. There are also annual species that are used in agriculture as a fodder crop and soil green manure.

Growing features

Lupins are very common plants that are easy to grow. Planting material in the form of seeds of hybrid origin is always on sale, and young plants can also be purchased at specialized exhibitions and fairs.

Landing in the ground

Planting methods

Most often, lupine is planted in the ground with one-two-month seedlings. A plant with two to four true leaves is transferred to the ground with a lump of earth so as not to damage the root. Planted with a distance of at least 50 cm between plants, because lupins grow well and quickly.

Boarding time

The best time to plant seedlings is spring. During the warm period, the plant will take root, grow stronger and grow, flower buds will form, some hybrid varieties may bloom in the first year.

Soil composition

The ground under the lupins is preferable to a neutral reaction; weakly acidic or slightly alkaline is also possible. A plot is prepared for planting seedlings in the fall: it is filled with nitrogen-free fertilizer, dolomite flour is added on acidic soils, and peat on alkaline soils. It is very useful to add ash from the fall.

Planting in autumn

You can plant lupins in the fall. Usually, grown seedlings from the school are planted in a permanent place, cut off bushes, rooted cuttings, or sow seeds.

Planting by seeds

Seeds are sown for seedlings or outdoors. Seedlings are grown at home or in a greenhouse, sowing them in March - April, in order to transfer them to the ground after the end of the spring frost. These plants bloom the next year after planting.

Autumn sowing is carried out in open ground. In this case, the seeds will undergo natural stratification and germinate together in spring, and by the end of summer they will bloom in autumn.

Location and lighting

Lupins prefer to grow in an open, sunny location. In deep shade, the vegetative mass grows, the stems stretch out, the flowering becomes weak. Penumbra is well tolerated and does not reduce the decorative effect of the flower.

Air humidity

Lupins do not need high or low air humidity, they adapt well in any microclimate, they have enough of a natural level.

Watering

Freshly planted seedlings of lupins and other planting material need watering. Adult plants do not need additional soil moisture, the background moisture is quite enough - these are drought-resistant plants, the taproot of which goes to a considerable depth, obtaining water and nutrients for the entire plant.

Top dressing

It is recommended to fertilize the plants once a year at the beginning of the growing season. The fertilizer should not contain nitrogen - nodules are formed on the roots of lupins, in which bacteria live, storing nitrogen from the soil and air, and converting it into a form that is well absorbed by plants. Lupins enrich any soil with nitrogen. Therefore, only phosphorus-potassium fertilizers are applied under them to support the splendor of flowering.

Pruning

Lupines do not need formative pruning. It is customary to cut off leafless stems with faded brushes. This stimulates the bookmarking of new flower buds to re-bloom in the fall and next year.

An adult lupine transplant is a very painful procedure. The plant has a powerful taproot extending to a depth much greater than the length of the shovel's bayonet. Therefore, root damage to one degree or another during transplantation is almost always inevitable. This entails a loss of decorativeness, a decrease in the survival rate in a new place, and possibly the death of the plant. Therefore, it is preferable to grow lupins in one place.

Transplant method

At urgent need move the plant, dug it out with as deep a recess as possible - make a trench around the bush, take out the lupine with a lump of earth and transfer it to a new place. The soil is not shaken off from the roots - this may damage the fragile roots and detach nitrogen-containing nodules, without which the plant will not survive. They are planted at the same or slightly deeper depth in a previously prepared hole, adding earth from the previous place of growth to cover the roots. Watered well, covered with dry soil on top. The first time they shade, at least 2 weeks.

Reproduction

Lupins are propagated by seeds and vegetatively: by cuttings and part of the rhizome.

Seed reproduction

This breeding method is used both in spring and autumn. In early spring, seeds are sown in seedling containers at home or on a garden bed in a greenhouse. Planting depth - 2 cm. Germination occurs within 2 - 3 weeks. Soon, real leaves appear. Lupine grows quickly, and after a month the seedlings can be planted outdoors if weather conditions permit. But lupins are quite cold-resistant, so you should not delay planting seedlings - the less formed the stem stem is by this time, the more painless the procedure will be. It is convenient to grow each plant in a separate paper pot: before planting, it can be easily removed by tearing it, or planted directly in it - the paper decomposes quickly, it is not an obstacle for the spread of a powerful root. In this case, when planting in the ground, even overgrown plants with well-developed roots will not be damaged.

Parental traits are not always transmitted during seed reproduction. That is why on sale usually seeds marked "mix". If it is indicated on the package that these are F1 hybrid seeds, then the likelihood of getting a plant by variety increases, but a re-grading is not excluded in this case as well.

At autumn breeding the seeds are sown directly into the ground. This method is preferable because plants become more robust and winter-hardy.

Both those and other plants bloom in the next season.

Cuttings

Axillary cuttings, broken off with part of the root collar, are rooted. This is done immediately after flowering. Rooting takes place outdoors in the shade, in breathable soil, or in sandy soil. The roots appear in less than a month, at first they are fibrous, they can be transplanted to a permanent place without a big risk of losing the plant.

Rhizome

At autumn works in the garden, the middle, oldest part is removed from a bush of a four-year-old lupine. Root shoots have already spread around it, which will bloom in the coming years. The excavated rhizome is examined and young viable segments with sprouted or dormant buds are found in it. These parts of the rhizome are separated and used for reproduction - they are planted in a new place.

Flowering time

Lupine blooms in spring or early summer - depending on natural area growth. With the timely removal of faded parts of the plant, repeated flowering is possible. After flowering, fruits are formed - beans with seeds.

Shape and color

Lupine inflorescence is a multi-flowered raceme, dense or loose. The flowers themselves are decorative both closed and open. The color of the buds in the brush goes from bottom to top.

Natural species and the first hybrids are blue, purple or mixed with white. Modern hybrid varieties are varied in color.

Problems

Lupine is a strong plant that is resistant to disease and pests. With very unfavorable conditions (deep shadow, swampy soil, stagnant cool air) can be attacked by root and leaf rot and attack by sprout flies, aphids and thrips. In this case, treatment with insecticides and antifungal drugs is necessary. But only a change in the place of growth of lupins can radically solve the problems.

Popular species and varieties

The gardens are mainly grown perennial varieties multi-leaved hybrids of American origin. Most of them were bred by breeder George Russell over 100 years ago. Russell's group includes plants with flowers of various colors. These are very winter-hardy flowers, now common all over the globe. The most popular are:

• Castle (MyCastle, MeinSchloss)- tall plants with brick-red flowers;
• Candelabrum (Chandelier, Kronleuchter)- a spectacular plant with a lemon yellow brush;
• Governor (Kastelan)- color blue-violet with white sail;
• Citizen (BurgFreulein)- with absolutely white flowers;
• Beautiful Lady (Schlossfrau)- with pink and white tassels;
• Descendant of an aristocrat (Edelknabe)- carmine red flowers.

Modern breeders continue to work in the field of hybridization of lupines, every year new varieties appear. Of interest are miniature and dwarf varieties, as well as hybrids that bloom in the first year. However, Russell's hybrids are unrivaled classics.

Note to the flower grower

• The old rhizome is not thrown away when digging from a bush: it still has nodules with nitrogen-processing bacteria. Therefore, the rhizome is cut and its parts are buried in cultivated soil - they will enrich any soil. It is not necessary to fertilize this plot of land with nitrogen. You can use pieces of old rhizomes for soil under some indoor crops, such as citrus plants.
• Lupine fruit- pods filled with seeds, which can spill out when ripe and germinate with non-varietal plants, clogging up the planting site. To prevent mixing of varietal plants with simple ones, the stems are cut off after flowering. Ripe seeds can be scattered in the surrounding uncultivated areas: perhaps in a few years blue lupins will grow on the wasteland.

Answers on questions

Lupine - perennial... It regenerates itself, forming new rosettes around the mother plant. However, decorativeness decreases over time - the plant grows. In nature, this does not matter, but in the garden it is necessary to replace the entire plant or to dig out the central part of the bush about once every 4 to 6 years.

Why doesn't lupine bloom?

Perhaps the plant is still too young: with seed propagation in spring, the plant blooms in the second year.

It is also possible that the flower has grown old and worn out - a change of the bush is required.

Why do the leaves turn yellow?

Usually lupine leaves under the snow with green leaves. But it is possible from the autumn dying off with the resumption of growth in the spring. With the summer wilting of leaves, it is very likely that pests or roots die off, for example, after an unsuccessful transplant.

Lupins are beautiful hassle-free garden plants, personal plot and any free territory. Their decorativeness and ability to enrich the soil makes them indispensable for the development of new sites.

The lupine flower belongs to the legume family and has about two hundred species (ornamental - about ten), being one of the common and favorite plants of summer residents. Lupine is drought tolerant, has root system in the form of a rod extending up to two meters deep. Some varieties can even grow in the desert. Garden lupine consists of a tree-like stem with lush leaves on tall petioles. The size of the brush can sometimes reach 100 centimeters.

Lupine is drought-resistant, so it is very loved by summer residents.

The shades of this flower are very diverse. Sowing material varies in size, color, shape, depending on the type of plant. When the beans of the inflorescence dry up, they begin to crack and scatter seeds - small grains. In one such bean, there are up to forty-five seeds that remain viable for many years. Lupine is decorative and fodder. The flowers of this species growing in our flower beds are mainly perennials, although there are also annuals (yellow, white, with narrow leaves). There are even lupines growing as shrubs, which are of particular interest to specialists in the field of breeding, since they are unpretentious in habitat and crossing. Perennial varieties:

1. Silver lupine is an inhabitant of the West, with a shade of inflorescences from deep blue to snow-white, interspersed with red.
2. Many-leaved - has cornflower-blue flowers, large brushes, plant height up to one and a half meters, resistant to frost, but it is advisable to cover it in a particularly harsh winter.
3. Bred by selection flowers of pink, lemon, brick and a number of other shades.
4. Nutkan lupine, whose ancestral home was America.

How to plant perennial lupins

Silvery lupine is found in the West and has inflorescence shades ranging from deep blue to snow-white.

These flowers are planted with seeds, in April, at a distance of half a meter from each other, or cuttings. Lupine seeds are planted even before winter, in early October and until early November, in unprotected soil under a layer of peat. Lupine rises in the spring, and in the last month of summer you can admire the flowers. Also, seedlings can be grown from seeds first, and with the onset of warmth, when the night frosts recede and several real leaves form on the plants, transplant it into open ground to the designated place. The soil for seedlings should contain peat with black soil and sand in certain proportions and be moderately moist.

Lupine cuttings are planted as follows: at the base of the stem, the bud is carefully cut out along with part of the neck and planted in soil containing a sufficient amount of sand. In overly alkaline soils, flowers turn yellow. It will take about a month, and the plants will form a root system. Then they need to be moved to a specific place for them, preferably where it is sunny. This method is preferable in that it makes it possible to preserve the original color of the lupins.

Proper care of plants

In the early life of a garden lupine, it is very important to control weeds, keep the soil loose, and water moderately. It is necessary to ensure that the roots are not exposed, from time to time sprinkling them with earth, bring in all recommended by experts mineral fertilizers... After two years of life, the flowers should be spud, which contributes to the development of lateral roots and a greater survival rate of the entire system, and tied up so that the shoots are not damaged by the wind.

After five years experienced gardeners it is advised to replace old bushes with new ones, as the plants grow old and lose their decorative qualities. To extend flowering times, dying flowers are regularly harvested before seeds appear. Occasionally, flowers infect pests and some types of fungal diseases, and spots and rot appear on lupine leaves. In this case, the plant must be cut off under the root to allow healthy shoots to grow. It also makes sense to disinfect the earth with lime.

Garden lupine as fertilizer

Reproduction of lupine occurs by cuttings (vegetatively) or by seeds.

Recently, due to the shortage and high cost organic fertilizer amateur gardeners began to show interest in the use of green manure, the best of which is lupine. These flowers are able to fertilize the soil with nitrogen, which significantly enriches its structure. At the same time, the mown greens of the plant in terms of volume significantly exceed the green mass of other green manures (such as peas, radish), and also contains a large number of substances useful for the earth. Lupine of blue color grows faster than others, developing a viable and strong root system that goes deep into the soil. He does not deplete it, receiving nutrition at a depth of up to two meters due to the ability to assimilate and process substances from the soil that are inaccessible to other plants.

The advantage is that lupine contributes to the health of the soil, suppressing the development of harmful microorganisms (for example, scab).

It usually takes about two months for a given type of flower to grow, so that its biological mass can the best way assimilated by the soil before the onset of frost.

How deep to bury the cut lupine flowers

The seeding depth of the mowed green mass and the volume of the layer depend on many factors: the type of soil and its condition, weather conditions. If the green manure is placed deeper than required, decomposition will be difficult, which will lead to a negative result. If it is completely shallow, there is a loss of the necessary substances.

On a plot with uncultivated soil, greens can be placed in roughly dug soil, but then it is imperative to make them loose, because the decomposition of organic matter is accelerated under the influence of air currents. If frost has come ahead of time, and the lupine has not yet been harvested and embedded in the soil on time, it is recommended to collect it and leave it in place for the whole winter. The plus is that a kind of protective layer is formed, which prevents the appearance of weeds in next year... The experience of gardeners shows that the effectiveness of lupine is comparable to such a well-known fertilizer as manure. As a result of research, it turned out that potatoes and strawberries give a greater yield (one and a half times) where lupine flowers are introduced, and not manure.

A clear and effective effect of this green manure on crop yields has been observed for several years.

The plant is used between the rows fruit trees and berry bushes leaving on the soil surface. Thanks to this approach, the soil is supported desired temperature to preserve its vitality for a longer period, and the root system of crops, which is partially located in the aisle, forms another additional layer of roots, which enhances the growth and development of trees and shrubs.

Many gardeners mistakenly believe that Lupine is such a weed that has no place in a flower bed, in fact, this flower, in addition to being unusually beautiful, is also useful, because nitrogen-fixing bacteria accumulate nitrogen on its roots, therefore lupine can actively develop even without additional feeding.

Lupine looks very impressive in group plantings, and especially with phlox, delphiniums and lilies. There are more than 200 species of this plant in the world, so every gardener has the opportunity to choose a variety that suits him.

In addition to the variety of species of lupine, it is also famous for its huge selection. colors, these flowers come in white, pink, blue, yellow, and even purple. In today's article, we will try to figure out how to care for a lupine so that its flowers decorate your garden.

Appropriate place

Lupine does not care where to grow, in the wild it can be seen both in partial shade and in a sunny meadow. But if the color of the flowers becomes very pale, then it is better to transplant the bush to a more illuminated place.
High winter hardiness allows lupines to winter without additional shelters, the only thing that needs to be done after flowering is to cut the ground part of the flower.

If you want to enjoy the lupine flowers all summer long, try to regularly cut the flower stalks that have faded before the seeds begin to form.

Optimal watering of lupine

If the summer is not dry and there is good rain at least 1-2 times a week, then the lupine does not need additional watering, but if the temperature outside is above +30, there is no rain and the earth is dry, then the flowers should be watered abundantly. As with all other plants in the garden, it is best to irrigate the ground early in the morning, before sunrise, or late in the evening, after sunset.

Lupines can be watered either by rain or by root, but to prevent crust formation, try to mulch the soil after each watering.

Necessary feeding

As mentioned earlier, thanks to special bacteria, the roots of lupine are saturated with nitrogen, therefore, the plant does not need special additional fertilizing, except perhaps in additional autumn feeding, for which phosphorus and potassium fertilizers are used.

If you plant a garden with lupine, and then dig it up, then next spring on this site you can collect very good harvest, because the earth will be saturated with nitrogen.

Lupine transplant

Lupine is one of those flowers that need to be updated every 3-4 years, whether it is sowing new flowers or dividing the bush into several parts for reproduction. The fact is that an aged bush does not bloom so abundantly, its flowers become small and pale. If it is necessary to change the location of the lupine in the garden, then it is better to reload its root along with a lump of earth.

Lupine breeding methods

Lupine can be propagated by seed or side shoots. The first method, of course, is the simplest, sowing is in autumn and spring, most gardeners prefer sowing "before winter", for this in October the seeds are placed in the ground to a depth of 2-2.5 centimeters. The frost resistance of the seeds of this flower allows the lupine to wait for spring and decorate the whole area with its flowers. But reproduction by seeds also has disadvantages, for example, artificially bred varieties lose their characteristics, be it shape or color.
As soon as the plant is 3-4 years old, lateral rosettes begin to appear at the base of the rhizome, which must be cut out together with a piece of root and planted separately.

Perennial lupine is unpretentious flower... Previously, it was used as a fodder crop, but over time, many gardeners began to cultivate it. Quite often it is used in landscape design.

Characteristic

The plant has a taproot system that can go several meters underground. Its roots are covered with small swellings that absorb nitrogen.

The stems of different plant varieties may differ. The stem part can be either woody or herbaceous. Lupine is covered with leaves of the next type, which are located on long petioles. They are very similar in shape to a palm tree.

The inflorescence is an apical raceme, the height of which can reach one meter. The color range of inflorescences is quite varied. Flowers can be purple, cream, pink, white, yellow or red.

The seeds of the plant differ in color, size and shape. American varieties of lupine do not have the same large bean size as Mediterranean varieties. Once dry, they begin to crack and scatter seeds.

Varieties

There are quite a few different types of lupine, but among them the most popular ones can be distinguished.

Narrow-leaved

The plant has a sparsely pubescent erect stem, the height of which can reach 120-160 cm. The narrow-leaved lupine is covered with palmate-separate leaves. Flowers can be purple, pink or White color... They are completely odorless.

Multileaf

The plant is native to North America. The main advantage of many-leaved lupine is its tolerance to low temperatures, thanks to which it grows well on the territory of Russia. The plant has a straight stem from 70 to 130 cm in height. On long, palmate petioles, the leaves are lowered down. The inflorescences consist of many flowers 25-35 cm long. They begin to bloom in mid-June and continue to bloom until the end of summer.

Yellow

The plant has a low-leafed stem on which leaves, consisting of several lobes, grow. Lupine flowers, collected in a whorled raceme, are colored yellow.

White

This variety has a branched stem that can grow up to 160 cm in height. Fingertip densely pubescent leaves are covered with villi, forming a silvery rim around them. White lupine flowers are arranged in a spiral in the inflorescence. They are colored light blue or pale pink.

Growing

In order for the flower to rise faster, it is necessary to carry out scarification. The essence of this process is the violation of the integrity of the seeds. Scarification is mechanical and thermal. When using the mechanical method, the seeds are ground with sandpaper, coarse sand or small stones. During thermal scarification, the seeds are placed in a rag bag and immersed for a few seconds in a saucepan with hot water... After that, they are immediately placed in a container with a cold one. This procedure should be carried out several times so that the seed coat bursts.

After that, the flower is sown in a separate container and stored in a warm room. The first shoots will appear within 15-20 days. However, if you do not support optimal temperature at 20 0 С, then they may appear a little later. The seeds should be covered with wet gauze so that they sprout at the same time.

The plant can be transplanted to a permanent place when the first petals appear on its stems.

Landing in the ground

There are two main ways to plant lupines outdoors.

Seedling use

Seedlings should be planted in the spring, when the soil is well warmed up. You need to very carefully choose a landing site. For this, a sunny area with slightly alkaline, slightly acidic or sandy loam soil is ideal. Before disembarking, the site should be prepared. The top layer of soil must be loosened with a cultivator or flat cutter. You can also add some organic fertilizer.

The plant grows quite wide in width, so seedlings need to be planted rarely. The optimal distance between flowers is 40-50 cm.

Seed use

The seeds can be planted directly in open ground. This is done in April, immediately after the snow melts. Some gardeners plant them in the fall. In this case, the seeds will not be able to germinate by winter, since they will still ripen in the ground.

Before planting, the land plot is dug up and fertilized with mineral fertilizers. For this, ash, superphosphate and dolomite flour... You also need to prepare the seeds in advance. They should be soaked in a 50% solution of foundation for several hours. This contributes to the rapid emergence of seedlings.

For planting seeds, small grooves are made about two centimeters in size. The distance between them should not be less than 50-60 cm. In order for the plant to sprout faster, the grooves must be immediately watered. After that, the scattered seeds are covered with soil, watered and mulched with peat. The first shoots appear literally 2-3 weeks after planting.

Exquisite flower care

Lupine, like many other flowers, needs proper care... It is quite easy to look after him. To do this, it is enough to adhere to several recommendations.

Working with soil

During cultivation perennial lupine it is necessary to periodically loosen the soil and clear the area of ​​weeds. Adult plants need to be spilled regularly, as their root collar begins to be exposed over time.

Creation of supports

The stems of lupines are quite tall, so they often break due to strong winds. To avoid this, it is necessary to make special supports. To do this, it is enough to stop a small bar near the flower and tie it to it.

Circumcision

Withered inflorescences need to be periodically trimmed with pruning shears. Thanks to this, the perennial plant will bloom several times per season.

Watering

Water the flowers immediately after planting. However, this must be done very carefully so that the water does not wash out and damage the seeds. An adult plant does not need to be watered too often, as there is sufficient moisture in the soil in the fall and spring.

Fertilizer

Top dressing should be done in the spring one year after planting the lupine. For this, mineral fertilizers without nitrogen are used. One square meter the soil is treated with 10 g of calcium chloride and 20-30 g of superphosphate. Top dressing should be done every spring until new flowers have to be planted.

Application in landscape design

Perennial lupine is actively used in landscape design, since it has a huge number of different varieties and does not need to be sown annually.

Inflorescences of plants look noble and solemn near flower beds, lawns, paths, stone borders and hedges. For such areas, sparse plantings in two shades are suitable.

Quite often, it is planted in mixborders along with other varieties of perennials. Perennial lupine is excellent for the middle layer. Flowers on the lower tier maintain the decorative effect of the leaves of perennial lupine when it fades.

To decorate the site, the flower is planted next to perennial peonies. Young peony bushes look rather modest and a lupine planted nearby covers empty spaces and adds decorative composition.

Also, the plant goes well with hosts, perennial astilbe, lilies, delphiniums, garden chamomile and irises. To create a delightful contrasting composition, a short lupine is planted near large escholtia.

Conclusion

Perennial lupine is unpretentious plant, which can be grown not only by professional gardeners, but also by amateurs. To do this, it is enough to adhere to the recommendations for growing and caring for a flower.

In contact with

Every gardener is faced with the fact that after some time of use land plot vitamin and nutrient reserves of the soil are beginning to deplete. The time is coming for its recovery, and here you can resort to one of two options - to actively apply fertilizers in the beds or simply sow them with green manure, so that they, in turn, feed the earth with all the necessary substances, simultaneously loosening it. They do not expect beautiful flowering from such plants, their task is extremely simple and understandable - to grow and saturate. But there is such a wonderful plant as lupine, which not only brings tangible benefits to garden plot but also presents a pleasant sight during flowering.

Lupine varieties and its benefits as a siderat

Of course, lupine is one of the first that comes to mind, as soon as it comes to siderates. But not everyone is ready to choose him as an assistant. Most likely, the reason lies in the ability of lupine to root perfectly in the chosen place (the roots go almost two meters deep) and its vitality. However, if you look closely at its merits, then fears and doubts can quickly evaporate. And that's why:

1. The roots really go deep into the depths (1.5 - 2 meters), which allows the plant to absorb monohydrogen phosphates (mineral fertilizers) and raise them higher, delivering them to the upper layers of the soil. Moreover, the reserves nutrients in the sod layer remain intact, that is, the lupine does not impoverish the soil.
2. Lupine perfectly loosens the soil, supplies it with oxygen, and this - good pledge healthy growth and development of vegetable and fruit crops planted after lupine.
3. The effect of growing lupine on acidic and poor soils, as well as sandy loam, is especially noticeable. Most varieties of lupine contain alkaloids, thanks to which acidic soil gradually turns into alkaline.
4. Lupine grows very quickly and shows a high yield (this applies to the green mass). The maximum result can be obtained within a month and a half after sowing.
5. The unpretentiousness of lupine and its ability to survive in difficult conditions no worse than many weeds make it possible to use the plant according to the principle of "planted - cut" without serious care.

Did you know that lupine not only loosens and in every sense refreshes the soil, but also makes it healthier? All thanks to lupinin, which does not give a quiet life to harmful bacterial flora and is not to the taste of the wireworm, which hastily leaves the place where lupine grows. But it is not found in all varieties. For cultivation, certain varieties of lupine are taken as green manure:

1. Lupine is white.
2. Lupine blue (aka narrow-leaved).
3. Lupine is yellow.

Lupine white

White lupine is ranked among the varieties grown as green manure, although, rather, it is of great benefit as a forage crop (for livestock). This is due to the fact that this variety does not contain alkaloids, which determine the degree of usefulness of lupine for the gardener. In addition, you will have to look after him much more actively than other varieties. However, if you have a large farm with cattle, white lupine can become the best choice... Outwardly, it is larger than other varieties - it can reach a height of two meters, and its inflorescences stretch up to 30 cm. The variety is very fond of heat and calmly tolerates drought. Among the common varieties, Degu, Gammu and others are distinguished.

Blue or narrow-leaved

Lupine blue is much more unpretentious than the previous variety - it easily tolerates low temperatures and even frosts, does not require maintenance. Despite the name, inflorescences can be not only blue, but also pink, lilac and even white. It is not as tall as the white variety, reaching a maximum of one and a half meters in height. Such varieties of narrow-leaved lupine as Crystal, Smena, Nemchinovsky blue and many others are known. They are also suitable for growing as a fodder crop, but they are especially successful in the role of green manure. And there is a variety that is called Siderat 38. It is known for being a live fertilizer due to special substances in the roots.

It is blue lupine that is primarily used as a green manure, because it grows very quickly, is not afraid of cold weather, takes deep roots and saturates the upper soil layers with nitrogen, while loosening them.

Yellow

The next variety is yellow lupine. It is even smaller in height (maximum one meter) and, unlike white and blue lupines, is cross-pollinated, not self-pollinated. The inflorescence is yellow or slightly touched by orange. It is not so resistant to cold weather, although it can withstand light frosts. It manifests itself best in warm conditions. It must be planted on sandstones and sandy loams. Among the famous varieties are Fakel, Peresvet and Grodno 3.

In addition to all the listed types of lupine, you can use a perennial variety, otherwise called a multi-leaved one. It is also rich in alkaloids and can easily survive the winter. Therefore, if you want to give some part of your garden a rest for a long time, multi-leaved lupine will be very useful.

Video: annual lupine (green manure)

How to plant a plant?

Lupine is quite undemanding to the composition of the soil, but still heavy loams and peat bogs are not suitable for it. Before planting this crop, loosen the soil, remove all plant debris and start planting. Lupine does not require nitrogen-containing fertilizers, which will negate it beneficial features... Despite the good resistance to frost of most varieties, planting is carried out in the second half of May, when the probability of a strong drop in temperature is no longer as great as at the beginning of the month.

The lupine planting scheme is very simple - the seeds must be sown to a depth of 3 - 4 cm in narrow grooves, between which they leave 20 cm each.An average distance of 10 cm is maintained between neighboring plants.These indicators are averaged and can increase or decrease depending on the size plants inherent in a particular variety.

Try not to plant seeds as close to the surface as possible - they have a very hard shell that is much better removed when germinating from a good depth. If the sprout tries to break through from a depth of less than 2.5 - 3 cm, then it may not shed the shell, and then the cotyledonous leaves will not develop normally. To make the life of the plant easier, cut the shell of the seeds - this is called scarification.

Finding lupine seeds is easy, just contact the nursery where this plant is grown, or find information on the Internet. The price per kilogram is usually low, so planting the site will be cheap.

Siderat care

Actually, caring for lupine does not present any difficulties, since this plant easily develops virgin areas, the soil would be suitable. To ensure the most beneficial effect from growing green manure, lupine is mowed two months after planting. Usually at this time he already has time to bloom and acquires green pods. Digging up the beds with lupine is not required. It is enough to mow the green mass, chop the roots with a flat cutter and sprinkle it all with earth. If it happens in dry weather, then watering the beds is mandatory. It would be appropriate to use drugs with effective microorganisms that can be replaced with herbal infusions.

If for some reason you delayed harvesting lupine, then it is better to send the mown stems to compost, since they will no longer decompose so well in the ground.

Lupine narrow-leaved is often planted before the onset of autumn, in the second half of August. It manages to grow quickly, and already at the end of October it can be mowed and slightly dug in. You can also leave the cut lupine on the surface of the beds until next season.

Interaction with other cultures

Lupine itself is full-fledged as a green manure, and it makes no sense to grow it together with other plants of a similar purpose. Otherwise, you can get on the site a struggle between landings for Better conditions and the outcome of your event is likely not to be as good as expected.

But to plant lupine in the aisles when growing vegetable crops is a very good solution. In this case, all three types of lupine are also used, but white is the best among them. Remember to only water it at least once a week.

In the place where lupine was grown, nightshades (tomatoes, potatoes), peppercorns, cruciferous ( different kinds cabbage, radish, turnip), pink (strawberries, garden strawberry, Strawberry). You should not plant legumes here, since belonging to the same family determines the presence of common pests and diseases.

Possible difficulties in growing

It would seem, what could be easier than growing a weed on your site that feels great in the wild and reproduces at a high speed? However, often in the garden and vegetable garden, he may suddenly stall and not justify expectations. But everything has its own reasons.

First of all, make sure to grow lupines in acidic or at least neutral soil. It will not grow on alkaline, so be sure to measure the acidity level of the soil in your area, and then it will become clear whether it is worth using lupine as a green manure.

In the first days and weeks of growth, lupine develops slowly and begins to drown in weeds. However, do not rush to get upset, because as soon as he grows, no weeds will be a hindrance to him. It is a good idea to plant lupines after winter rye or wheat, which are famous for their weed-suppressing plants.