How to Save Lupine Seeds

Lupine, with their tall spires of vibrant summer color, are a brilliant addition to flowerbeds. Grouped together by color, they are an eye-catching display and last for many, many years with little care. Buying lupine plants just doesn't make sense when it is so easy to save the seeds to grow your own and watch them grow bigger every year.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Small plastic zipper bag
• Permanent marker

1. Begin by observing the lupine after the blooms fade. Seeds develop where the blossoms were. You must wait until the seed case is drying out to harvest or the seed will not germinate.

2. Examine the seed case by holding one hand under it in case it breaks open. If the seed pod is dried out enough to make the seed viable it will crack easily in your hand and expose 3 to 10 brownish-black seeds. The pod is not ready if it is soft and green.

3. Place the hard-shelled seeds in the plastic zipper bag and label it with the permanent marker. If you are positive of the color, you may want to mark the color as well.

Tips & Warnings

• There is a very fine line between not quite ready and too late when harvesting lupine seeds, so watch them carefully. One day they are "almost ready," and the next day the pods may have burst and scattered the seeds.

[mayamh]

on 7/14/2009 would you suggest planting the seeds in fall or spring? should I freeze them for winter in their ziplocks?