On Thu, 05 Jun 2003 11:31:38 -0400, Krnysgirl wrote:

Hi,

I have planted lupines (improved Russell hybrid) for the first time this
year - Zone 6 - Southern Connecticut. The mature plant I bought at a
local nursery is flowering beautifully - the first spike is now fading
(from the bottom up) and the second spike is beginning to open.
My question..should I remove the fading spike or let it go? If I
remove it - will it produce more flowers or is there only one or two
flowers per plant no matter what?

You can remove it. I usually do. Mine are starting to poop out now, the
flowers are about 2 feet long and typically flop over and bend in half. I
clip those bent ones off. I have the purple/white one's. That patch
started out as 1 plant that took up about one foot of psace and now 3-4
years later it spred to an almost 3 foot patch with about 6-8 flowers that
get to be 2 feet long!


Also..what happens to the foliage after flowering..do they frizzle up or
will the foliage remain green and lush till frost?


They will remain green for awhile.


I also planted 30 lupine seeds in peat pellets in mid march and 25 of the
30 germinated and I have 25 very healthy, happy baby lupines I have
planted around the yard and given away to friends. I don't expect that
they will flower though till next year..is that correct?


Yup!

Diane Krny