Why Aren’t My Bare Root Lupins Growing?

Question

I bought some bare root lupins online which I planted in a pot outdoors around 3 weeks ago, however the plants don’t seem to be growing. In fact, if anything, the very tiny leaves that are on them seem to be dying. I’m not sure what I’ve done wrong. I planted them using John Innes no.2 soil, I packed the soil down, the pot is in a pretty sunny spot and gets most of the day’s sun. Could someone please advise where I’ve gone wrong and what I need to do to change it please?

Answer 1

That is a very rich soil, and packing it down will make it hold extra moisture while removing necessary air pockets that the plants' roots need to breathe.

I would use a light soil mix (or mix your existing soil with some seed starting mix with little nutrients). Lupines fix their own nitrogen in soil, so any extra can kill them, potentially.

To recap, packed soil, wet soil, and too much nutrients can cause these issues.

Here is an article for more information on the plant:

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/flowers/lupine/growing-lupines.htm