Same thing here. They flower once or come back one more year then " Bye-Bye". I recollect reading somewhere that this is the nature of the plant.

They're like delphiniums which tend to do the same thing. Of course slugs and snails (we have an army of them too) love both Lupins and Delphs and although I've tried most of the organic solutions none of them really helps that much.
Better just keep sowing seeds each year so that you have a succession of them, Vic.

Thanks for the reply's that's exactly what I've done this year Arbutnot for the first time, quite excited to see what works and of course a much cheaper alternative to buying from a nursery

I have managed to keep a lupin and a delphinium going for the last three years - but, its planted in a sheltered garden with light, sandy soil which doesn't get waterlogged in winter, in fact, its so free draining its often in drought. Still have to be liberal with the slug pellets early in the season, or the slugs and snails eat the emerging shoots and the plant gives up, but in gardens with heavier soil, I always found they died out.

I love the look of the plant so I'm going with seeds this year perennials. ill keep them in pots till next year, then ill dot them all over the garden see what happens

Hi, Lupins like a well drained soil, I have clay soil but manage to grow them by digging out a largish planting hole, loading it into a wheelbarrow and mixing it with sharp sand and horticultural grit, I think it was about 3 parts soil 2 parts sharp sand, and 1 part grit, use some fish, blood and bone when planting out, this seems to work for me, Derek.

I'll definitely try that out Derekm thanks

Hi Scotsmanvic,
I was warned when I moved into my present house that lupins wouldn't grow in our gardens (limestone area). So last year I saw some lovely double coloured and bought 2 plants. I put them in a large container and they were lovely. They are now shooting up quite well but will have to wait and see if they flower.
Good luck with yours.

Sue

Hi Susie that's a good idea I'm going to spread them around the garden see what does and doesn't take. I'll keep some in pots see what happens. Thanks for the advice Susie.

Bamboo I'm shocked, slug pellets?

Be careful with the blue slug pellets if you use those. The blackbirds eat the snails and slugs, as do the hedgehogs and all will be poisoned. There are some kinder ones you can get.

I got some Arbuthnot and there animal safe

So glad, Vic. Thanks.

Well, I always thought blackbirds and other birds which ate slugs or snails poisoned with metaldehyde slug pellets would be killed themselves. Turns out its not true at all, I checked with the RSPB. It also seems that hedgehogs aren't killed by them, the concentration in a slug or snail isn't high enough, but what would be a risk is if a dog or cat ate half a pack. So now I use them with impunity, worrying more about where I store them (out of reach) than I do about actually using them - the problem is usually that people use far too many. I've seen borders that look bright blue, so many have been put down, you only need a light scattering.

Surprisingly, the thing that does kill birds is chocolate - a bit of chocolate cake left out for the birds is likely to kill small birds.

I didn't know that about chocolate cake Bamboo.

I know chocolate is lethal for dogs but can't remember which substance is the killer. It must be the same for birds and other creatures too then.

I wouldn't throw it chocolate cake outside anyway. Too worried about rats from next door!

Theobromine is the culprit. It is a stimulant in the cocobean and will hype up the dogs central nervous system, cause increased heart rate (tachycardia) with irregular heart beats which can cause death. Not as harmful in rats though ...actually it acts as a bronchodilator in them so an asthmatic rat would be helped by a little chocolate now and then.

I don't intend to help any rats whatsoever. When we lived in the country our cats used to deliver them to us and leave outside the backdoor. The brown rats looked unmarked and I was never sure if they were dead or just concussed. Just to be sure I would don rubber gloves and pick them up by the tail and bash the heads on the ground. Not a pleasant thing to do but I needed to be sure they were dead. After that I'd put them on the compost. Not sure now I did the right thing but where else could they go?