A member of the legume family, extraordinary lupines are easy to start from seeds. Depending on where you are located & the freshness of the seeds, we may see different results. Let's check out some of the seed starting methods right now.
Here Are The Seeds
Lupine seeds look very much like beans. They are generally quite large. Unlike some beans we may have seen, lupine seeds have one rounded end & the other one with 2 white dots.
This is particularly interesting & a characteristic to recognize where the plant will be sprout out. From these two little dots, we will do some surgery before planting the seeds.
Snip Off The 2 White Dot End
You can either file the end off to help the seeds germinate faster. Or you can snip a little bit of the 2-white-dot end off with a nail clipper.
We don't cut too deep in. Just enough when the greenish/yellowish part is visible. In our humble opinion, the color can help you guess whether the seed is older or fresher.
We hypothesize that the greener ones are younger, and the more yellowish ones are the older seeds. Once you've snipped the end off, it's time to soak the seeds in water.
Let's Have A Seed Bath
Bathing the seeds can be as long as 24 hours. When they have been soaked for several hours, the seeds will start to soften up.
(We forgot to take the pictures of this step. We will add it tomorrow)
After 24 hours, the shell or cover may become loosened. It can easily be detached from the green part within just like beans.
When you see some little tail poking out, it means the seeds have sprouted and we are ready to sow them into the soil.
Wait, Let's See Another Seed Starting Method
If you don't like hurting the baby seeds, there is another way around this. Yes, it is the well-known paper towel + Ziploc bag combo.
This method will save you time & effort clipping off each individual seed. It is efficient if you have a lot of seeds to sow.
With a paper towel laid on the table, sprinkle your seeds on. Then, mist them with some water. After that, put the paper towel inside a Ziploc bag.
We then place the bag somewhere dark & warm. We know this may sound counter-intuitive, right. Dark and warm, isn't it dark and cold? Well, somewhere without direct sunlight & not too cold will work.
After about a week, when you take the paper towel out, you will see some lupines sprouting. Trust us, it is very exciting.