Lupins no more

Anybody got any idea what did for me lupins last year? Two years ago (The dry sunny one) they were great. Last year thet got to about 30cm and then died. On investigation i fount that the roots were hollow. I dont think it was slugs. Could it have been the after effects of that very dry year? Ive been advised that there is a disease that effects lupins and i shouldnt try replacing them for 4-5 years. Does this sound right?

 

There is a fungal disease that affects the roots of Lupins but finding info on the net is proving difficult...most of the links on a search are to do with fodder Lupins

These have some beauty's if you are looking at replacing
http://www.westcountrylupins.co.uk/acatalog/

 

It looks like you may have wireworm, which tunnel into the roots of such perenials.

Cut up some potato or carrots into chunks, mount them on small sticks and bury them inn the soil near the lupins, these will act as traps for the wire worms and larvae.

Check regularly for infestation, then remove and destroy. If the infestation is bad then use Chlorpyrifos to destroy the wireworms.

 

I dont think drought would affect Lupins.
They are I believe only short lived perrenials, at the best of times, but it does sound like some sort of root boring insect as skypilot says.
Just a thought, you know how slugs bore into potatos in dry years for the dampness, maybe that did happen in 2003 and by 2004 they had moved on.

[ March 29, 2005, 08:41 PM: Message edited by: pete2255 ]