Whether you should remove seed pods from lupines to some extent depends on your goal. ‘Some gardeners believe that removing these seed pods can help promote better growth and overall health of the plant,’ says Susan Brandt, co-founder of Blooming Secrets. ‘Their reasoning is that by removing the seed pods, the plant can redirect its energy towards producing more foliage and flowers instead of putting energy into seed production.
‘On the other hand, there are also gardeners who argue that leaving the seed pods on lupines can have benefits as well. They believe that allowing the seeds to mature and naturally disperse can lead to self-seeding, which means new lupine plants will grow in subsequent seasons without any additional effort from the gardener.
‘If you want to encourage more blooms and foliage, removing the seed pods might be a good idea,’ Susan advises. ‘If you enjoy having self-seeding plants in your garden and don't mind a slightly wilder look, leaving them on can be a viable option.
‘If you choose to remove some or all of the seed pods from your lupines, it won’t harm the plant itself. Lupines are hardy perennials with strong root systems that can handle minor pruning or removal of their seed-producing structures.’