From Growing Green International 19
Agricultural lupins are a multi purpose annual plant of the pea family related to the ornamental flowers. Lupins are probably of Egyptian or East Mediterranean origin, and have been cultivated since the days of the ancient Egyptians. Bitter blue lupins (Lupinus angustifolia or L micranthus) are used for soil conditioning and green manure; white lupins (Lupinus albus) are used in the same way but the seeds also provide oil and flour for foodstuffs. Formerly they were much planted in Europe and the sandy areas of eastern England. They are still used today and appear from time to time in the farming press as a novel oil and fodder crop alternative to rape and flax; there are now many special varieties for this purpose.
Lupins as a green manure and conditioner for light sandy soils:
Lupins are of great potential interest to the vegan-organic grower. The foliage is not dense but the long roots fix nitrogen and break up and aerate the ground bringing up nutrients from deep in the soil. They are of special use to those working light sandy soils as they like these conditions and the roots stabilise the topsoil overwinter, helping to prevent rain and wind erosion. Typically, lupins fix 25 per cent more free nitrogen than clovers and 28 percent more than peas and beans. This is a very hardworking green manure!Bitter blue lupins are readily available in larger packs from seed suppliers. Sow the seeds in drills about 1 inch deep and 3 inches apart, with about 6 inches between the drills. They are slow to germinate and greatly prefer light, slightly acid soil, not thriving in many other soils.
They can be planted from March to July; an early summer sowing can be cut down before flowering (leave the foliage in situ or compost it) then leave the roots undisturbed until a few weeks before planting time, when a light cultivation of the top few inches should leave a stable nitrogen - rich bed. The amount of pre - sowing cultivation you do depends on your soil type and feelings about tillage.
If you wish, don’t cut down all the plants before flowering, leave a few at the end of the patch to produce a profusion of beautiful blue flowers, which are attractive to insects. After flowering you can save the seeds for next year when the pods have dried on the plant; lupins do cross-pollinate readily so saved seeds may not be true to the original plant.
It’s possible to sow lupins as an intercrop, for example among sprouts or cabbages, where they will contribute nitrogen.
Lupins will also help in growing trees on light soils, they can be used before planting young trees, to stabilise the land, add organic matter and add nitrogen; also planting them along rows of established trees will add nitrogen and be some help with weed suppression.
Multi talented lupins:
Lupins are multipurpose plants, rivalling Hemp for versatility. In 1917 a 'lupin' banquet was given in Hamburg at a botanical gathering, at which a German Professor, Dr. Thoms, demonstrated the multifarious uses to which the lupin might be put. At a table covered with a tablecloth of lupin fibre, lupin soup was served; after the soup came lupin "beefsteak", roasted in lupin oil and seasoned with lupin extract, then bread containing 20 per cent of lupin, lupin margarine and "cheese" of lupin albumen, and finally lupin liqueur and lupin coffee. Lupin soap served for washing the hands, while lupin-fibre paper and envelopes with lupin adhesive were available for writing.Lupin flour occasionally turns up these days in speciality bread and cakes; care needs to be taken in the baking, however, as some varieties can be somewhat toxic.
The lupin was cultivated by the Romans as an article of food. Pliny says: 'No kind of fodder is more wholesome and light of digestion than the White Lupine, when eaten dry. If taken commonly at meals, it will contribute a fresh colour and a cheerful countenance.’
