I planted 3 lupins in a raised bed a couple weeks ago and now they are completly gone. I noticed shortly after transplanting that the new were being eaten, but I don't know by what. I transplanted some columbine at the same time into the same bed but they're fine. Are lupins particularly attractive to bugs or snails here? Is there any way I can assure my lupins survive next time? Would it be better to try them from seed?
Different zone I know, but when stuff (especially flowers) disappears from our flower beds its usually a gopher or similar size rodent. Lead poisoning works for us, but its probably not a solution for you. There's the noise factor. Somewhere on the internet there must be instructions on how to build a silencer... I love Lupins, but it seems that they grow where they want to or they die. So we enjoy them in the wild.
Slugs and snails, devour them. Columbines they will generally leave alone. Many of the natural occurrences of Lupines grow in places that these critters do not frequent.