Hobby gardeners often avoid the topic of propagation. The implementation seems too cumbersome and complicated to them. The miracle of nature can be experienced up close from the bottom up using various propagation techniques. In this regard, lavender is the ideal candidate to take on this fascinating subject. You can propagate the wonderfully fragrant flowering shrub by cuttings, seeds, layering and division, which would cover almost the entire spectrum. Take heart and multiply your lavender on your own. Below you will find all the important details.
Table of Contents
Propagating lavender by cuttings
Cuttings are excellent for multiplying a plant. A non-lignified shoot with several leaves is cut from the mother plant and grown into a new plant. The decisive advantage of this form of propagation is that almost no genetic information is lost. The young lavender corresponds exactly to its older model. Cuttings are particularly useful when lavender varieties are to be propagated. Otherwise it is not certain which attributes of the various parent plants will prevail. The procedure is very simple:
- Select a healthy, vigorous mother plant in late summer
- Cut off or break out unwoody shoot tips to a length of 10-15 cm
- Ideally, a little wood hangs from the main shoot on each cutting
- Every cutting is defoliated except for the upper leaves
- Plant singly or in groups of three in 9 cm pots with a nutrient-poor substrate
This completes the preparatory work and the maintenance phase begins. Since a warm, humid microclimate promotes the rooting of the cuttings, a greenhouse offers the perfect conditions. Alternatively, put a transparent bag over each pot, which is fixed with string or a rubber band. Spray the future lavender plants repeatedly with water in a bright place that is not in full sun. It is essential to avoid waterlogging.
Experience has shown that it can take up to 8 weeks before the first sprouting signals that rooting in the substrate is successful. If you put several shoots in one pot, now is the time to separate them and continue cultivating them in individual pots. The plastic bags are now removed. However, the little plants continue to thrive in the mini greenhouse.
By next spring, the cuttings will have turned into pretty lavender plants that can be planted in the bed or planter in normal, slightly sandy soil from mid-May.
Substrate for cuttings low in nutrients
The propagation of lavender by means of cuttings is intended to encourage the shoots to root themselves. Cut off from the supply of the mother plant, the cuttings use their own roots to search for water and nutrients. The leaner the substrate in which they are, the more intensively each cutting develops its root system. If he were surrounded by nutrient-rich soil, there would be no reason for increased activities in this direction, because food is already ‘on the doorstep’. Until the growing pot is completely rooted, the substrate should therefore consist of a peat-sand mixture, coconut fibres, expanded clay or similar components. Only then do the young lavenders change to commercially available herbal soil.
Propagating lavender by seed
Propagation by seeds begins one step earlier than propagation by cuttings. Suitable seeds are available from specialist retailers and on the Internet. Collecting the seeds yourself is extremely cumbersome due to their tiny size. In addition, only seeds of a pure lavender species will later take on the desired color and desired habit. When using seeds from cultivars, it is a guessing game as to which plant will develop. How to proceed with sowing:
- Fill a seed tray with seed soil in February
- Distribute the seed widely and sieve thinly
- Moisten with fine shower and cover with cling film
- The germination period is 1 to 2 weeks at an average temperature of 23° Celsius
- The cooler the temperatures, the longer the germination takes
As a flowering plant, lavender seeds do not require light until they germinate. As soon as the two cotyledons protrude from the ground, the seed container should be moved to a warm, partially shaded location. At this point, remove the foil again because the risk of rotting increases.
pricking
Not every seed germinates. Depending on the quality of the seed, a rate of over 50% can be considered successful. Sooner or later, the seedlings will find it too cramped in the container. Now the isolation is on the propagation program, referred to as pricking out by the experts. At the latest when several real leaves have developed above the cotyledons and are constantly touching those of the neighboring plants, the time has come for this step. Small pots are filled with lean growth substrate. Using a special pricking stick or simply a wooden stick, carefully lift each plantlet out of the ground. In the new pot, drill a small planting hole with the pricking stick and plant the lavender just below the cotyledons.
repot
Once a strong root system has formed, the focus then shifts to above-ground growth. At the latest when the roots grow out of the ground opening, it is time to transplant the lavender into a larger pot. The lean substrate phase is thus over. Suitable soil for adult plants consists of commercially available herbal soil or you can make your own mixture of potting soil, sand and perlite. If you have planned a place for the lavender in the bed, repotting is an intermediate step in the propagation if the weather conditions outside are still too frosty.
- Only use planters with an opening in the bottom for excess watering
- Lay out drainage from coarse materials such as gravel, grit or broken pottery
- Fill in the substrate, plant the lavender and water moderately
Experienced hobby gardeners loosen up the root ball of the potted young plant a little by pulling it apart with both hands. In this way, they promote rapid growth in the fresh substrate.
Direct sowing in the bed
If there is a lack of space for propagation by sowing behind glass, direct sowing can be considered. From the beginning/middle of March, experience has shown that the regional climatic conditions have leveled off to such an extent that the seeds can be sown directly outdoors. The ground must be completely thawed and already warmed by the sun.
- Thoroughly weed and loosen the soil at the chosen location
- No compost or other fertilizer is added
- Draw a furrow with the handle of the rake
- Place the seeds in it at a distance of 50-60 cm and cover thinly with soil
After the sowing is sprayed with water, it should be protected from pecking birds with a close-meshed net. If a foil tunnel is available for cultivation after direct sowing, the prospects of successful propagation improve significantly.
The right location for direct sowing
Lavender comes from the dry, sun-drenched regions along the Mediterranean Sea. You should then coordinate the choice of bed for propagation by direct sowing.
- Sunny location with at least 6 hours of sunshine a day
- Warm, protected and without cold draughts
- Well-drained, moderately nutrient-rich, slightly sandy soil
A low lime content is an advantage, which is indicated by a pH value of 6.5 to 8. In the rock garden, on sun-drenched slopes or in front of the south wall of the house, you can multiply your lavender wonderfully.
division
An excellent method of propagation, which also serves to rejuvenate, is to start in the fall. To do this, lift a lavender out of the ground with the digging fork. Then divide the plant into two or more segments. Each section should have at least 2-3 shoots. At the new location, put the newly won lavender into the ground, just as deep as before. Throughout the winter, protect the freshly divided lavender with a covering of leaves, straw, brushwood or pine fronds. Remove the protection in good time in the spring so that no mold forms.
lowering
An excellent way of propagating lavender for beginners works with the help of sinkers. This can be carried out at any time during the vegetation phase. To do this, select a vital, healthy mother plant that also has free space in its immediate vicinity.
- Pull a half lignified shoot to the ground
- Where it touches the ground, the branch is defoliated
- Use a spade to dig a 10 cm deep trench at the marked point
- Dig in the leafless area of the shoot and weigh it down with stones
- The tip of the sinker looks out of the ground and is tied to a wooden stick
In the following weeks and months, the sinker develops an independent root system on the leafless section. This process is accelerated if the tissue is scored in several places with a razor. In the following period, the mother plant supplies the shoot with water and nutrients. During this phase, make sure that weeds do not overgrow the sinker.
By gently pulling on the shoot, you can determine how far the root formation has progressed. If you notice resistance while the shoot tip is sprouting freshly at the same time, you can separate the sinker from the mother plant. You can either plant the young plant directly in the bed or cultivate it in a tub throughout the winter.
Tips & tricks for propagating lavender
Experienced hobby gardeners use a few gardening tricks to increase the success rate of the various propagation methods:
Rooting powder for cuttings
In order to encourage a shoot to form its own roots after cutting, dip the cutting point in a rooting powder. Various preparations are available in specialist shops, such as a seaweed extract.
Soaking the seeds
In order to increase the germination rate of lavender seeds, they are soaked in water at room temperature for 12-24 hours before sowing.
Willow water instead of tap water
The entire propagation process is supported if you use your own willow water instead of tap water. Scald small pieces of willow with boiling water and leave for 24 hours. After straining, you have a solution rich in auxins, the natural growth hormones, and other valuable ingredients.
Weed fleece against waterlogging
For drought-loving lavender, the slightest hint of waterlogging is deadly. This also applies to propagation. In the breeding pot or bucket, drainage serves as a prophylaxis; however, the material can become clogged with wet substrate. Take a weed fleece that is permeable to water and air and spread it between the drainage and the substrate. So no crumbs of earth can get in between.
Tent pegs hold cheeky stakes in place
Plants with woody shoots, such as lavender, tend to stubbornly want to shoot up when propagated by stakes. Instead of weighing them down with stones, smart hobby gardeners use the tent pegs from their camping gear. Just one or two pegs are enough to permanently fix the cheeky shoot in the ground.
Conclusion
Lavender is excellent for self-propagation. This not only saves money for buying new plants, but is fun. Thanks to the frugality of the Mediterranean flowering shrub, hobby gardeners have a wide variety of techniques to choose from, so that there is a viable way for beginners as well as professionals. The range of possibilities extends from the easy division, to the classic cuttings and planters, to the more demanding sowing. Those who familiarize themselves with one or the other gardening trick beforehand will achieve a better yield of young lavender plants.
