Propagating Lavender
Lavender can be propagated from cuttings, seed, or division.
Propagating Lavender from Cuttings
Lavender
is easy to grow from cuttings in spring or fall. Take young stems with a heel attached and dip them in rooting compound. Plant the stem cuttings in sandy soil in a sunny spot that's sheltered from the wind. Lavender is also easy to propagate indoors if you have a sunny window.
Propagating Lavender From Seed
Set lavender seeds beginning in summer and through the fall months. Slow to germinate, lavender seeds require patience. It will take about eight weeks for the seeds develop enough to transplant to their final location. The fresher the seeds the better, so don't use last year's leftovers. Plant more seeds than you think you'll need, because you'll probably have some losses.
Special Note: Lavender
seeds don't always breed true, and propagating from seed can sometimes yield surprises.
Propagating Lavender By Division
Larger lavender plants
can also be divided, which is a good way to keep them from getting too woody. Be careful to make sure that the roots are evenly allocated, and be sure to replant the resulting "bibs" at the same depth as the original plant.
If you are keeping lavender indoors, it needs good air circulation, so give it plenty of space. Let it dry out a little between waterings.
Propagating Lavender from Cuttings
Lavender
is easy to grow from cuttings in spring or fall. Take young stems with a heel attached and dip them in rooting compound. Plant the stem cuttings in sandy soil in a sunny spot that's sheltered from the wind. Lavender is also easy to propagate indoors if you have a sunny window. Propagating Lavender From Seed
Set lavender seeds
beginning in summer and through the fall months. Slow to germinate, lavender seeds require patience. It will take about eight weeks for the seeds develop enough to transplant to their final location. The fresher the seeds the better, so don't use last year's leftovers. Plant more seeds than you think you'll need, because you'll probably have some losses.Special Note: Lavender
seeds don't always breed true, and propagating from seed can sometimes yield surprises.Propagating Lavender By Division
Larger lavender plants
can also be divided, which is a good way to keep them from getting too woody. Be careful to make sure that the roots are evenly allocated, and be sure to replant the resulting "bibs" at the same depth as the original plant.If you are keeping lavender indoors, it needs good air circulation, so give it plenty of space. Let it dry out a little between waterings.
For more information on lavender, visit my lavender page:
I am currently using some of my lavender blooms for bath salts and bath oils and making a simple sugar. However, I would love ot make some more this winter. If I make more bath oil will it last all winter or should I dry to blooms and then use them later. Will that work?
ReplyDeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteThanks for writing.
I'm always cautious about herbal preparations because of the threat of bacteria like salmonella. Although the threat is small, particularly with lavender because it has natural antibacterial properties, it still pays to err on the safe side.
When using fresh herbs, keep preparations for a short time . . . say a week to ten days. Dried herbs are a little safer to use longer because the drying process kills nasty critters while it removes the moisture from the plants.
To ensure that you're as safe as possible, try following these guidelines:
Always use sterilized containers for your herbal preparations.
If you want a mixture to last longer than a few days, use distilled water over tap water.
Keep oil preparations in the refrigerator, and take small portions out at a time, about two or three day's worth.
Naturally acidic recipes, like those using vinegar; preparations using lots of salt, a natural desiccant; and preparations you keep refrigerated are typically the safest. Oh, and anything with alcohol in it is pretty safe too.
I hope this helps.
Cheers,
Sara
Oh, I forgot to mention that I've kept both lavender oil and garlic olive oil in the refrigerator for an extended period (a couple of months at least) and never had a problem.
ReplyDeleteHello there! I have a new proud owner of a Lavender so I'm still doing my research on its care.
ReplyDeleteAre you saying it can be grown as an indoor plant? Does it have minimal sunlight requirement? How heavy should the watering be?
My English lavender loves the heat and sun here in the southwest desert! It doesn't like wet feet, though, as I have found out the hard way, so it is planted in a raised planter where it has happily resided for the past 5 years. Your article about propogating lavender makes me wonder why I've never tried that before, especially since it is one of my favorite herbs. You have inspired me to give it a try.
ReplyDelete