Growing lavender from seed can be a rewarding, albeit somewhat patient, process. While it’s often easier to grow lavender from cuttings or by purchasing established plants, starting from seed offers a wider variety of cultivars and a deep satisfaction that comes from nurturing a plant from its very beginning. This comprehensive guide will walk you through every step of the journey, ensuring your lavender seeds sprout and flourish into fragrant, beautiful plants perfect for your garden or pots.
Why Grow Lavender from Seed?
Before we dive into the nitty-gritty, let’s touch upon why you might choose seeds over other propagation methods. As mentioned, variety is a big one. Nurseries often stock only the most common lavender types, but seeds open up a world of rare and unique cultivars, each with its own specific shade of purple, scent profile, and growth habit. Furthermore, if you’re looking to plant a large number of lavender plants, seeds are by far the most economical option. Finally, there’s the sheer joy of watching a tiny seed transform into a mature, blooming plant – a truly fulfilling gardening experience.
The Patience Factor: Understanding Lavender Seed Germination
How to Grow Lavender From Seed: Tips for Germination To Harvest
It’s crucial to understand that lavender seeds aren’t always the quickest to germinate. They often require a period of cold stratification, mimicking winter conditions to break dormancy. This process can take several weeks, and even after stratification, germination can be erratic, stretching out over a few more weeks. Don’t get discouraged if you don’t see immediate results; patience is truly a virtue when it comes to lavender seeds.
Choosing Your Lavender Seeds
The first step to success is selecting the right seeds. There are many species and cultivars of lavender, each with unique characteristics.
English Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia): This is the most common and widely grown type, known for its strong fragrance and suitability for culinary uses. Varieties like ‘Munstead’ and ‘Hidcote’ are popular choices and generally good for beginners.
French Lavender (Lavandula stoechas): Characterized by its distinctive “bunny ear” petals, French lavender prefers warmer climates and can be less cold-hardy than English lavender.
Lavandin (Lavandula x intermedia): A hybrid of English and spike lavender, lavandin varieties like ‘Grosso’ and ‘Provence’ are often grown for their high oil content and strong scent, commonly used in sachets and essential oils.
Spanish Lavender (Lavandula latifolia): Less commonly grown, but known for its camphoraceous scent.
When purchasing seeds, always buy from reputable suppliers to ensure freshness and viability. Check the packet for information on the specific variety, germination rates, and any pre-treatment requirements.
Stratification: Mimicking Winter’s Embrace
As mentioned, many lavender seeds benefit from cold stratification. This process involves exposing the seeds to cold, moist conditions to break their dormancy. There are a few ways to achieve this:
Method 1: Refrigeration (Artificial Stratification): This is the most common and controlled method.
1. Prepare the Medium: Lightly moisten a small amount of peat moss, sand, or a mix of both. It should be damp, not soaking wet.
2. Mix Seeds: Mix your lavender seeds with the moist medium.
3. Place in Bag: Put the mixture in a small, sealable plastic bag or a shallow container with a lid.
4. Refrigerate: Place the bag or container in your refrigerator (not the freezer!) for 3 to 6 weeks. Check periodically to ensure the medium remains slightly moist. If it dries out, add a few drops of water.
Method 2: Outdoor Winter Sowing (Natural Stratification): If you live in a region with cold winters, you can let nature do the work.
1. Plant in Pots: Sow your lavender seeds in pots filled with a good quality seed-starting mix in late fall or early winter.
2. Place Outdoors: Place the pots in a sheltered location outdoors where they will be exposed to natural winter temperatures.
3. Monitor Moisture: Ensure the soil doesn’t completely dry out during the winter. Snowfall will often provide sufficient moisture.
Sowing the Seeds: From Stratification to Soil
Once your seeds have been stratified, it’s time to sow them.
Timing: The best time to sow lavender seeds is in late winter or early spring, about 8-10 weeks before your last expected frost date. This gives the seedlings ample time to grow before being transplanted outdoors.
Containers: Use shallow seed trays or small pots with good drainage holes. You can also use cell packs for individual seedlings.
Seed-Starting Mix: Use a fine, sterile seed-starting mix. This provides good drainage and aeration, crucial for delicate seedlings. Avoid heavy garden soil, which can compact and hinder germination.
Sowing Depth: Lavender seeds are tiny and require light to germinate. Do not bury them deeply. Sprinkle them thinly on the surface of the moistened seed-starting mix. You can lightly press them into the surface to ensure good contact, but avoid covering them with more than a very thin layer of vermiculite or fine sand (less than 1/8 inch), if at all.
Watering: After sowing, gently mist the surface with water to settle the seeds. Avoid heavy watering, which can dislodge them. Keep the soil consistently moist but not waterlogged.
Location: Place your seed trays in a warm location, ideally between 65-75°F (18-24°C). A heat mat can be beneficial to maintain consistent warmth, which aids germination.
Light: Provide plenty of light. If you don’t have a bright, sunny windowsill, consider using grow lights for 12-16 hours a day. Insufficient light can lead to leggy, weak seedlings.
The Germination Period: A Test of Patience
As mentioned, germination can be slow and sporadic. You might see some seedlings emerge within 2-3 weeks, while others can take up to 6 weeks or even longer. Don’t give up too soon! Continue to maintain consistent moisture and warmth.
Caring for Lavender Seedlings: Nurturing New Life
Once your lavender seeds have germinated and the seedlings have developed their first set of true leaves (the second set of leaves that appear after the initial cotyledons), they’ll need consistent care.
Light: Continue to provide ample light. If using grow lights, keep them just a few inches above the seedlings and adjust the height as they grow. Rotate your trays regularly if using natural light to ensure even growth.
Watering: Water from the bottom if possible, by placing the trays in a shallow pan of water for 15-20 minutes until the top of the soil feels moist. This encourages root growth downwards and helps prevent damping-off disease. If watering from the top, use a gentle stream or mist to avoid disturbing the delicate seedlings. Allow the top layer of soil to dry slightly between waterings to prevent fungal issues.
Air Circulation: Good air circulation is vital to prevent fungal diseases like damping-off. A small fan set on a low setting can help circulate air around your seedlings.
Thinning: If you have multiple seedlings growing close together, thin them out once they have their first true leaves. Snip off the weaker seedlings at the soil line with small scissors, leaving the strongest ones spaced about 1-2 inches apart. This ensures that each seedling has enough space and resources to thrive.
Fertilizing (Optional): Lavender is not a heavy feeder. If your seed-starting mix doesn’t contain nutrients, you can give a very dilute half-strength liquid fertilizer once the seedlings have a few sets of true leaves. Be extremely careful not to over-fertilize, as this can burn the delicate roots.
Potting Up: Giving Them More Room
When your lavender seedlings are about 2-3 inches tall and have developed several sets of true leaves, they’re ready to be “potted up” into larger individual pots.
Pot Size: Use 3-4 inch pots with drainage holes.
Potting Mix: Use a well-draining potting mix, ideally one formulated for herbs or succulents, as it will have excellent drainage.
Transplanting: Handle the seedlings carefully by their leaves, not their stems, as stems are easily damaged. Use a spoon or a small trowel to gently lift the seedling, keeping as much of the root ball intact as possible. Create a small hole in the new pot, gently place the seedling, and backfill with potting mix, lightly firming around the base.
Watering After Potting: Water thoroughly after potting up to settle the soil around the roots.
Hardening Off: Acclimating to the Outdoors
Before transplanting your lavender seedlings into the garden, they need to be “hardened off.” This is a crucial process that gradually acclimates them to outdoor conditions, including sunlight, wind, and fluctuating temperatures, preventing transplant shock.
Start Gradually: About 7-10 days before your intended transplant date, begin the hardening off process.
Day 1-2: Place the potted seedlings in a sheltered, shaded location outdoors for a few hours.
Day 3-4: Move them to a location that receives a bit more sun, increasing their exposure time.
Day 5-6: Continue to increase sun exposure and the duration they spend outdoors. If temperatures are mild, they can stay out overnight in a protected spot.
Day 7-10: By the end of this period, your lavender seedlings should be able to withstand full sun and outdoor temperatures for the entire day and night (as long as there’s no frost danger).
Bring them indoors if there’s a risk of strong winds, heavy rain, or frost during the hardening off period.
Transplanting to the Garden: Finding Their Forever Home
Once your lavender seedlings are hardened off and all danger of frost has passed, they are ready for their permanent home in the garden.
Location: Lavender thrives in full sun, meaning at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight per day. Choose a site with excellent drainage. Lavender hates wet feet and will quickly succumb to root rot in waterlogged soil.
Soil Preparation: Lavender prefers well-draining, slightly alkaline to neutral soil (pH 6.5-7.5). If your soil is heavy clay, amend it generously with organic matter like compost, grit, or perlite to improve drainage. You can also consider planting lavender in raised beds or on mounds to ensure good drainage.
Spacing: Space your lavender plants according to the mature size of the variety you’re growing. English lavender typically needs 12-18 inches between plants, while larger Lavandin varieties might need 2-3 feet. Good air circulation between plants helps prevent fungal diseases.
Planting: Dig a hole slightly wider and shallower than the root ball. Gently remove the lavender plant from its pot, being careful not to disturb the roots too much. Place it in the hole so that the top of the root ball is level with or slightly above the surrounding soil. Backfill with soil, gently firming around the base of the plant.
Watering After Transplanting: Water thoroughly after planting to help settle the soil and reduce transplant shock.
Ongoing Care for Established Lavender Plants
Once your lavender plants are established in the garden, they are relatively low-maintenance.
Watering: Established lavender plants are drought-tolerant and prefer dry conditions. Water sparingly, only when the soil is completely dry, especially during prolonged dry spells. Overwatering is a common cause of lavender demise.
Sunlight: Continue to provide full sun.
Pruning: Regular pruning is essential to maintain a bushy shape, encourage new growth, and promote abundant flowering.
First Year: In the first year, pinch back young plants to encourage branching.
Annual Pruning: In early spring, after the last frost but before new growth fully emerges, prune your lavender. Remove about one-third of the plant’s growth, shaping it into a compact mound. Avoid cutting into old, woody stems, as these often don’t regrow.
After Flowering: After the first flush of blooms has faded, you can deadhead spent flowers to encourage a second, smaller flush of blooms.
Fertilizing: Lavender generally doesn’t require much fertilizer. If your soil is poor, a light application of a balanced, slow-release fertilizer in early spring can be beneficial, but avoid high-nitrogen fertilizers, which can promote leafy growth at the expense of flowers.
Pests and Diseases: Lavender is generally pest-resistant due to its strong scent. The most common issues are fungal diseases, usually caused by overwatering or poor air circulation. Ensure good drainage and spacing to prevent these problems.
Winter Protection: In colder climates (USDA zones 5 and below), some English lavender varieties might benefit from a light layer of mulch (such as straw or evergreen boughs) in late fall to protect them from harsh winter winds and fluctuating temperatures. Remove the mulch in early spring as temperatures warm.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
Seeds Not Germinating:
Lack of Stratification: Ensure seeds have undergone sufficient cold stratification.
Incorrect Temperature: Soil temperature might be too low or too high.
Too Deep: Seeds might be buried too deeply; they need light to germinate.
Old Seeds: Seed viability decreases with age.
Leggy Seedlings:
Insufficient Light: Seedlings are stretching to find light. Provide more intense light from grow lights or a brighter location.
Too Warm: High temperatures combined with low light can exacerbate legginess.
Yellowing Leaves:
Overwatering: The most common cause. Reduce watering frequency.
Poor Drainage: Ensure your pots and garden beds have excellent drainage.
Nutrient Deficiency: Less common, but possible in very poor soil. A very dilute fertilizer might help.
Wilting Plants:
Overwatering/Root Rot: The primary culprit. Check soil moisture and drainage.
Underwatering (rare for established plants): If the soil is bone dry and the plant looks shriveled, it needs water.
Heat Stress: During extreme heat, plants might temporarily wilt but should recover in the evening.
No Flowers:
Too Much Nitrogen: High nitrogen fertilizers promote leafy growth over flowering.
Insufficient Sunlight: Lavender needs full sun to flower abundantly.
Immature Plant: Very young plants might not flower in their first year.
Improper Pruning: Pruning too late in the season or cutting into old wood can remove flower buds.
Growing lavender from seed is an exercise in patience and careful observation, but the reward is a garden filled with the intoxicating fragrance and beautiful purple hues of this beloved herb. By understanding its specific needs, from the initial chilling of the seeds to the ongoing care of mature plants, you can successfully cultivate a thriving lavender patch that will bring joy for years to come. Remember, every gardener faces challenges, but with a little persistence and the right knowledge, you’re well on your way to becoming a lavender growing expert.
