Even if pruned annually, older lavender plants can still become woody and leggy so, as they are fast growing and establish quickly, they are best replaced if you want to keep everything looking neat. Garden plants can be propagated in many ways. This article has been viewed 173,012 times. In mid-autumn, several weeks before the first frost, take apart the mound and cut off the stems where they have formed new woody branches. While lavender is fragile when it’s divided, if your plant is too large, mostly dead, or flowering less each year, it may be worth the risk to save it. There are two ways to rejuvenateold, woody lavender: 1. severe pruningone third at a time 2. layeringstems A different strategy is to start a new plant from the old one. After that, do not fertilize regularly. The resulting seedlings may not resemble the parent plant, but they may grow into a whole new strain found only in your garden. Spring-divided lavenders can be planted in autumn, and autumn-divided lavenders can be planted the following spring. Cutting propagation is the simplest method of growing new lavender plants, which makes it the best method for beginner gardeners. 2.4k. Many species of lavender are perennial plants, meaning they live for two or more years. But don’t cut back to thick old, woody stems, as lavender will struggle to bounce back. Maggie Moran is a Professional Gardener in Pennsylvania. Ideally, prune the lavender plant in spring or early summer, just after new growth begins. There are several related methods of propagation referred to as "layering." One of the easiest ways to make new lavender plants is through layering. Keep the mulch away from the crown of the lavender plant, however, to prevent excess moisture and root rot. Plant lavender 2 to 3 feet apart. How to Grow and Care For Lavender. Lavender plants are dormant during the winter, so wait until early spring to divide it. ", "It was very thorough and detailed, giving useful cautions and options.". Prune the top third of the lavenders flexible growth back, but do not prune the woody growth. Maggie Moran is a Professional Gardener in Pennsylvania. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. Water the plant thoroughly to encourage new roots. Prune for healthier lavender plants. May 2, 2020 - Propagating lavender is fun and easy. Surface-sown seeds dry out easily, so mist them every day to keep them moist. Take a cutting of soft green healthy looking growth (without any flower buds on it) of approximately 4 inches long. In spring, bury the lowest 12 inches (30 centimeters) of stems with a mound of wet soil, shaking the stems and packing down the soil to remove air gaps. Thanks. Fill a plastic nursery pot with a moist mixture of half sterile soil and half sand, and be sure to use a pot with drainage holes at the base. Grow lavender in dry, well-drained soil in a location that receives at least six hours of daily sun. Keep in mind that it’ll take about 85 or so days for your plant to reach maturity if you plant lavender from seed. Refer to the tips below if you want to turn your lavender plant into dozens of new cuttings instead. Prepare pots for the divisions before digging up the plant. Lavender, she says, needs a dry, arid climate—“Certainly not what we have here in Texas!” While the plants grow best with about 15 inches of rain a year, the farm gets around 39 inches in a normal year. Lavender propagates easily in a variety of ways, although vegetative methods, such as layering, cuttings and division, work best if you’re trying to reproduce a cultivated variety with specific traits because seeds may not produce a plant that is true to form. Sasha Degnan is a freelance writer and educator specializing in gardening and horticulture. The majority of our lavender is planted in the ground, edging a path, and it has survived the very cold and very wet winter without any special treatment. Seed-grown lavenders have a shorter life expectancy and are often grown as annuals since most bloom well for only one year. Softwood cuttings taken in spring from new growth and semi-hardwood cuttings gathered in late summer or early autumn both work well. Division propagation yields larger, more mature-looking plants faster, so it’s the best choice if you want more developed lavender plants for your garden. Fertilize them lightly the very first year after planting. An easier way to propagate lavender is by cuttings, which provides a mature plant much earlier and ensures that it will be identical to the parent plant. Most stems will root in about eight weeks, at which point you can sever the stem and transplant the new lavender plant into a pot of fast-draining soil or directly into the garden. Taking a few cuttings from a healthy lavender plant shouldn't cause any harm to the mother plant, which can be cared for as usual. For more tips from our Horticulturalist co-author, including how to take cuttings from lavender, keep reading! ", article was most helpful. You can enjoy woody Lavender as is or do what I do and use it to make more plants by using it for cuttings. Put some enriched soil in the bottom of the hole, and plant each section in its own spot. This, "It gives me ways to propagate my lavender without dividing it and possibly killing it off. Stick the lower end of the cutting about 2 inches into the soil and firm the soil so that the cutting stands up straight. This article was co-authored by Maggie Moran. Lavender cuttings are the means to propagate Lavender and you will have the joy of knowing that what you … You can try to revive an old Lavender by either taking cuttings from the … Without it they grow a large, lanky, woody base that can split open — it looks bad and shortens the plant’s lifespan. For more tips from our Horticulturalist co-author, including how to take cuttings from lavender, keep reading! Plant lavender at the same depth it was in its pot. I'm hoping to increase my success. An annual pruning is an important step for long-lasting lavender (Lavandula spp.and hybrids) plants. Lavender can be started from seed, but it does take some patience as germination can take many months. Each stem you remove should have 3-5 leaf nodes, but still have several inches of growth at the top. Division is a more rapid but riskier solution. Get up close and personal with the lavender plant that needs pruning They need light and warmth to germinate, so surface-sow the seeds on moist soil and cover them with clear plastic. Can I take cuttings from my plant at the end of summer and leave them in pots in the house for winter? 1. (Look up your zone’s last frost, here). Seed propagation is not ideal for most home gardeners, although it is the best propagation method to use for breeding new lavender varieties. If you intend to propagate your lavender – making new plants from existing ones – then it is important to consider this before trimming all of your plant. Growing Lavender from cuttings is the only way to reproduce some types of Lavender.There are those Lavender plants that do not produce seeds and those that do, often don't produce offspring that are anywhere similar to the parent plant. 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