Lavendar Seed for Zone 3

[Howard Borchert]

I am looking for a source to buy (perennial) lavender seeds that will come back in zone 3. If anyone knows of same, please let me know. Thanks,
Howard

[Kisal]

Your best bet, IMO, would be Lavandula angustifolia, also called Lavandula officinalis and Lavandula spica. The variety called Munstead is, to the best of my knowledge, the most cold-hardy. I have heard that it grows in Maine.

The seeds are readily available, but lavender is not easy to grow from seed. It takes a long time to germinate. If you're having trouble with lavender surviving in your area, you may have an easier time just buying plants.

If you try it, you may want to plant it in a somewhat protected spot, to give it the very best possible chance.

[rainbowgardener]

Agree that the L angustifolia is the hardiest, but even so I've never seen it listed for below zone 4 and even in zone 4 it needs lots of protection. In zone 3, your best bet is to grow it in a container and bring it in for the winter. If you have a really protected, sunny spot, like against a south facing wall, you could give it a try. If you have a mild winter it may make it, but be prepared for it not to make it through the first bad winter that comes along.

[Howard Borchert]

Thanks for your comments/suggestions. I have ordered the lavender seeds, they will arrive shortly. Any tips on how to get them to germinate - heating pad, etc? We do have a small heated greenhouse, and a heating pad seems to help for certain hard to germinate seeds. Would that be a help here? I use the heating pad to get geranium cuttings to help root primarily. Thanks, Howard

[Howard Borchert]

I have noticed that sometimes it helps to soak certain seeds for a period of time before planting. Would that help with the lavender seeds? I am planning on the lavender plants to be annual in my area. If they seem to be insect free, I may move a few plants into the greenhouse for the winter. Certain plants seem to be exceptionally prone to spider mites, and those I do not bring in for the winter. Thanks, Howard

[rainbowgardener]

I currently have about 6 little lavender plants that I started from seed and recently put out to start hardening off. So I know it can be done. But lavender has a low germination rate; I probably planted three times that many seeds. And it is slow to germinate and to grow. I started mine in January. They took a couple weeks to sprout, with bottom heat, which they definitely benefit from. Now they are maybe three inches tall. They are slow to establish good root systems and are not yet ready for transplant.

The seeds don't need to be soaked. Some people suggest cold stratifying (put it in most potting soil in ziploc bag and keep in the frig for a month), but I didn't do that. Maybe I would have had higher germination rate if I did; don't know.

Lavender tends to be repellant to insects, so usually doesn't have much trouble that way. As noted, I think it will need to come in for the winter in your climate.