Susan W
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Joined: Mon Jul 06, 2009 2:46 pm
Location: Memphis, TN

Lavender starts

In my attempt to start lavender from seed, have about 6 sprouted (in pellets), have real leaves, ready to bump up. Do you put 1 in a 4" pot? or 2-3?
I ask as some herbs are 'groups', including thyme, oregano, marjoram, some single and grow out from one stem.
These are outside now, have some sun, and when up potted will stay with several hrs AM sun.

imafan26
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Joined: Tue Jan 01, 2013 8:32 am
Location: Hawaii, zone 12a 587 ft elev.

You have had better luck than I did starting lavender from seed. I got mine to sprout, but something got in and ate it all and all I was left with was the stems. How big are the seedlings? Lavender does not like a rich medium and needs to be well drained. I'd be curious to know how they turn out. Good luck.

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rainbowgardener
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Location: TN/GA 7b

Best would be in the ground, in full sun, in very well draining soil. English lavender is cold hardy, even where I am (but there are other lavenders that are less cold hardy, so you have to know what variety you have.)

imafan26
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Joined: Tue Jan 01, 2013 8:32 am
Location: Hawaii, zone 12a 587 ft elev.

From seed, I think it might be lavender lady, hidcote or munstead lavender which are all pretty cold hardy. Most of the other lavenders are not propagated much by seed. I've grown lavender for years and they bloom often, but they have not produced any viable seeds.

Susan W
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Posts: 1858
Joined: Mon Jul 06, 2009 2:46 pm
Location: Memphis, TN

Thanks for responses. I will try to fill in a few details. I picked up a couple packs of lavender seeds off the rack, and this when selections of most things winding down. I did get one called 'True lavender' Lavandula angustifolia and the other 'lavender' (Lavendula Vera). Makes one go Hmmmm. Germination rate pitiful on both, could be me, but slightly better on the 1st one.

My next step is to pot into 4" pots. If they make that, should be able to hold their own this winter. Hopefully in March-April will show new growth. Hah! A couple for me, a couple to put on market table. Our last frost is around mid April.

Often lavender does better in pots here. Many of us call it a short lived perennial as the long term success rate is not great. I don't think it's the hot days, but the warm muggy nights.

I'll be ordering some munstead and hidcote along with a few other temptations soon.

imafan26
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Posts: 13961
Joined: Tue Jan 01, 2013 8:32 am
Location: Hawaii, zone 12a 587 ft elev.

I can't keep lavender augustifolia alive very long. It does not like much above zone 8 and I am in zone 12a

I prefer the lavindins Provence and Otto Quast which I can only get as plants as they are hybrids. They are more heat tolerant. I grow lavender multifeda, which grows well in this zone and is a long lived perennial that blooms almost all year. lavender dentata, is the most heat tolerant of the cooler growing lavenders. lavender augustifolia, can be grown here and I had a plants that were acclimated but they are never really happy and I am slowly losing them. I don't really like lavender lady or augustifolia because the flowers don't open up very much and the augustifolia's only bloom for about three months a year, same with the lavindins.

In your cooler zone they should do a lot better. What I have found with the lavender is that they need well drained soil and don't mind if the soil is slightly alkaline, although they grow in acidic soil as well. They don't like to have water on the lower leaves. Every January they have to be cut back, the bottoms will turn black from the rain. Cut back only the new wood and I only cut half of the lavender, wait for the new leaves to sprout before cutting back the rest. I've killed a few lavenders cutting back to old wood. they need to be cut back or they produce a smaller head and a gnarly thick stem.



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