Lavender Help
A month and a half ago I planted Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) from seed into some germination trays. I've been watering them about every other day or every two days, depending on the weather. The trouble is, I'm seeing some dying spots on the leaves recently. I've included a picture of some of my plants. Any help or advice would be valuable, as this is my first time growing Lavender and I am in need of any help I can get.
You are lucky they germinated. They are not that easy from seed. Lavender likes a well drained soil that is slightly alkaline.
Your mix looks well drained but I think it is still holding too much water. Instead of watering on a schedule allow them to dry longer and water when they are almost dry.
How I grow lavender is I make a mini greenhouse out of the Costco grape container and I fill it with pure perlite. I wet the media and then scratch it up a little. Plant the seeds, water it in and let it drain. Wait about 4 hours and then I put the container in a large clear plastic bag and twist tie it. It needs light to germinate but not full sun. After the lavender sprouts and they get to be about an inch tall, I take it out of the bag and move the container slowly to more light. I am able to water the container through te holes in the top. It takes about 4-6 months for lavender to be big enough to transplant. My biggest problem are the snails that like to eat the seedlings. I put slow release fertilizer in the container once it comes out of the bag. Lavender is easier to root from cuttings.
Your mix looks well drained but I think it is still holding too much water. Instead of watering on a schedule allow them to dry longer and water when they are almost dry.
How I grow lavender is I make a mini greenhouse out of the Costco grape container and I fill it with pure perlite. I wet the media and then scratch it up a little. Plant the seeds, water it in and let it drain. Wait about 4 hours and then I put the container in a large clear plastic bag and twist tie it. It needs light to germinate but not full sun. After the lavender sprouts and they get to be about an inch tall, I take it out of the bag and move the container slowly to more light. I am able to water the container through te holes in the top. It takes about 4-6 months for lavender to be big enough to transplant. My biggest problem are the snails that like to eat the seedlings. I put slow release fertilizer in the container once it comes out of the bag. Lavender is easier to root from cuttings.
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applestar
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I agree. I don't know what else you have growing in those cells, but lavender seedlings need specific care so you are probably better off uppotting those now into individual pots and caring for them separately.
I used 1/2 potting mix and 1/2 sand to start the seeds and then uppotted to 2/3 potting mix and 1/3 sand with a little dolomitic lime when I uppotted as shown in the photo below. I surrounded the seedlings with sand to keep the stems dry. I probably described details in the linked thread at the bottom of this post:
Subject: Starting lavender from seeds
I used 1/2 potting mix and 1/2 sand to start the seeds and then uppotted to 2/3 potting mix and 1/3 sand with a little dolomitic lime when I uppotted as shown in the photo below. I surrounded the seedlings with sand to keep the stems dry. I probably described details in the linked thread at the bottom of this post:
Subject: Starting lavender from seeds
I found that they are easiest to take care of if you nestle the pots they are planted in a tray filled with approximately 1 inch bed of sand. Water until the sand is soaked or add water the sand bed to just below the surface. Eventually the lavender will grow roots out of the drainage holes and into the moist sand. Then it's time to uppot again or hopefully time to plant in the ground. I do this with lavender cuttings also.applestar wrote:Grew English lavender angustifolia 'Munstead' from seeds for the first time this year
https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/vi ... 65#p325765
My 2 lavender seedlings worth....
Agreed lavender is hit or miss in starting from seed. I find it takes up to 2 weeks to germinate and forever and longer to get to decent size. Also, seeds from one source may sprout, another not, but not consistent with that source.
Let's backtrack for a moment. Do you start other veggies, flowers, herbs from seed? If so, you know some more difficult than others. That being said, this is what I do, and perhaps different from others here. I use peat pellets in the small 10 or 12 per tray. No real preferential treatment when I am seeding a number of different plants. I have the trays inside for temp and moisture control, so they are usually 65 -75 depending on heat, sunshine in windows, light etc. Once up with true leaves, water with a light dose fertilizer about 1/week. I use Johns recipe (Lady Bug brand). Once up can start putting outside gradually, sheltered, light shade etc. Then when big enough up to 4" pots. I just use bagged potting mix, either Miracle grow or Fafards.
Now, a true story. Last summer was doing some seed starting, dining room table operation. Seeded one tray with lavender, set aside, came back to do some madder seeds (dye plant). The seeds large, and I had limited number. Silly me, over seeded lavender with madder. Put tags for both in. I cared and watered as for madder, which did well, and much of the lavender germinated.
Agreed lavender is hit or miss in starting from seed. I find it takes up to 2 weeks to germinate and forever and longer to get to decent size. Also, seeds from one source may sprout, another not, but not consistent with that source.
Let's backtrack for a moment. Do you start other veggies, flowers, herbs from seed? If so, you know some more difficult than others. That being said, this is what I do, and perhaps different from others here. I use peat pellets in the small 10 or 12 per tray. No real preferential treatment when I am seeding a number of different plants. I have the trays inside for temp and moisture control, so they are usually 65 -75 depending on heat, sunshine in windows, light etc. Once up with true leaves, water with a light dose fertilizer about 1/week. I use Johns recipe (Lady Bug brand). Once up can start putting outside gradually, sheltered, light shade etc. Then when big enough up to 4" pots. I just use bagged potting mix, either Miracle grow or Fafards.
Now, a true story. Last summer was doing some seed starting, dining room table operation. Seeded one tray with lavender, set aside, came back to do some madder seeds (dye plant). The seeds large, and I had limited number. Silly me, over seeded lavender with madder. Put tags for both in. I cared and watered as for madder, which did well, and much of the lavender germinated.
imafan26,
applestar,
Susan W,
This is a wonderful idea. If I end up trying to germinate more Lavender, I'll definitely try this. Thank you.How I grow lavender is I make a mini greenhouse out of the Costco grape container and I fill it with pure perlite. I wet the media and then scratch it up a little. Plant the seeds, water it in and let it drain. Wait about 4 hours and then I put the container in a large clear plastic bag and twist tie it. It needs light to germinate but not full sun. After the lavender sprouts and they get to be about an inch tall, I take it out of the bag and move the container slowly to more light. I am able to water the container through te holes in the top. It takes about 4-6 months for lavender to be big enough to transplant.
applestar,
I don't have anything else planted in these trays. I'm probably not growing them in optimal conditions either. I may have went a little too big on my dreams for my first time growing Lavender, especially by seed. I wanted to start a small field of lavender (and gradually expand it by using the cuttings from these plants). I planted thousands of seeds into hundreds of trays and so far I've got about 300 tiny plants this size, which is why I'm searching for any way possible to preserve them and nurse them back to health. As you can imagine, it's going to be quite difficult to find 300 containers to separate them into. Any ideas?I agree. I don't know what else you have growing in those cells, but lavender seedlings need specific care so you are probably better off uppotting those now into individual pots and caring for them separately.
I used 1/2 potting mix and 1/2 sand to start the seeds and then uppotted to 2/3 potting mix and 1/3 sand with a little dolomitic lime when I uppotted as shown in the photo below. I surrounded the seedlings with sand to keep the stems dry.
Susan W,
Of course! Sorry I didn't mention it. It's a lot more fun for me to germinate rather than start from cuttings. I like to watch them come up. I've grown many different vegetables and flowers but I don't seem to do so well with herbs. Even more so, I'm just completely knowledgeable when it comes to them.Let's backtrack for a moment. Do you start other veggies, flowers, herbs from seed? If so, you know some more difficult than others.
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applestar
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Wow so many! 
I see now, too, that you are in Florida, so does that mean you have them outside? That would change a few things.
You want to make sure they are getting plenty of sun -- are they already acclimated to full sun? If you can situate them with mid day shade, it will help keep them from drying out too quickly.
Do you have a drip tray (No holes) underneath the cells or a web tray? Once any of my seedlings go outside, they go in web trays and sit on top of upside down drip trays. This way, I can dunk the whole web tray in a drip tray to water. Hefting is my method of choice for judging when to water.
Looks like you already have slow release fertilizer mixed in (those green pellets)?
Lastly, I'm not entirely sure -- there are other members who have done more research about different species of lavender, but I was wondering... depending on where you are in Florida, angustifolia/English lavender might not be your optimum choice? I thought French or Spanish types would do better where the winters are warmer... But maybe I just think that because I can't grow them reliably unless I were to bring them inside for the winter.
I see now, too, that you are in Florida, so does that mean you have them outside? That would change a few things.
You want to make sure they are getting plenty of sun -- are they already acclimated to full sun? If you can situate them with mid day shade, it will help keep them from drying out too quickly.
Do you have a drip tray (No holes) underneath the cells or a web tray? Once any of my seedlings go outside, they go in web trays and sit on top of upside down drip trays. This way, I can dunk the whole web tray in a drip tray to water. Hefting is my method of choice for judging when to water.
Looks like you already have slow release fertilizer mixed in (those green pellets)?
Lastly, I'm not entirely sure -- there are other members who have done more research about different species of lavender, but I was wondering... depending on where you are in Florida, angustifolia/English lavender might not be your optimum choice? I thought French or Spanish types would do better where the winters are warmer... But maybe I just think that because I can't grow them reliably unless I were to bring them inside for the winter.
applestar,
Yes, I live in Florida and have them outside in full sun. I should have no problem situating them near mid-day shade, as they are already close to some large oak trees. I don't have any drip trays just yet. I've been meaning to look for some. I couldn't find what I was looking for last time I checked, so they've just been sitting directly on the grass. Yes, the potting soil I used for the seed starter trays came with slow relieve fertilizer mixed in already. I live in South Florida, our winters are quite warm. It rarely drops below 40 degrees here.
Yes, I live in Florida and have them outside in full sun. I should have no problem situating them near mid-day shade, as they are already close to some large oak trees. I don't have any drip trays just yet. I've been meaning to look for some. I couldn't find what I was looking for last time I checked, so they've just been sitting directly on the grass. Yes, the potting soil I used for the seed starter trays came with slow relieve fertilizer mixed in already. I live in South Florida, our winters are quite warm. It rarely drops below 40 degrees here.
The lavendins and lavender multifeda does better in zone 10 and up. Lavender is ok till zone 8. Parts of Florida are zone 9 so you might have the microclimate for it there. Near Miami, it is harder to grow augustifolia because they don't care for the heat but really dispise torrential rain. They do not like a lot of fertilizer and that is why I use slow release. They do like well drained slightly alkaline soil. Sandy soil would be best.
If you have 300 lavender seedlings, I suppose you have some to lose. I would pot them up in clay pots so they breathe and use either 50/50 peatlite with some dolomite added to the mix or a cactus mix. If you put them up in thumb pots (1 inch pots) they can put a lot of them in a tray. I like Apple's idea of lining the tray with a layer of sand. Lavender is a drought resistant plant so it has a fibrous but extensive root system. The roots will grow before the top. Keeping them in a tray of sand will give the roots a place to go without air pruning but still make it easy to tell when it is time to pot up. I don't always remove the thumb pot and the plants just go around it. Just make sure the tray the sand is in drains and it is not keep too wet.
If you have 300 lavender seedlings, I suppose you have some to lose. I would pot them up in clay pots so they breathe and use either 50/50 peatlite with some dolomite added to the mix or a cactus mix. If you put them up in thumb pots (1 inch pots) they can put a lot of them in a tray. I like Apple's idea of lining the tray with a layer of sand. Lavender is a drought resistant plant so it has a fibrous but extensive root system. The roots will grow before the top. Keeping them in a tray of sand will give the roots a place to go without air pruning but still make it easy to tell when it is time to pot up. I don't always remove the thumb pot and the plants just go around it. Just make sure the tray the sand is in drains and it is not keep too wet.
imafan26,
I don't think the climate would be the problem. I'm in zone 9. I heard this zone was optimal for this strain. I am planning to get some trays for them and line them with sand as applestar mentioned. I think that'll definitely help. I noticed my roots are getting pretty long and probably need some space to breathe. Also, I moved them between the two oaks in my yard where they receive partial shade when the sun is directly overhead. I hope this will be helpful too. You've all helped so much, thank you.
I don't think the climate would be the problem. I'm in zone 9. I heard this zone was optimal for this strain. I am planning to get some trays for them and line them with sand as applestar mentioned. I think that'll definitely help. I noticed my roots are getting pretty long and probably need some space to breathe. Also, I moved them between the two oaks in my yard where they receive partial shade when the sun is directly overhead. I hope this will be helpful too. You've all helped so much, thank you.
My 2 lavender leaves worth here. I grow an eclectic mix of plants, not always successful of course! I start in peat pellets, then bump up to 4" pots. Depending on season and weather, once up in the pellets put them out in light shade, gradually and more so as they are in bigger pots. Perhaps an overprotective parent, or just because, don't like full sun for any starts. Once of some size may get a few hours, but not all day. Filtered sun naturally (trees etc) or shade cloth works. Some tuffies such as yarrow may get more abuse.
I put the 4" pots in plastic trays, 12 per, the ones with ridge down the middle (not the 18 per ones). They are more sturdy and easier to move around. (all from the recycle at the garden centers). The trays are on plastic shelving, the open 'grate' type, so has drainage. I don't like the new babies out in rain, so there's moving back to more sheltered spots. I do check near daily for watering, and may need every few days, depending on weather. Now with longer and warmer days, trying to do the Johns Recipe fertilizer/watering every 7 -10 days. Note to self is be more diligent with this! I water from top, from a plastic coffee can. One gets to know which plants need more attention than others. (location, variety, weather and all other factors).
I put the 4" pots in plastic trays, 12 per, the ones with ridge down the middle (not the 18 per ones). They are more sturdy and easier to move around. (all from the recycle at the garden centers). The trays are on plastic shelving, the open 'grate' type, so has drainage. I don't like the new babies out in rain, so there's moving back to more sheltered spots. I do check near daily for watering, and may need every few days, depending on weather. Now with longer and warmer days, trying to do the Johns Recipe fertilizer/watering every 7 -10 days. Note to self is be more diligent with this! I water from top, from a plastic coffee can. One gets to know which plants need more attention than others. (location, variety, weather and all other factors).
I grew lavenders in my previous garden and found they can pretty much self-seed. It was simple enough for me to pull seedlings out from between my paving stones and replant them without problems.
The photos you've shown indicates the plant experienced a short period of dryness but from the looks of the rest of the plant, I can say it looks healthy. Lavenders are pretty hardy I find. Mediterranean plants used to rocky or gravelly areas. I think you have a good set of plants going.
The photos you've shown indicates the plant experienced a short period of dryness but from the looks of the rest of the plant, I can say it looks healthy. Lavenders are pretty hardy I find. Mediterranean plants used to rocky or gravelly areas. I think you have a good set of plants going.