Propagating lavender - you have these options

Simply propagate lavender yourself - this is how you grow young plants yourself

Propagation via seeds

Propagation via seeds is not very easy with lavender. This is due on the one hand to the fact that the commercially available lavender seeds are usually not single-variety, but on the other hand it is also due to the fact that the seeds require certain conditions to germinate and grow. Lavender is a light germinator, ie it must not be covered with soil when sowing, but needs a place that is as bright as possible. You should also move the seeds on the windowsill in February / March so that the plants bloom in the same year. Otherwise, you can only apply the lavender directly into the bed after the ice saints, when night frosts are guaranteed to be no more. For cultivation, you can use a special cultivation substrate (€ 9.05 on Amazon *) or nutrient-poor herbal soil.

Lavender sometimes seeds itself

The real lavender in particular forms a large number of seeds, which - provided they are comfortable in their location - often emerge in large numbers. You can either pluck these young plants out, let them grow or transplant them to another place. To do this, you have to dig them out as early as possible, preferably when there are only a few tender leaves next to the two cotyledons. The younger a lavender, the easier it is to implement - and the sooner it survives this procedure.

Propagate lavender using cuttings

Lavender can be propagated from cuttings rather than seeds. This method is by no means as laborious as seed propagation and is also more promising. In addition, you can be sure that the desired variety is actually lavender - lavender propagated from seeds can look very different from the mother plant. You can remove the cuttings when cutting in spring and summer.

For this, choose young shoots that are about 10 to 15 centimeters long.
These should have at least two to three leaves.
Cut the cuttings off so that an inclined cut surface is created.
This ultimately makes it easier for the young plant to absorb water.
Use a sharp and clean knife.
Remove any leaves in the lower area.
Dip the cut surface in a rooting powder.
This should contain a rooting hormone.
Plant the cutting either in the bed or in a pot with nutrient-poor soil.
Keep the young plant moist, but not wet.
Do not fertilize! Due to the lack of roots, the plant cannot yet absorb fertilizer.
The cutting will take root within a few weeks.
You can recognize this by the fact that it is developing new instincts.

Breeding young plants using lowering devices

In addition to the propagation of cuttings, the cultivation of young plants via so-called lowerers also works very well with lavender. In contrast to cuttings, sinkers are only cut off from the mother plant when they have formed enough roots themselves. Until then, the mother plant continues to supply its offshoots with water and nutrients.

Pick one or more branches that grow as close to the ground as possible.
Dig a small hole under this branch.
Bend the branch down (caution: do not break it!) And place it in the center of the planting hole.
The upper, blooming part should look out on the other side.
Cover the hole with earth and weigh down the area with a stone or something similar.
Otherwise it can happen that the lowering bar just slips out.

Sinkers take much longer to take root than cuttings. You should leave the young plant on the mother plant for about three to four months until it has firmly rooted itself. Then you can either leave them in place, move them or plant them in a pot. Due to the fact that the plant takes so long to root, lowerers should be set as early as possible - preferably in May or at the latest in June.

Tips & Tricks

Lavender can be propagated in a number of ways, but dividing the shrub is usually not possible. Lavender could only be divided if it had rooted in several places in the ground. However, this is usually not the case. In addition, older lavender lignifies, which makes any division even more difficult.

IJA