how to propagate old woody lavender

Plants typically reach between 1 and 3 feet in height. Plan to divide the plant so each new section has at least 3 to 5 growing stems coming up from the root base. (Look up your zone’s last frost, here). Put some enriched soil in the bottom of the hole, and plant each section in its own spot. Keep the mulch away from the crown of the lavender plant, however, to prevent excess moisture and root rot. Gardening For Beginners Gardening Tips Gardening Services Gardening Gloves Hydroponic Gardening Gardening Supplies Indoor Gardening How To Propagate Lavender Herbs Garden. Add mulch (rock or pea gravel work particularly well) to keep weeds to a minimum. Spring is the best time to use layering propagation on perennials such as lavender. © Copyright 2020 Hearst Communications, Inc. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Propagating Lavender - How to Propagate Lavender? Fertilize them lightly the very first year after planting. Dust the cut-end of each cutting with rooting hormone and then bury the bottom one-third of the cuttings in the moistened rooting medium. References Propagating Lavender from Woody Plants The best time to take cuttings for propagating is in the summer on a non flowering shoot. 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. This article was co-authored by Maggie Moran. Maggie Moran is a Professional Gardener in Pennsylvania. They need light and warmth to germinate, so surface-sow the seeds on moist soil and cover them with clear plastic. Showy, sweet-smelling lavender (Lavandula spp.) Fill the bottom of each pot with sandy, fast-draining potting soil. Last Updated: March 13, 2020 But perennial herbs—such as lavender, oregano, sage, thyme, and rosemary—often develop woody stems and need some seasonal maintenance pruning. By growing lavender in pots and containers, you can grow a wider range of half-hardy plants, as it is easier to move the pots to a more sheltered place. 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. ", "It was very thorough and detailed, giving useful cautions and options.". This can be done through: 1. preparingcuttings 2. harvesting and growing from seeds Let’s take a lo…   But one of the easiest methods is taking stem cuttings, placing them in water or a growing medium until they develop roots, and then planting the rooted cuttings into pots or the ground.Unlike propagating by seeds collected from the parent plant, propagating by cuttings ensures that the new plants are genetically identical to the parent plant. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 173,012 times. Cuttings can develop roots all on their own but if you want to start that action … Choose the appropriate lavender for your climate. English lavender is cold hardy whereas French lavender will die in cold winters. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. "It was wonderful to follow such simple instructions together with illustrations. Usually lavender plants grow old and woody after 6 to 10 years. ", http://articles.mcall.com/2012-05-04/features/mc-lavender-cuttings-divide-plants-20120504_1_cuttings-parent-plant-new-plants, http://www.finegardening.com/pruning-subshrubs, http://www.whiteflowerfarm.com/growing-lavender-care.html, http://www.motherearthnews.com/organic-gardening/propagating-lavender-zbcz1407.aspx#axzz3DhNVTfhB, http://www.what-about-lavender.com/propagate_lavender.html, http://www.colostate.edu/Depts/CoopExt/4DMG/Garden/beware.htm, http://www.lovelygreens.com/2012/03/plants-for-free-propagating-lavender.html, http://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=40072, http://www.mgofmc.org/docs/propperennials.pdf, consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. Lift the entire plant, root ball and all, from the soil using a gardening fork or shovel and move it to a shaded location. Lavender Cuttings Care For more tips from our Horticulturalist co-author, including how to take cuttings from lavender, keep reading! These plants grow larger each spring and summer, and may eventually outgrow your garden. If the old, woody growth is already too large for your garden, consider taking several cuttings and removing the old plant entirely once the new ones have been established for a year. Many species of lavender are perennial plants, meaning they live for two or more years. Layering means to start a plant from a living stem while it is still attached to the “mother” plant. Use nursery pots that are large enough to accommodate the divisions without overcrowding their roots and make sure each pot has plenty of drainage holes at the base. Check the label and ingredients of a root stimulator before purchasing. Can I take cuttings from my plant at the end of summer and leave them in pots in the house for winter? Gently pull a 10cm shoot to side and strip away from main plant, ensuring it has a heel (a strip of bark) attached. 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. However, lavender is fragile when divided, so expert gardeners use small cuttings to create new plants. After that, do not fertilize regularly. Very woody stems close up Pruning has started Continuing the process of cutting overgrown branches back Tiny leaves indicate the stem is alive The stopping point on pruning my 5 year old lavender Key Points To Know When Pruning Woody Lavender. Similar method as pruning heather and heath plants. Locate a few 2- to 3-inch-long cuttings from healthy-looking stems and cut them at an angle using a sharp, sanitized blade. 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. Ideally, prune the lavender plant in spring or early summer, just after new growth begins. Select a root stimulator that contains a root hormone. Using scissors is not recommended, as they may pinch the stem and make it more difficult for roots to emerge. How to grow lavender – taking lavender cuttings Take semi-ripe lavender cuttings in late summer. There are many species of lavender including English lavender, Hidcote English lavender, and Munstead English lavender to mention a few. But try to space them apart far enough so they don’t touch each other. Division is a more rapid but riskier solution. Surface-sown seeds dry out easily, so mist them every day to keep them moist. A step-by-step guide to propagating lavender Step 1 Choose non-flowering shoots that have a woody base but a soft, green tip. This one is simple and low-risk, but can be labor-intensive if you plan to create more than a few cuttings. Seed-grown lavenders have a shorter life expectancy and are often grown as annuals since most bloom well for only one year. Thank you. Grow lavender in dry, well-drained soil in a location that receives at least six hours of daily sun. Find out how to boost stocks of lavender for free, by taking cuttings in summer - just follow this step-by-step guide. You will mainly only see this kind of growth during the spring. wikiHow has encouraged me to have a go. Lavender illustration by M. Jeng. 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. Just make sure the indoor pots are large enough and that you maintain a good care routine for your plant. Rooting hormone helps prevent the tip from rotting and encourages quick, strong root development, but lavender roots well without it. This may require you to include multiple clusters in one division. Dust the wound and the surrounding portion of the stem with rooting hormone; then bury the wounded portion of the stem 1 to 2 inches below the surface of the soil. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Division propagation works best on younger, less woody lavender plants. Deciding Whether or not to Divide Lavender Use cuttings instead of division to create new plants. You can try to revive an old Lavender by either taking cuttings from the … Do not prune lavender plants in the first year, when they are establishing roots. Plant your lavender in well-drained, rocky soil, on a slope (if possible) to ensure drainage. There are 20 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. Yes. Spring-divided lavenders can be planted in autumn, and autumn-divided lavenders can be planted the following spring. Greenhouse environments may be too damp for lavender cuttings. Prune for healthier lavender plants. Terra cotta flowerpots are preferable to plastic ones due to their "breathability," especially if you soak the flowerpot in water overnight before continuing to the next step below. 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. Please help us continue to provide you with our trusted how-to guides and videos for free by whitelisting wikiHow on your ad blocker. Pot them, water them well and keep them under sheltered conditions until they establish new roots. 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. Approved. Garden plants can be propagated in many ways. … Remove all the leaves from the bottom one-third of the cutting as well as any flowers or buds from the tip. 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. Here's how to prune lavender so it looks (and smells) great year after year. Article by BBC Gardeners' World Magazine. Can Lavender Grow Without Rooting Hormones? Research the variety you intend to propagate to make sure no such prohibitions exist. For more tips from our Horticulturalist co-author, including how to take cuttings from lavender, keep reading! Deciding Whether or not to Divide Lavender, {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/9\/94\/Divide-a-Lavender-Plant-Step-1.jpg\/v4-460px-Divide-a-Lavender-Plant-Step-1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/9\/94\/Divide-a-Lavender-Plant-Step-1.jpg\/aid1519164-v4-728px-Divide-a-Lavender-Plant-Step-1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"