You can never have enough lavender in your garden, because not only does it smell wonderful, it also keeps lice away from roses. Just one reason to propagate lavender yourself.
If you smell the scent of lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) and close your eyes, you will immediately find yourself in Provence. Here the Lavandula finally thrives on large fields. The scent not only beguiles the senses, it also has a calming effect. The plant not only looks beautiful, it also has a positive effect on sleep and the psyche.
But lavender can do a lot more. It can also drive away moths and aphids from neighboring plants. And you can even use the plant in the kitchen. You can use it to conjure up lavender muffins, jam or lemonade, for example. Well, if that isn't a reason to grow and propagate lavender.
If you already have Lavandula angustifolia in your garden, you usually can't get enough of it. It can be an advantage if you know how to increase it. This works very well, for example, with cuttings or sinkers. You can also propagate lavender by seed or by division.
How to propagate lavender
➔ Propagating lavender by cuttings
Lavender belongs to the mint family and can grow up to one meter tall. Since the lavender bush grows into a woody shrub over the years, it tolerates a very heavy pruning in the fall. This is a great advantage, because you can easily get cuttings.
The best time to propagate lavender from cuttings is spring. But you can also multiply your lavender in autumn. However, the lavender should then overwinter in the conservatory. It is best to proceed as follows:
❶ Cut off unbranched shoots about 10 centimeters long and remove the lower leaves.
❷ Then you have to plant the shoots in a bowl of potting soil and water them well.
❸ Then place the bowl in a warm and sunny spot. For the next time it is important that you water the shoots regularly.
❹ After six to eight weeks, sufficient roots will have formed. The young plants are now so strong that you caninto individual pots.
❺ Then you always have to cut back the young plants immediately after they have sprout. This is how the shoots grow into a compact and bushy lavender bush.
➔ Multiply lavender via sinkers
If you prefer to propagate your lavender in the spring, you can also do this using sinkers. Thats is quite easy. You just need to keep an eye on the sinkers to monitor the progress and take timely follow-up action. Proceed as follows:
❶ In spring, bend a long shoot branch to the ground. At the point where it touches the ground, you have to dig a furrow about 10 centimeters deep.
❷ Remove the leaves from the lower part of the shoot and insert it into the furrow. Then close the hole. If the shoot does not stay in the ground, it is best to fix it with some wire. Then it's time to wait.
❸ In the fall you need to remove the soil on the shoot and check if it has rooted. If this is the case, you can cut the shoot off the mother plant. If not, then wait until spring. You can then transplant the lavender shoots in a year.
➔ Propagating lavender by seeds
If you are not in such a hurry, you can also increase your lavender stock by sowing lavender seeds. Of course, you can sow the lavender directly outdoors at the end of May/beginning of June, when no more frost is to be expected. However, it is more promising if you prefer the lavender in February/March on the windowsill or in the greenhouse. Proceed as follows:
❶ Fill a propagator with potting soil and moisten it with a spray bottle. You can also sow the lavender in pots straight away.
❷ Now sprinkle the seeds loosely on the soil and then press them down lightly. A small board can be helpful here.
❸ Now place the greenhouse or the pots in a light spot and wait until the first real leaves have formed after the cotyledons. Because then the time has come when you have to prick out the seedlings.
❹ If frost and cold temperatures are no longer to be expected outdoors, you can place the lavender plants in the bed or place the pots outside.
➔ Sharing Lavender
If you already have a large plant in your garden, you can also dig it up, divide it into two or more pieces and plant it straight back in the garden. The best time to do this is in autumn.
LikeAs you can see, you don't have to grow a new lavender plant if you want to add a touch of Provence to your garden. Lavender can also be multiplied by dividing it.