How To Grow Lavender From Cuttings [Propagation The Easy Way]

ByLeah

Learning how to grow lavender from cuttings will be the best thing you ever did.

I use lavender a lot in the rabbitry so it only makes sense that I have it on hand. If you want to learn how I use lavender with my animals then read this post.

I tried starting a lot of my favorite herbs from seeds years ago and it was AWFUL. Herbs are so hard to start from seeds.

But starting them from cuttings is another story. 

I recently did this from one of my lavender plants that was growing wonderfully to give to people. While they looked a little rough for a few days they soon took root and are growing well. 

Prep Your Pots For Your Lavender Cuttings

You can use potting soil. But if you have a compost pile or a never enduing supply of garden fertilizer from rabbits like I do that works well also. 

Whichever you choose dig down about 6-12 inches to find the well-composed dirt under the animal droppings or composting. Make sure to find the dirt that is dark and rich but does not have a foul smell coming from it. It should not have a rotting smell or animal waste stench to it.

Put it in a bucket or a wheelbarrow and loosen the dirt up so it is nice and fluffy. 

Use planting pots like these or I have used styrofoam cups and sliced a hole or two in the bottom of the cup for drainage.

Whichever you chose fill the container with dirt 3/4ths of the way full. Set the planter in a secure place so they will not be knocked over. 

Lavender growing in a garden

How To Take Lavender Cuttings From An Existing Plant

This will depend on the time of year for you and the type of lavender you have. 

But always take a cutting that does not have flowers or buds. This will take a lot of energy from the plant lessening its chances of rooting. 

When you are looking for the right piece to cut from the plant. Try to find a straight healthy-looking stem with no poor-colored leaves or bug spots. You also want to find a piece that looks like it has good life going to it. Not brown crunchy stems.

Use garden shears like these to take a 3-5 inch long cutting. You want to cut at the space where the stem is starting to turn “woody” or looking hard. Not soft and green like new growth. 

  • Remove all of the leaves and growth on the lower 2 inches of cutting. 
  • Scrape the bark/skin off a small portion of the cutting with your shears or a knife. 
  • Stick the bare end of the lavender cutting into the pots you have already prepped. 

OPTIONAL: You can use a rooting hormone which does help the rooting processes along and I personally think it will help the success of your plant. 

  • Lightly water the plants then place them in a greenhouse or warm location. (We have a sunroom that works perfectly) 

This is a freaking cool option you can get if you don’t have a greenhouse or some other alternative. I was so excited when I found these. Check them out.

 PSA: Your cuttings will wilt and look sad for quite a while before they start rooting and absorbing moisture from the pot you planted them in. Just be patent.

Lavender Cuttings Care

Softwood cuttings from lavender root in two to four weeks, and hardwood cuttings take a little longer. Check to see if the stems have roots by giving them a gentle tug. If you feel resistance, the stem has roots holding it in place.

Wait several days between tugs, as you can damage tender young roots by tugging on them too often. Remove the plastic bag when the cutting has roots.

Source: gardeningknowhow.com

 Different Types Of Lavender

English (L. angustifolia)

English varieties are probably the ones many of us are most familiar with. Blooming from late spring to midsummer, they flower in shades of mauve, pink, purple, and white.

Photo by Lorna Kring The aromatic oils of L. angustifolia are of a superior quality to all other Lavandula species, and this is the most commonly used variety for culinary purposes.

Plants form attractive mounds with bluish-green leaves and are the hardiest of all types, suitable for growing in USDA Hardiness Zones 5-10.

Source: gardenerspath.com

French (L. dentata)

French varieties aren’t always as showy as their English or Spanish kin, but they produce a steady display of flowers from July to September.

Photo by Lorna Kring Flowers are pale blue, mauve, or white, with distinctive flag-like petals. The highly fragrant leaves have noticeable, serrated edges.

French types fare better in hot and humid conditions than English varieties, but require protection from frost. They are hardy in Zones 8-10.

Source: gardenerspath.com

Spanish (L. stoechas)

Spanish varieties are attractive ornamentals with beautiful silvery leaves and distinctive pineapple-shaped flower heads topped with bunny-ear petals.

Flowers bloom in hues of blue, mauve, and deep pink, and their fragrance has a noticeable eucalyptus tone.

They bloom in late spring with a second flush in early summer – and even a third, late summer flush in areas with mild winters.

Spanish varieties are the most tolerant of heat and humidity. But they are frost tender and hardy only in Zones 8-11.

Source: gardenerspath.com

Lavender Gardening Supplies

Here is a list of supplies that I curated for you so you have options.

How To Grow Lavender From Cuttings FAQs

How long do lavender cuttings take to root?

Some people say as long as 2-4 weeks however I notices some resistance from my cuttings in about a week. 

Can you propagate lavender in water?

Lavender can be propagated using water. However, because lavender is susceptible to root rot, it can be tricky and we have found that soil propagation is the best method for our needs.

Quick tips:

To propagate using water, fill a glass about half way with water.

Follow the same method for clipping and preparing lavender stems, leaving a few inches at the bottom of the stem.

Place the lavender into the cup, making sure the water is not high enough to touch the leaves.

Leave in water, you may need to change the water every few days to make sure there is fresh water for your plant.

Source: aliikulalavender.com

Leah Lynch is a stay-at-home wife, content creator, and backyard farmer who loves a good paper planner, and is a massive introvert.
She started her rabbitry at 17 and used the profits to pay for her schooling and graduated debt free. -- Today she makes multiple four figures a year with her small rabbitry alone and is on a mission to help other people create a country lifestyle they love that doesn't leave them broke and burnt out.

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