Growing Lavender from Cuttings: Guide to Propagating

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Propagating lavender from cuttings is one of those easy and rewarding garden pleasures.  Not only do you get more plants but it is just plain fun to grow more for free.

Hello, fellow plant enthusiasts! Today, we’re diving into the fragrant world of lavender – not just any lavender, but those grown from cuttings. If you’ve always dreamed of a garden that hums with the buzz of bees, dances with the flutter of butterflies and soothes the soul with its calming scent, then propagating your own lavender from cuttings is a delightful journey to embark on.

Propagating Lavender from Cuttings, so easy and fun. You can create an entire lavender hedge with just one plant! I will show you how!

Types of Cuttings: Softwood cuttings we will discuss first then we will tackle the hardwood cuttings. 

Lavender makes a great plant for many types of gardens and doesn’t need to be relegated to the herb garden. It is a wonderful plant to place in a Sensory Garden!

Why Grow Lavender from Cuttings?

Growing lavender from cuttings isn’t just an economical way to get new plants and expand your garden; it’s also deeply rewarding.

Related: The Art of Slow Gardening

You can propagate a favorite variety, ensuring your garden is filled with the scents and sights you love most. Plus, lavender is remarkably resilient and can thrive with minimal fuss, making it perfect for gardeners of all experience levels.

bee on lavender plant in a garden

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Here’s a good idea…find friends or neighbors that have lavender and ask if you can take cuttings. Another easy way to get started is to pick up one mature lavender plant at a garden center and start rooting cuttings from it. 

You can create a lavender hedge, a gravel garden, or turn them into a topiary. Lavender bushes come in many sizes and heights. 

Getting Started: The Basics

Before you begin, it’s essential to know that the best time for taking softwood lavender cuttings from the parent plant is late spring through early summer. This timing ensures the parent plant is actively growing but not yet in full bloom, giving your cuttings the best chance to root.

Type of cutting: Softwood cuttings, Semi-hardwood cuttings, and hardwood cuttings. 

What You’ll Need:

– A healthy lavender plant

– A sharp, clean pair of scissors, sharp knife or pruning shears

– Potting mix, ideally one designed for cuttings or succulents

– Small pots or a propagation tray

– A clear plastic bag or a plastic dome (optional, but helpful for maintaining humidity)

Rooting hormone (optional)

Step-by-Step Guide to Lavender propagation

1. Select Your Cutting:

Look for a non-flowering shoot that’s healthy and vibrant. This is your goldilocks cutting – not too hard (old), not too soft (young), but just right.

2. Make Your Cut:

With your clean scissors, pruners or shears, cut about 2-4 inches from the tip of the shoot. You want a segment that’s just right for rooting – not too long that it struggles to support itself, and not too short that it doesn’t have enough nodes ( a leaf node is the little bumps on the stem where leaves emerge).

3. Prep Your Cutting:

Gently remove the lower leaves from the bottom half of the cutting with a sharp knife. This is where your new roots will sprout.

If you’re using rooting hormone, now’s the time to dip the cut end into it. This step isn’t strictly necessary, but it can help stimulate root growth and improve your success rate.

Propagating Lavender from Cuttings, so easy and fun. You can create an entire lavender hedge with just one plant! I will show you how!

4. Plant Your Cutting:

Fill your small pot or tray with the potting mix and water lightly, ensuring it’s moist but not waterlogged. Next, poke a hole in the soil with a pencil (or your finger) and insert the stem cuttings.

Propagating Lavender from Cuttings, so easy and fun. You can create an entire lavender hedge with just one plant! I will show you how!

I use my own DIY potting soil with added horticultural sand to loosen it. See my DIY potting soil recipe here. It not only saves money but there are no plastic bags to throw away. (if buying a potting mix for this I like to use a Cactus potting mix or loosen up regular potting soil with added sand or perlite)

A garden wizard friend of mine prefers using horticultural sand by itself, and has great results. So there are options to choose from.

Firm the soil around it to ensure it stands upright. Place in a warm spot. If indoors, place under a grow light.

5. Create a Humid Microclimate (optional):

If you have a plastic bag or dome, cover your newly planted cuttings. This mini greenhouse helps keep the humidity high, which helps the cuttings to stay hydrated until they root. Just be sure to open it occasionally to let fresh air in and prevent mold growth.

Note: with lavender this is an option as lavender tend to not like a humid environment.

6. Patience is Key:

Place your pots in a warm spot, bright spot out of direct sunlight. Water them lightly to keep the soil moist, but be careful not to overwater. Overwatering results in root rot.

In about 4-8 weeks, your cuttings should start to root. You can check by gently tugging on them – if there’s resistance, roots have formed and you have new lavender plants!

7. Transplanting Time:

Once your cuttings have established a good root system, it’s time to move them into larger pots or their final spot in the garden. Lavender loves full sun and well-draining soil, so choose a spot that meets these criteria.

Tips for Success

Choose the Right Variety:

There are many types of lavender, and some root more readily from cuttings than others. Lavandula angustifolia (English lavender) is a great choice for beginners as is French Lavender.

close up of French Lavender in a Field

Water Wisely:

Lavender doesn’t like wet feet. Ensure your soil is well-draining and be cautious not to overwater, especially in the rooting stage.

Be Patient:

Some cuttings take longer to root than others. Don’t be discouraged if yours are taking their sweet time.

Growing lavender from cuttings into healthy plants can be a simple, rewarding way to expand your garden and enjoy this lovely, fragrant herb. Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or a budding green thumb, the process is a serene journey worth undertaking. So, why not give it a try? Your senses (and the bees) will thank you. 

If you are adventurous try starting with lavender seeds!

basket of freshly cut lavender on a table with pruners leaning on it, the table is in a field of lavender

Hardwood Cuttings

Softwood cuttings is the faster way to propagate lavender but let’s talk about the less commonly used but equally rewarding method of propagating hardwood lavender cuttings.

This technique is slightly different from the softwood cutting method and is typically done in late fall or early winter, when the plant has gone dormant.

Propagating Hardwood Lavender Cuttings

Hardwood cuttings or lavender stems come from the mature, woody part of the lavender plant and are usually taken when the plant is dormant, meaning there’s no active growth.

The process might sound a bit daunting, but it’s surprisingly simple and has the benefit of requiring less immediate care than softwood cuttings, as the dormant state of the cutting reduces the need for constant moisture.

This is the best option and easiest way for super busy folks who don’t have time to babysit plants.

Here’s How You Do It:

Timing and Selection:

Since these cuttings are taken during dormancy, aim for late fall or early winter. For best results, look for healthy, mature stems from the current or previous year’s growth. These should be firm and woody, not green and flexible.

Cutting:

With your sharp, clean pruning shears, cut a section of stem about 6-8 inches long. Make sure the cutting is clean and straight. Remove any leaves from the lower half of the cutting to prevent rot and encourage root growth.

Planting:

Unlike softwood cuttings, hardwood cuttings can often be rooted directly in the ground or garden beds where you intend for them to grow permanently. Choose a sheltered spot with well-draining soil.

You can also root them in pots if you prefer to control the growing conditions more closely. If planting directly in the ground, space the cuttings about 12 inches apart, burying about half the length of the cutting in the soil.

If you’re using pots, use a sandy, well-draining mix and ensure the pot has good drainage.

Care:

Water the cuttings in well initially, but then you can largely leave them to their own devices over the winter. The key is ensuring the soil doesn’t completely dry out but also doesn’t stay soggy.

In most climates, natural rainfall should be sufficient but do check periodically during dry spells.

Patience Pays Off:

Hardwood cuttings take longer for root formation and show growth than softwood cuttings. It might not be until mid-spring or even early summer that you see signs of life.

This is normal, so don’t worry if your cuttings seem inactive for a while. Once the weather warms up and the days lengthen, your hardwood cuttings should start to show new growth, signaling that they’ve successfully rooted.

Why Try Hardwood Cuttings?

The beauty of hardwood cuttings lies in their simplicity and the minimal care they require over the winter months. This method is perfect for the patient gardener who doesn’t mind waiting a bit longer for results. It’s also an excellent way to make use of the pruning process, turning cut-back stems into potential new plants.

Whether you choose softwood or hardwood cuttings, propagating lavender can be a rewarding addition to your gardening repertoire. Each method has its charms, and experimenting with both can yield a lush, fragrant garden full of this beloved herb.

So why not give hardwood cuttings a try this year? The effort is minimal, but the rewards can be bountiful.

I have shared my propagation addiction before, Lilacs, Roses, Clematis, Delphiniums, and Geraniums, to name a few. Today we will focus on how to propagate lavender from cuttings.

I have included a full video version of this at the end of the post.  If you so wish, please subscribe to my new YouTube channel that is dedicated to gardening and DIY.

Please Note: There are many varieties of Lavender. Some are hardier than others. Find which ones can be used in your climate as perennials. Also, check the average height the Lavender variety can get. This will tell you if it will make a good hedge or not.

Many lavender can live for a long, long time if grown in the right conditions. On a trip not long ago we toured an old garden in Monterey, California and it had a lavender in it that was over 100 years old.

Lavender with text overlay, Propagate Lavender from Cuttings, youtube play button overlay

Happy Gardening!

Hi, I’m Pamela

I am a 40-year master gardening enthusiast who loves to share the simple tips, tricks, and inspiration I have learned from personal experience.
My goal is to cultivate the love of gardening and help make your gardening life more enjoyable!
a Garden Friend!

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8 Comments

  1. Beth Italia says:

    How often do you have to water the cuttings of lavender?

  2. I just dug one of mine up yesterday and replanted. It depends upon your weather and conditions. We are having a mild spell so it was a perfect time to do it. We won’t be getting any super frigid temps in the near future so the one I transplanted should do great. If your ground is not frozen and you are not in an area that is going to be hit hard with super cold you can do it now. If not now then early Spring before it gets hot.

  3. This is a perfect segment for me today.
    I have about 4 lavender plants in my front yard. They are about 3-4 years old.
    I want to dig them up and transfer them to another part of my yard, when is a good time to do this?
    Enjoy the info on this blog…thank you
    Rosie

  4. Yes, that is the one of the best incentives to propagate from cuttings or root divisions.

  5. Thanks for the tips for propagating. Beside the fact that your instructions help with the garden budget, you can be sure you are getting another of the same plant you love. It is so easy to pick up and purchase a similar plant that is not quite what you want! (Yes, I have done that.).

  6. Wow! I had no idea Lavender could grow from cuttings. I bought one last month and it’s in a pot near my raised bed veggie garden. I’m definitely going to try this! Thanks for sharing …and I LOVE your greenhouse!

  7. I must confess, I have as much fun propagating plants as I do gardening in general. I don’t know why. 🙂 Maybe because my very first personal garden I started was as a new bride in my new home, we were on a super tight budget but the little town where we lived was filled with generous older ladies that had beautiful little cottage gardens. They shared with me cuttings from their gardens, seedlings from volunteer Japanese Maples that would pop up under their trees and extra bulbs, rhizomes or tubers. So I think I got hooked then. That was a hard garden to leave behind when I moved.

  8. Love this I have a lavender plant that I want to propagate next. This has become my favorite gardening activity or possibly yes an addiction. We’re moving so this is how I decided to bring my garden with me.. Thanks for sharing.

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