You can grow lavender from seed in 5 easy steps.
Step 1: Choosing your seeds
Choosing your lavender seeds is important depending on what you will be using it for. If you plan on using it for culinary purposes, such as tea, “True Lavender” has a smooth flavor and is probably the best variety for that.
Some other lavenders like “Spanish Lavender” should only be planted for their fragrance.
Step 2: Choosing potting soil
I recommend using an organic potting soil if you plan on growing lavender for culinary uses.
Step 3: Choosing a pot
You can start seeds in just about anything. Make sure the container you are using has a drainage hole in the bottom for proper drainage.
Step 4: Planting
Fill your pot with soil. Given the tiny size of lavender seeds, I like to water the soil first, that makes it easier to push them into the soil.
Sprinkle them on the soil and then use your hand/fingers to push them into the soil. You do not need to actually cover them with soil. Water again, if needed.
Step 5: Care
Place your pot in a sunny window. Lavender loves sun! Do not let your seeds/soil dry out, but don’t keep them soggy either. Just enough that when you touch the top of the soil you can feel some dampness.
If you are not home a lot and you are worried about them losing too much moisture, you can put a clear bag over the pot which will help to hold in the moisture and also keep them nice and warm. Like a little mini greenhouse.
They should start sprouting within 3 weeks. Lavender tends to spread, so you may want to transplant in few months into a bigger pot or outdoors.
Hi Mike,
I always enjoy reading your emails. I introduced your website to my gardening children and they really appreciate it. They are more crazy about gardening than I am and I am pretty crazy about it.
My question is about Lavender cuttings.
I’m trying to grow specific varieties and to do this I have to do it by cuttings. I’m in southern California and you would think this would be easy but it’s not. I finally decided to try rooting in straight medium grade perlite with some success but don’t always know when to water. Any tips?
Lilo,
Try the plastic bag method. https://mikesbackyardnursery.com/2015/01/easy-summertime-plant-propagation-techniques-can-home/
My lavender is growing nicely under a grow light, but it is quite tall and spindly. is this typical for lavender seedling?
thanks.
Melissa,
No, probably should be pruned down so it fills out.
I just received my lavender. Thanks for the info
I won’t the free potting soil recipe. Thank you
Here you go Shirley!
https://mikesbackyardnursery.com/2014/03/mike-mcgroartys-secret-bed-building-and-potting-soil-recipe/
page not found.
MIke, I ordered your “rooting shells” and want to root a limb off of my flowering cherry tree. But I can’t seem to get the directions to pull up on my computer so I can follow along. Can you help me?
[email protected]
Margie,
I tried to email you and got a delivery failure notification.
Here is a video that explains how to use the clamshell air propagator:
https://mikesbackyardnursery.com/2012/05/clam-shell-air-propagator/
Thanks,
Sharon
McGroarty Enterprises, Inc.
https://mikesbackyardnursery.com
Mike, I have enjoyed your emails for several years, so many thanks for helping my yard and gardens looking good. Love lavender,so this is new for me too. Take care and keep on giving lots of tips.
Thank you for your advice about Lavender I haven’ t ever tried this way.
This time I hope to find the right seeds.
Many Thanks
Helen Lemonis
Mike
I can’t grow lavender even if I buy good plants. Any secrets???? Please
Very happy that people found this post helpful!
G’day Mike,
Cheers for the post. We havn’t had much luck with Lavender here at my joint. I’ll give this a craic an see how I go. I think it was the potting mix that was let me down.
We will be using the new plants in a 50m squared botanical maze that we are building here in rural Australia.. Your advice has gone a long way, already, in helping shape the project!
Thanks cob,
B
Great info on growing lavender from seed. It was the one plant I’ve had problems starting off through the years, but finally had success this year, thanks for sharing the info!
WHERE CAN I PURCHASE THE SPANISH LAVENDER FOR THE FRAGRENCE? I THINK I WOULD LIKE THAT I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF THIS ONE. Yvonne MOSS
Available from Amazon – http://www.amazon.com/Renees-Garden-Seeds-5032-Lavender/dp/B0006BJ5P4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1412984131&sr=8-1&keywords=spanish+lavender+seeds
I buy a lot of my seeds from Renee’s Garden. Lots heirloom and organic seeds.
I too appreciate the post. Lavender is one of the plants I haven’t tried yet, but want to. I’m thinking more of the “smell good” variety, but perhaps it would be good to try some of each. I hadn’t even thought of growing “tea plants” for sale!
I do miss the option to save the article as a PDF.
Eric, you can copy the article and paste it into Word or some other text software and save it that way.
Thank you Mr.. Mike , I need to know all about how to grow good seeds in my garden of good health and flavor. I have high blood pressure an is trying to grow health good goods.in my garden of life
Hi Mike thank you for this i have been having trouble with this for awhile now i have true lavender seeds the seeds sprout then die for some reason i dont know what the problem is. i put them in a sodabottle to give them a head start but that ddnt work out. il try this hold thumbs!
Lavender is my absolute favorite and I’m getting ready to put in a low hedge of lavender and rosemary next spring. This couldn’t have come at a more “timely” time. Thank you, Mike 🙂
I am so glad you posted this. I sell a lot of lavender and have had difficulty rooting it – wondered if it would grow from seed. I’m going to try it! Thanks, Mike!