Learn how to Grow Lavender from Cuttings with step-by-step instructions that a beginner gardener can follow easily.
Lavender is one of the most useful flowers to grow, and it’s quite easy to multiply it by making new plants from the ones you already have. This fragrant flower brightens up any garden and also keeps away bugs like mosquitoes, fleas, and ticks. Lavender grows well in both pots and garden beds, and you can harvest it for flower arrangements, homemade soaps and scrubs, teas, and more.
Before You Begin
Lavender is one of the easiest plants to grow from cuttings, as they root quickly in healthy soil. The best time to take cuttings is from June to September, when the plant is growing well. You can use either softwood or hardwood cuttings. Softwood cuttings come from the soft, green tips of new growth and usually grow roots in two to four weeks. If you’re taking cuttings in fall or winter, after the flowers are gone, you’ll need to use thicker hardwood cuttings, which take about four to six weeks to root. While lavender can also grow roots in water, it works more effectively when planted directly in soil. Rooting hormone isn’t required, but using it can help the cuttings grow stronger roots.
How to Grow Lavender from Cuttings
What You’ll Need
- Mature lavender plant
- Pruning shears or a sharp knife
- Potting mix
- Small plant pot
- Rooting hormone (optional)
Instructions
Choose Flower-Free Stems to Cut
Check the stems on your mature lavender plant. Choose healthy, straight stems with good color and no signs of pests. Make sure the stem does not have buds, because flowers take energy away from rooting.
Pick a long stem and find the point where old growth meets new growth. The old growth, called hardwood, looks dark brown, while the new growth, called softwood, is light green.
If you are propagating lavender in spring or summer, select a stem with plenty of softwood.
Take Cuttings
Use a clean, sharp knife or pruning shears to cut stems that are 3–4 inches long. For better chances of success, take 3–4 cuttings from the mature lavender plant.
Remove Lower Leaves
Remove the leaves from the bottom two inches of the stem so the cutting has space to grow roots. This part of the stem will go into the soil, and the leaves there wouldn’t get sunlight anyway.
Prepare the Pot
Fill the pot with potting mix, leaving about an inch of space at the top. Lightly water the soil to make it moist. Use your finger or a pencil to make small holes a few inches deep for the cuttings.
Dip Cuttings in Rooting Hormone
If you want, you can use rooting hormone. Just dip the end of each cutting into the powder or gel before planting.
Plant Cutting in Soil
Place each cutting into the holes with the bare part of the stem under the soil. Gently press the soil around the stem with your fingers to keep it steady.
Monitor the Cuttings
Place the pot in a warm spot with bright but indirect sunlight. Keep the soil slightly moist, but don’t let it get too wet. Watch the cuttings for the next two to four weeks.
After about two weeks, gently tug on a cutting. If it resists, roots have started to grow. Once the cuttings have rooted, you can move them into their own pots or plant them in the garden.
