Lavender from seed?

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Hi all, I've started 3 different kinds of lavender from seed a few weeks ago. The "Lavender Lady" is doing great but the other 2 "Vera" and "True Lavender" is doing zilch. Absolutely nothing. I've heard Lavender is hard to start from seed but is it also slow to germinate or should I pitch those two and make room for something else? Thank ya!

-- Annie (mistletoe6@earthlink.net), March 01, 2002

Answers

Annie----don't give up yet--------it might suprise ya-----I thought some I had planted from seed a few years ago---wasn't doing anything-- --then all of a sudden it took----off /I thought there was nothing there----give it a little while longer & talk to it!! ha!!--- Encourage it!! ha!! Best wishes!!

-- Sonda in Ks. (sgbruce@birch.net), March 01, 2002.

Can anyone give suggestions on how to grow and keep lavendar alive? I have tried several times to grow lavendar outdoors and it always dies.

-- R. (thor610@yahoo.com), March 02, 2002.

R., This is my first year, so I'm not by a long shot an expert, but I've read that well drained soil, (I'm adding some sand to mine), and I've seen where people use plain sand for a mulch for the lavender. Seems one of the best ways to kill it is to let it's feet stay wet. Needs really good drainage. I've got a pretty good size bed that a rosemary bush has been growing in and that's where I'm putting some of the lavender. The bed used to be a pile of sand that they used when they put in our drain field. I added some compost to it and the rosemary has done well. It's also a south facing slope that gets plenty of sun. I'm keeping my fingers crossed!!! :)

-- Annie (mistletoe6@earthlink.net), March 02, 2002.

Lavender, at least True Lavender, takes quite some time to germinate. I have had the best luck just putting the seed where I want it to grow. I know it says well drained soil, but where mine actually grew it went to bed each fall with wet feet (go figure). Last year I needed to move that patch, so I picked the dryed flowers and "planted" the flowers where I wanted my new patch. It germinated like crazy and I am anxious to see what happens this spring.

-- diane (gardiacaprines@yahoo.com), March 02, 2002.

Annie, if my memory is correct, 'Lady' was bred to be an easy germinator. You should also get flowers the first year from it. Yes, the others are slow to germinate and can have a very low germination rate, too. As low as 5%!

R., make sure you choose a variety of lavender compatible to your location. Two northern hardy varieties are 'Hidcote' and 'Munstead'. And 'Lady', too, I think. I'm in zone 6 and have had a 'Munstead' and 'Lady' make it through two winters. The 'Hidcote' I planted did not make it through the first winter but that may have been due to neglect. :o) Good luck!

-- Bren (wayoutfarm@skybest.com), March 02, 2002.



Thanks y'all, I'm going to leave it alone and see if it does anything (patience, patience)! Diane, thanks for the tip. If I can get it going this summer, I'm going to try and sow the seed right from the plants outside. Sure would be easier....my living room is starting to look like a nursery as it is.

-- Annie (mistletoe6@earthlink.net), March 02, 2002.

Hi Diane, and all, Diane, I am so intrigued by your methodology of planting your flowers where you want your lavender plants. I have desperately tried to establish a good lavender bed, my very favorite flowering herb. Perhaps I've simply been working too hard at it, eh? Just plant, and forget it? LOL! Now, then...guess I'd better hunt up that dried bundle from someone else's bed;) How long did it take to germinate, and then...did it flower?? Smiles! Linda

-- Linda Be (lindabe@ywave.com), March 03, 2002.

Linda, it actually germinated quite rapidly. The real point in planting the dryed flowers is.......pick when the flower has begun to dry and plant. Like REALLY FRESH. I had read that in a book by an old herb gardener and found it really worked. After literally years of trying to get a nice patch of lavender from seed, that is what finally worked for me. I would think if you just knew anyone who actually grew it and could get a starting to dry flower from them, you would find you had a wonderful germination rate.

-- diane (gardiacaprines@yahoo.com), March 04, 2002.

Hi Diane, Thanks so much for that valuable tip! I might drop a few flower heads I already have in some dirt, and just see. But I will most definitely try to get my hands on some fresh flowers this summer at the markets, and try it again then, if that fails. Smiles! Linda

-- Linda (lindabe@ywave.com), March 05, 2002.

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