How to Plant Lavender Seeds? A Detailed Guide to the Latest Planting Method

Lavender is an aromatic herb. Because the whole plant carries a fragrant scent, many people like to grow it at home. For ordinary gardening enthusiasts, sowing seeds is basically the method used, so how to plant lavender seeds is the first question facing gardening fans. Let's take a look below at how to plant lavender seeds!

Preparation for Planting Lavender

1. Container selection: For sowing lavender seeds at home, you can use a relatively short small flower pot, or substitute other containers, such as a yogurt cup. Poke a few small holes in the bottom of the cup with an awl. A disposable plastic cup also works, but since it is transparent, it is best to wrap the outside with black paper or slip it into a paper cup (if the plant's roots are exposed to sunlight, growth will be affected, and the soil is prone to growing green moss).

2. Growing medium selection: Lavender seeds are relatively small and have a low germination rate, so the soil used for sowing generally needs to be loose, breathable, and highly water-retentive, and must be thoroughly sterilized. You can use a mix of vermiculite, peat, sphagnum moss, perlite, osmund fiber, and other ingredients, or make your own mix if conditions allow.

How to Plant Lavender Seeds

1. Soaking seeds in warm water: Lavender seeds should be soaked in 40-degree warm water, which can improve the germination rate of lavender seeds. After the water cools, continue soaking for 24 hours, which makes them easier to germinate.

2. Sowing method: Generally, for slightly larger seeds (such as lavender and sage), you can dibble 2~3 seeds per container, and after germination keep one stronger seedling depending on how the seedlings are growing. For very small seeds (such as marjoram), you can broadcast sow them: dip your hand in some seeds and gently scatter them over the soil, then thin the seedlings after germination. Keep 1~3 seedlings as appropriate.

3. Covering seeds with soil: The thickness of the soil covering the seeds depends on seed size, generally 2~3 times the diameter of the seed. Small seeds need thinner soil, while lavender seeds are large and can be covered with thicker soil. Some seeds are strongly photoblastic and do not need to be covered with soil (such as lemon balm and rosemary).

4. Watering to retain moisture: After sowing lavender, water thoroughly. Use a fine spray bottle and do not use force, so as not to wash the seeds away. The bottom-watering method is best: fill a large basin with 2/3 basin of water, set the container into the basin, and let water slowly seep in through the bottom holes of the container. The water level in the large basin should not exceed the height of the soil in the container. After sowing, cover the container with plastic wrap, poke a few small holes in the plastic wrap for ventilation, place the container in sunlight, and maintain a temperature of around 20 degrees. Most seeds can germinate after one week.

5. Germination management: After lavender seeds germinate, you can remove the plastic wrap. For small seeds, you can wait until the seedlings are a little stronger before removing it.

6. Potting at the right time: After lavender seeds germinate, the seedlings can be potted once they grow 4~6 true leaves. At first, use a small pot for potting, and after the seedlings grow larger, switch to a larger pot as appropriate. When changing pots, wait until the soil is somewhat dry (because after repotting you need to water; if the soil is wet, the moist period will last too long and the seedlings may grow poorly). First add more than half a pot of nutrient-rich potting soil to the small pot. To avoid damaging the root system, do not shake off the soil near the roots during transplanting; move it directly into the small pot, then fill soil up to the roots. After transplanting, be sure to water thoroughly and shade the plant for a few days, then it can be placed in sunlight for care.

Lavender Planting Management

1. Soil: Lavender seeds are suitable for slightly alkaline or neutral sandy soil with good drainage. You can use a mix of 1/3 perlite, 1/3 vermiculite, and 1/3 peat moss. If cultivating in open ground, pay attention to soil drainage; you can mound the soil higher before planting.

2. Watering: Lavender does not like water to remain around the roots for long. After one thorough watering, give water again when the soil is dry, aiming for the surface growing medium to be dry while the interior remains moist, and for the leaves to be only slightly wilted. Always avoid sunlight when watering, usually in the morning. Water must not splash on the leaves and flowers, otherwise they rot easily and pests and diseases are encouraged. A continuously moist environment prevents the roots from getting enough air to breathe, leading to poor growth or even sudden death of the whole plant. This is often where lavender cultivation fails.

3. Light: Lavender is a full-sun plant and needs ample sunlight and a suitably humid environment. An environment with full sun is better; partial sun will also allow growth. In summer, at least 50% of sunlight should be blocked, and ventilation should be increased to lower the ambient temperature. In this way, although growth will be weaker, the plant will not die. In winter, lavender can grow well on flat ground and should be cultivated in full sun.

4. Temperature: Lavender prefers warm winters and cool summers. The suitable growing temperature is 15~25°C, and it can grow at 5~30°C. If it stays above 38~40°C for a long time, the upper stems and leaves turn yellow and dry. If the temperature is too low, below 0°C, it begins dormancy. During dormancy, mature plants can withstand low temperatures of -20~-25°C.

5. Fertilizing: For fertilizing, bone meal can be placed in the potting soil as a base fertilizer, usually once each quarter. For seedlings, you can apply Huabao No. 2 (20-20-20); after the plant matures, apply a fertilizer higher in phosphorus, such as Huabao No. 3 (20-30-20). Apply diluted fertilizer.

6. Pruning: Lavender flowers have the richest essential oil content. When using them, the flowers or flower spikes are the main part. To make harvesting easier, in the early cultivation stage some small flower spikes may as well be trimmed flat with large scissors; the newly grown flower spikes will then be uniform in height, which helps with harvesting all at once. Some varieties can reach 90 cm in height. This method is also used to keep the plant low and encourage more branching and flowering, increasing the harvest. After flowering, pruning must be done. You can prune the plant to 2/3 of its original size; the plant shape will be more compact and this benefits growth. Pruning is generally done in spring; pruning in autumn will affect cold resistance. Finally, note that when pruning you should not damage the woody part, so as to avoid the plant dying.