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Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Free Lavender Plants From Cuttings Using An Existing Plant


To think I used to buy lavender plants when I already owned one! I try not to dwell on it. The truth of the matter is, all you need is access to a mature lavender plant, some scissors and soil, and you have new plants already! Spring and fall are the best times to propagate lavender.


Cut a tender piece (about 4 inches long) from the lower part of the plant, specifically one that hasn't bloomed (you don't want any flowers on your cutting). You also do not want a thick, woody, mature cutting.


Remove the bottom third of the leaves. (Edited to add: After I prepared this post, a family member who is an agronomist shared that I would have even better results if I left only the upper 1/3 of the leaves on the cutting.)


Insert cutting in a pot of healthy soil, making sure there are drainage holes at the bottom. Keep plant moist and place indoors, near a window for light. Continue to keep it moist but do not over water. When you notice some obvious growth (about a month's time or more), and the weather is acceptable to the plant, then you can either give it away as a lovely gift or plant in your own yard.


A week before you intend to transplant, you will want to get them acclimated by giving them a few hours of sun time each day. I was impatient and didn't do this.  At the beginning, my plants wilted a bit and I thought they may not make it. I had to place a laundry basket over them during the hot hours and they eventually sprung back to life. 


Plant in the early morning or late afternoon in a sunny spot when weather is cooler. Give it plenty of water.


The reason I love lavender is that it is beautiful, fragrant, medicinal, has a variety of uses, is heat resistant, doesn't require a lot of water and therefore low maintenance.

Note: The picture above is the same plant a few months later. We expect to have blooms the following year.


What other plants will this method work for? You can try doing this with lemon verbena, chamomile, rosemary and sage for starters!

You may also be interested in What to Make and Do with All Your Lovely Lavender. The Chick n' Coop shows us how to make lavender sugar and lavender goat's milk soap. And that is just to name a few... I will be sharing many more lavender related projects in the future because we are in love with this pleasing plant.

"And because the breath of flowers is far sweeter in the air (where it comes and goes, like the warbling of music) than in the hand, therefore nothing is more fit for that delight than to know what be the flowers and plants that do best perfume the air."
~ Bacon

40 comments:

  1. Woooow!! So good to know! I am amazed right now at how easy it is to propagate!! You can never have too many lavender plants!!

    Thank for the links back to our blog!:) Sweet of you!

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  2. Simply lovely! Thank you for sharing! I've heard of doing something like this with rosemary plants, too. Do you know if the process is the same?

    I found your post through the link up at Deep Roots at Home. Whenever I link up there and look to visit another site, I always seem to end up here without trying to. I enjoy your posts.

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    1. Good ;) You are welcome here anytime :)

      Also, according to the comment below, it looks like Rosemary would be a candidate too...

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  3. I actually did just this, totally by accident thanks to two of my children. They had picked both lavender and rosemary for me from the garden and wanted to put them in water in the kitchen to make it smell good so I obliged. Days then weeks went on and I noticed the water was a bit murky but the plants weren't dead yet. I went to toss them just one afternoon as I was cleaning off the counters and was shocked to find roots growing on the rosemary twig. The lavender didn't have any (yet) but still was green and flexible so I left it. A week or two later I checked it and sure enough - roots! I had tried rooting compound int he past and failed miserably both times... kinda frustrating in a way :P

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    1. Thanks for sharing! That is so neat. I know that you can use the rooting hormone but I like the idea of not needing a home depot in order to do something…. Don't you :) Your children must have green thumbs!

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  4. Looking forward to your future projects with this amazing plant.

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    1. Thanks Dallena! Hope you are doing well!

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  5. Hi Jes, thanks for the lavender tutorial. Plants and I do not usually fare well together, but I might be able to pull this off. Thanks for the inspiration. ~ Abby

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    1. If my non-green hands can, they I know you can too :)

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  6. Oh, JES, I didn't know you could do that with lavender! It is for our enjoyment that God made them to be discovered, yes? :)
    Also, as we follow along with Jesus'last week before going to His Father, I am so thankful we don't get what we deserve! It is all for His namesake and ultimate glory! Oh, what a wonderful Savior we have! May you have a blessed Resurrection celebration with your loved ones!

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  7. Thank you for this helpful information. I am like Abby and I do not do well with plants, but I would love to try this :)

    Hugs,
    Stephanie

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  8. I've been trying to start lavender seeds with no luck, when the whole time I have a beautiful lavender plant growing outside! Thanks for pointing out the obvious. :) I'll definitely be propagating some lovely stems this week!

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  9. Great idea. We may try that here this year. And you can cook with your lavender too, so another use.
    Jennifer

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  10. I need to get me some lavender. One plant is all I need. ;0) Thanks for sharing!

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  11. This is great! I need to try this :) Thanks for sharing this on Wildcrafting Wednesday! Hope to see you again today!
    http://www.theselfsufficienthomeacre.com/2013/04/wildcrafting-wednesday-14.html

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  12. Had to share this on Facebook - great post. I'm ready to go out into my garden and get free lavender and rosemary plants:)

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  13. This is great info. We lost a couple lavender plants last summer so I will definitely try this to replace them. Thanks!

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  14. I was just wondering how I was going to propagate my lavender plant, it is one of my favorite herbs. Thanks for the links for more recipes to add to my lavender book - here are a few things I do with my lavender. http://www.anniesplacetolearn.com/1/post/2013/07/all-about-lavender-how-to-grow-care-for-and-use-it.html

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    1. I will definitely check that out. We love lavender around here!

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  15. I haven't tried this, but I will now. Thank you. :)

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  16. I love lavender and this is a great way to get more bang for your buck! Thank you for the inspiration!

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  17. I love lavender too and have bookmarked this really helpful post.
    Thank you so much for sharing!
    Visiting from Stephanie's Roses of Inspiration.

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  18. I never knew! Thanks for the tutorial!

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  19. This is so good to know, JES! Although Lavender and I do not get along I do enjoy using it for other people :) Thank you for sharing at Roses of Inspiration - I always appreciate your posts. Hugs to you!

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  20. I have had trouble with transplanting lavender in the past. I've never tried growing cuttings, so I'm looking forward to trying this in a few weeks.
    Thanx!

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    1. It is so fun to have free plants to give as gifts too! I hope you give it a try :)

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  21. With Pelargonium and other plants I make it too.
    But by the lavender I let the seeds on in autumn and next summer I have many little new plants, they grow by themselves... Have always a gift: a nice pot with a lavender plant.
    But, maybe, it works not with all kinds of lavender?

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  22. JES - I am glad to see this... I have successfully started lots of new plants by trial and error, but I haven't done it with lavender or rosemary....and I really want to have more of both! Thank you. :)

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  23. Now all I have to do is find some lavender plants. Thanks. - Margy

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  24. I use to grow lavender when we lived in Manitoba. I didn't know you could start other plants like this though.

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  25. Great post. this is such an awesome tip and i will definitely be doing this with my lavender this spring. Congrats on being chosen as a featured post on this week’s Wildcrafting Wednesdays! I hope you'll join us again and share more of your awesome posts.
    http://www.herbanmomma.com

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  26. Your post is just what I needed -I just planted lavender and wanted to buy more to fill in the area. I'll wait till fall and give this a try!

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    1. You will love it! I end up with a lavender factory at times! :)

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  27. I've done this with all of my herbs! Basil, oregano, lavender and mint. It's such a simple, easy, frugal permaculture solution!

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    1. Very good to know! Thank you for sharing! :)

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  28. I tried growing lavender from seed but out of a whole package not one came up. I don't know anyone who has a plant for cuttings. Too bad, this looks like the best way. - Margy

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    1. Oh too bad!!! I can't seem to get anything to grow but this project is my biggest success! Keep an eye out-- you may find a plant hidden somewhere :)

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  29. Im sorry to bother here, and i hope im not pestering, But if anyone is willing to would anyone be willing to mail me Lavender and/or other Herb cuttings to propogate? i do not know anyone local to get cuttings from and i have no luck with seeds. i will be willing to trade a few of my current plants but i doupt any i have would be worth the herbs.. my email is Dragontiger_6291988 at yahoo. if anyone would like to discuss more.

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