Lavender Plant

I have a lavender plant that I planted about 7 years ago. It came in one of those square 2" x 2" pots. Now this thing is 3 feet in diametre. I love it & I'd like to know if I can make new plants by propagation?

Re: Lavender Plant

Yes you can AC. I have peeled off little semi-ripe side shoots about 4ins long, with a "heel" around mid summer. Dip them in rooting hormone if you have any, and after watering, cover with a clear poly bag. I find they will usually root within 4 or 5 weeks.

Re: Lavender Plant

Thanks Mups, do you mean you leave each stem about 4" long?
Do you dip the cut ends in rooting powder before placing in soil?

Re: Lavender Plant

Take cuttings roughly 4ins long. Tidy up the 'heel', and gently remove the lower leaves of the cutting, then dip the newly cut end in the rooting powder. Put several cuttings around the edge of your chosen pot and water them in gently. Then cover with a bag but keep out of strong sunshine. They should root just fine.
I have forgotten to put a bag on sometimes, but they have still rooted ok.

Re: Lavender Plant

That's great Mups, 2 more questions. What exactly is the heel & could I do it anytime?

Thanks!

Re: Lavender Plant

If you gently pull a cutting away from the main stem in a downward movement, it doesn't often come away with a dead straight break, it often comes off with a long pointed bit on the broken edge - that is what is meant by the heel. Just trim off the longest pointy bit of the heel.
You can take cuttings from mid to late summer, but you could always Google it to make sure I'm telling you correctly.
It's worked for me well enough anyway, but be patient because it can take a few weeks.

Re: Lavender Plant

Mups, do you know if this is the right time to do the same with berberis? I've got a lovely red one that I'd like to replicate.

Re: Lavender Plant

Thanks again Mups!!

Re: Lavender Plant

They can be grown from cuttings Orangutan but apparently not very successful.

Propagation

It can be propagated from pencil-thick cuttings taken between September and November, either heeled or cut under the leaf node.These will root more quickly with bottom heat and mist. But even without, cuttings should root within a year. Plants raised from seed are variable.

Follow Mups instructions to try.

Re: Lavender Plant

AC this is the heel Mups is describing ....