Growing Lavender from Seed – Tips from growing the seed to harvest

If you intend to grow lavender from seeds, then here are some tips for you. You will be rewarded with healthy lavender plants if you follow these tips meticulously. So, start reading further to achieve success in your project.

Selecting the correct seed variety
When you intend to buy lavender seeds you must be certain about what you want. Some of the basic criteria are quantity of essential oil, height of the plant, volume of bloom, etc. You must also take into consideration the climate of your area too. Finally when you have choked out all these details, go for the seeds that are the best of the lot and disease resistant too.

When to sowing the seeds
You must be well aware that growing plant from seeds is a slower process as compared to those grown from cuttings. Therefore, it is extremely important to sowing the seeds in early autumn. Start off by planting the seeds in the seed trays. Transplant them outdoors as soon as the spring arrives. In cooler regions delay the sowing process to spring. Simultaneously, transplant them outdoors during early summers.

Climatic requirements of the seeds
You must plant the seeds in your garden on a bright and sunny. The climate must be dry. Or else the seeds may get damaged due to humidity. Greater percentage of water vapor in the atmosphere might also promote disease infestation in your newly planted seeds.

Soil preparation
Soil preparation is the utmost important task you must undertake if you wish to be successful in growing lavender from seeds. Therefore, prepare the soil by mixing together thick grained soil in a ration of 3:1. Addition of sand to the planting medium makes it light and promotes good drainage. Lavender thrives best in alkaline soil. So, check the pH of the soil in order to promote maximum growth of lavender. In case if it is necessary add additives like limestone, wood ash, ground shells etc. to make the soil alkaline. In case of poor soil you can add organic compost. Never forget to prow the soil before sowing the lavender seeds as the plant prefers loose soil. It also prevents wild grasses from growing in the seed bed and obstructing the healthy growth of lavender.

Fertilizers and manures for lavender
Fertilizer should preferably be added to the soil just prior to the flowering season. The basic fertilizers that you should opt for are potassium sulphate, calcium sulphate and ammonium sulphate. Mix them in equal proportion and add in a ratio 1:5 with the planting medium. This fertilizer mixture will also prevent the leaves from getting brown due to harsh sunrays in summers.

Watering
After sowing the seeds ensure regular watering to promote germination. But water only when the soil feels moist to touch. Lavender is a draught resistant plant. So, over watering may kill the plant due to root rot. If your garden is in a dry area then moderate watering is ideal during the growing seasons. But by that time your seeds must germinate into matured plants. Avoid sprinkler watering as that can develop fungal growth on the leaves.

How to prevent from pest and disease
Lavender is vulnerable to diseases like Phoma, Gray Mold, Rhizoctonia and Armillaria mellea. The only alternative to prevent them is to promote good drainage. It resists water from getting pooled around the roots. An additional dosage of fungicide is also necessary. Apply the same on every alternate week. It will counter the aggravation of already prevalent fungal disease in your lavender plant. Likewise, pest attack is also common in lavender. Thus, spray pesticide before the blooming time to prevent Meligetes beetles. Spraying pesticide during winter and early spring is effective against pests like Cecidomia and Sophronia humerella. Herbicide is a powerful against the parasitic plant Cuscuta.

Cuttings, pruning & harvesting
The best time to cut and harvest the flowers of lavender is the second flowering season. Start off on a dry, sunny day preferably between June to September. Pruning should be ideally done just before the growing season, which is early spring.

In order to be successful with lavender plantation you must have sound knowledge on some of the essentials like type of seeds to be selected, way of preparing the soil, the pests and diseases that harm lavender, etc. Follow these steps and you will find that it is extremely easy to grow lavender from seeds.