Hi,
concerning propagating Lavender, and some other plants: If you try sticking the cutting in water and it doesn't develop roots in a reasonable time; say two to three weeks, or the plant stems get black and soggy, you need to try putting them in a soilless medium to try and get them to develop roots.
Always use soilless mixture, it is part peat moss, part vermiculite or perlite. Or you can use builder's sand. Any combination of any of the above will work. I sometimes use only vermiculite. What you are looking for is a clean material that drains very well. Root rot is not what you need. Don't use bagged potting soil. It is too heavy and may carry viruses or bacteria. Always wet you soilless mixture completely before attempting to set your cuttings. I use lukewarm water. Keep the mixture moist but never soggy.
Choosing your cutting
- Pick a plant that is healthy and vigorous.
- Choose stems that are coming out of the sides of the plant not in the middle. Side shoots root faster.
- You want a cutting no more than 3 to 6 inches max. Bigger is not better! Strip the leaves off the bottom ½ to 2/3 of the cutting. If you can do this with your fingers it is preferable to using a scissors. You want enough leaves for the plant to be able to make food but not too many so that it can't concentrate on growing roots. If the plant is flowering (not an ideal time to propagate but it can be done) cut off all the flowering buds. You don¹t want it's energy directed there.
- Make the final cut it a node (an intersection where one or more leaves jut out of the stem) because there is more growth hormone at that site. If you can make the cut at an angle, more of the stem will be exposed to start to root. I use extra growth hormone powder, some growers don't. You can try it without and if it doesn't work, you can always try it using the rooting hormone. I haven't noticed much difference either way.
- Firm the cutting into your growing medium (there should be no leaves touching the medium) and put some clean plastic over the top forming a mini-greenhouse. Making sure the plastic does not touch any of the leaves. Put the cuttings under your fluorescent lights with the plastic off. The lights should be 3 to 6 inches away from the top of the cutting and should be on at least 12 hours a day.
- Now you just wait, making sure the leaves that you left do not dry out. Mist them if they are not in a humid environment. The growing medium should be moist but never soggy, as the roots need oxygen. When you see some new growth or when you tug on them and they resist, they are ready to pot up.
- Do note, you'll not get 100% success trying to propagate plants using any method; its a numbers game, so the more you try, the more you'll be successful with. Its always a joy to produce a new plant from one you already have; its also a cheaper way to add plants to your collection or landscape.
- I haven't tried lavender yet, but just happened to see some at Lowes today, but the prices on they're potted Lavender was so high, I had to pass on it. I took the master's gardners class in 1995, but with chronic pain, its often too painful to get out and really get my hands dirty, but I'm slowly trying to build up a good stock of plants and start a small, home based plant nursery as our income needs major supplementing. Let me know if you are successful at rooting the Lavender; thats one way I learn how to do more things myself. Take care, Marksc1956@aol.com
- Lumberton, NC