PROPAGATE LAVENDER
Grow new replacement plants from cuttings taken from old, unproductive lavender plants
Lavender plants become woody over time and start to look increasingly straggly and less f loriferous. Replacing them is the only option because lavender won’t regenerate if it’s pruned back into woody growth. Rather than buy in new plants, it’s easy to grow your own replacements.
You will need
l 9cm (3½in) pots l Multipurpose compost l Fine grit or perlite l Pencil or dibber l Hormone rooting powder l Clear plastic bags l Plant labels
How to do it
l Prepare your pots. Fill to just below the rim of the pot with compost mixed with grit or perlite. Make holes around the edge with your finger, pencil or a dibber. l Choose healthy sideshoots. Look for a healthy parent plant and pull the shoots away from the main stem.
You want cuttings that have a thin layer of bark (or ‘heel’) attached where they were pulled away. Remove the lower leaves so the bottom half of the cutting is bare stem.
l Dip the base into hormone rooting powder. Tap off any excess, then insert cuttings into the holes around the pot. Water, add a label then cover with a plastic bag to retain moisture. You could use three plant labels to help support your plastic bag ‘tent’.
l Place pots in a bright spot. This should be out of direct sunlight. A heated propagator speeds up the rooting process.
l Remove excess water. Every couple of days take off the bag to get rid of any excess moisture that has built up. You need just enough humidity to ensure the cuttings don’t dry up, yet not so much that they get mildew and rot. Remove bags completely after 4-6 weeks, then pot on cuttings when you can see roots poking out of the base of the pot.