How to sow true lavender: the right actions

Lavandula angustifolia or more simply officinal lavender. Here we will find out how to easily sow it. It should not be confused with lavandin which is a hybrid between true lavender and asp lavender which is reproduced exclusively by cuttings.

Harvesting lavender seeds in autumn

The seeds were collected after winter, lodged in the dried inflorescences. In principle, the seeds are harvested in autumn. True lavender hardly exceeds 50 cm in height, while lavandin can climb much higher.

Sowing in March

After the harvest, that is, in March, the small black seeds were sown in a bucket filled with a mixture of universal potting soil, garden soil, and a little sand.
The goal is to obtain a rather lean and light mixture. Never use rich potting soil for lavender seedlings. In March, the sowing was able to take advantage of the heat which favored the emergence of a small part of the seeds.

Sowing in June

If you do not have a heated greenhouse, wait until June to sow the lavender seeds, always according to the same principle.
Emergence can be very long and some seeds can wait an additional year to germinate, which is often the case in nature.

How to sow your lavender seeds?

1. Distribute the seeds on the lightly packed substrate.
2. Cover the seeds with a thin layer of soil.
3. Pack the seedbed.
4. Dip the cup to moisten it by capillary action.
5. Place a small canvas on the seedling to prevent drying out (wintering veil).
6. Lavenders can take several weeks to germinate so you have to be patient.
7. Store lavenders in their pot in the heat for at least 1 month if they are not very dense.

Transplant the lavender

1. Transplant the young lavenders in pots with a light soil and slightly richer than the soil for seedlings.
2. Keep the soil moist until the next repotting in a larger pot 12 cm in diameter or plant directly in the ground in full sun. Keep a space of 50 cm between each plant. The ideal is to wait until the following spring before considering a permanent planting.

True lavender grows above 800 meters in elevation in dry, stony areas and in limestone soil. It tolerates the cold very well when the soil is well-drained. It is the ideal plant to install in a rather dry slope. On the other hand in wet and clayey soil, it will disappear in the first year of culture. True officinal lavender is particularly popular in a raised vegetable patch.