Hello there, sorry if this is in the wrong section, but it sure is edible :-)
I took some lavender cuttings by pulling off a new shoot and including a bit of the heel. I planted in perlite and have been watering and feeding for about five days now but there has been no new roots at all.
Am I rushing it or does it look like a non starter? I have misted the cuttings everyday and they are in the greenhouse.
My original plant is very old and woody and is to be pulled up at the weekend to make way for a new door so I only have tonight to get some more cuttings if I've done the wrong thing!
I notice the cuttings have gone a bit paler and a teeny bit limp, but nothing major, I wouldnt say they look dying..........yet!
Many thanks for any help
Hello Shirl, I think 5 days is a bit soon for roots to start showing although lavender is a quick and easy rooter.
Did you mix any compost in with the perlite?. I would do a 50/50 mix and strip off the lower leaves, then insert into the compost mix. (Make sure they're not flowering stems) keep moist like you are, but I dont think they need to stay in the greenhouse, could be too warm at the moment - do you have a cold frame you could place them in? they would be fine in there. Any how leave them in the pots until you can see visible signs of growth and then pot on. I would say if you are in doubt about the ones you took, then take some more - you could always give them away if they all took. Good Luck.
Many thanks for that cflossy
No I put them in 100% perlite as I read on the internet. I shall take some more now and put them in a 50/50 with compost, thanks for that.
Well I did wonder whether the greenhouse would be too hot, so outside they will go! It doesnt matter if I end up with a lot of cuttings, you can never have enough lavender! ;D
I agree with cflossy. But to add, I wouldn't mist them at all. They tend to die and rot. The only reason you do mist is so that plants don't lose water from the leaves (transpiration) and lavender doesn't lose a lot of water from the leaves. Also, they do like bottom heat. I take the fresh shoots, about 3cm long,sometimes with heel, trim heel, dip in the smallest of hormone rooting powder (although probably not necessary), make hole in compost, 50/50 perlite and clay based soil pre-watered, insert cutting and firm in well. I then place the pot (5" pan) on a cheapy electric propagator, don't cover, and water from the bottom only. Rooting takes place in 2-3 weeks.
Thanks for that Jennym, i've done a few more cuttings today before the plant was uprooted. I had a little rooting powder so used that, fingers crossed now! :-)
Good luck.
Well after the advice given here on lavender cuttings, I now find that the little plants are a couple of inches high and the growth is a very light green.
But what happens now? I have them on my kitchen windowsill in quite a crowded tub. Can I just pop them in my unheated greenhouse and forget about them? I cant keep them in the house as the kitchen is coming out and they will be damaged.
I dont really want to split them into separate tubs either so I hope they dont mind being crowded!
Its very difficult to find out info on what happens in the in between stages, i've gone and bought loads of books, including the RHS encyclopedia of gardening (£3 from a car boot sale!!) but they dont seem to tell you what stages there are.
Many thanks
Yes, unheated is fine. leave themn alone (I can't resist looking for roots) and water sparingly from the bottom. You should see some new growth in spring. the growth you have may be only for the energy left in the stem. If there are roots, I'd carefully pot them on into separate pots. Plenty
of grit.
Thanks Jenny, im hardly to blame, I wouldnt have to keep pulling them up to check for roots if the soil was transparent! ;D
The early ones I did with the misting, they all died but these new ones look great, really looking forward to cheery pots of lavender next year.
Thank you
Best of luck.