For lavender, and other small seeds, I use the tip of a pencil. I dip the tip into a bowl of water then touch it to a seed. It attaches like a magnet. Then I carefully wipe it into the planting cell. 😊
I just got some lavender seeds from asda, put normal planting compost from asda in a pot chucked the seeds on top of the compost put them in a room what is 15c most of the time, 3 days later there growing nicely.
Interesting. My main problem is heat (far north of NZ) and humidity. We often get stifling hot days so I keep lavender seed in the fridge for a few days to make them think it's winter; for us, that means maybe a light frost a few times and very rarely, puddles with a thin ice cover! Different varieties of lavender probably germinate differently. I just collect seed myself.
I got some organic lavender seeds from tractor supply. They are extremely tiny.....they came up and bloomed .. they were white daisy looking flowers..... so pissed off.
I planted over 21 dqys ago and nothing. They have some shade in the morning hours but then have 6+ hours of full sun and watered regularly. I replanted in same pot hoping something will grow. Today i have hope. Out of 6 planters i have 1 sprout. So!!! Thank for the video will try seedlings next spring
Thanks Jessica - I'm doing more on lavender this year. I did a seedling follow-up shortly after the original: czcams.com/video/AIqIMvlee5I/video.html Not specific to lavender only, but I had them in mind when I made it.
My lavender required stratification on packet, tried without and didn't work, after a few months in the fridge they sprouted by just taking them out of the fridge.
I have a white lavender a couple of years old. Cut the blooms late in the season, dried them and made sachets. The ones I kept for self I just planted today for growing under lights. Wonder if there were any seeds in there that will sprout? A true novice...lol
I think tricky part is how to take care of seedlings once they germinate all the,way to the point of transplanting in bigger part. Most of us noobs end up losing them by not knowing how to take proper care of them. For example where do you keep them ? Under what conditions ? You said you may sell them next spring so that's a long time to take proper care for them, How often do you water them ? When do you fertilize them, if ever
Good point, and thanks. I'll definitely cover off some of those topics as I get into spring potting with these and other crops - and of course I'm happy to answer here. Once well rooted in the plugs, I graduate almost all of my perennials into 9cm (4 inch) pots with a bark mix (as in my potting soil video) with a low rate of slow-release fertilizer. If I think they need more fertilizer, I liquid feed one every second watering. I grow them on in an unheated cold-frame greenhouse, and I'm hoping to get them to selling size in 4 months. Watering frequency is a whole other topic I should cover in more detail. If overwintering is necessary, I do have a (very old) vid on that topic. Anyhow, please don't hesitate to hit me up for more details here in the comments of any video. I'll skip stuff. I'll miss stuff. Not intentionally - so I'm pleased to get questions and feedback.
The seeds need some light to germinate, so just barely cover if at all. I just make a little depression in the top if the soil and drop them in without covering. Lavender prefers well-drained soil, so when growing in containers, just make sure to use a light potting mix (peat & perlite works well to start).
Love your show, can you grow your hair just above the top of your ear and make it a little messy. Wear cool t-shirts. You are awesome!! I'll keep watching.
Fraser Valley Rose Farm thanks ! I see a bunch of videos where they germinate inside and use indoor lighting I live in ama apartment I can’t do all that could I just plant vegetables and fruits in soil and try to grow them ? Or do I forcefully have to germinate indoor and grow into seedling then transplant ?
@@InfamousKiddXD of course you don’t have to start indoors. Nature doesn’t have an indoors. Indoors starting is for areas where it is freezing weather.
I grow a lot of different stuff around here . I grow a lot of basil , thyme , rosemary, English lavender , dill , parsley etc. one day hint I’m looking for that I can set under trees is this stuff called lady slipper. I’d like to find some seed or a plant of it. I already grow stuff like catnip and peppermint but I’d like to find some other rare medicinal herbs . Foxglove is good something to have around for congestive heart failure patients but must know how to use that stuff proper. I’m going to start distilling lavender here soon.
Me too. I don't use the humidity cover on my seeds because I've found it increases rot and encourages stretch. I don't know if that's what killed your seedlings, but why not try without? Best luck!
On most any seedling too much humidity can cause fungus to kill them. They kinda get stringy, fall over and die. Some people call it “damping off”. Air flow is very important.
Hey Jason! LOVE your videos. I’m in zone 7b and want to start a lavender farm. I’m having lots of trouble finding the best variety for my zone. Which do you recommend for my new venture? Thanks so much!
In zone 7 you get pretty free choice among the English (angustifolia) varieties and the x. intermedia varieties (like 'Grosso') - and both of these groups are highly fragrant. I might shy away from the Spanish lavender (stoechas) varieties as a little more tender.
Thanks - you can see them at around the 5 minute mark of this video: czcams.com/video/AIqIMvlee5I/video.html After that, I ran out of time for follow ups last season, but I'll see if I can do more with my batch from this year.
They don't need much cover (if at all) - lavender seeds need some light to germinate. Make sure to water frequently enough to keep the seeded area moist for germination.
Can I just place mine in a warm room next to a sunny window ? I do not have lights for plants so wondering if they will still grow without lights and just the sunny window
Sure. The lights are only there to supplement my natural light. There was a lot less sunlight when I got these started, and not every tray is right beside the window - without the extra lights, my seedling were stretching toward the window. If you have better sun, and your seedlings don't stretch, you're all good.
Great video, getting ready to plant lavender this week myself. Enjoy your channel. Can you comment on which LED you use and what to look for when choosing LEDS? Thanks again for great channel.
Thanks Tim. Best luck with your seeding. I'm still experimenting with lighting right now, so I don't have all the answers - but I know for sure that I'd spring for more expensive lights if I were using them as my sole source of light. One channel I like a lot is MIGRO - a real technical channel on grow lighting. However, he's focused on fairly expensive sole-source lighting for grow rooms, and high light intensities for yield. In my case, I'm only using the lamps as supplemental, and to control stretch in the seedlings. For the most part, my seedlings "graduate" out to the greenhouse within a week or so from unfurling leaves - so I can shuffle and redirect the lamps as needed to the trays with the most seedlings. I'm currently using a 50w waterproof blurple LED from Amazon (like $50), and a couple of off-the-shelf warm white type LED spotlights (may have been $10 each) from Home Depot. Low investment, low wattage, and flexible to my needs. Hope that gives you some ideas, and I'll keep experimenting until I find something I like better.
I hope to see your update on the lavender! I bought an "eco cube" for lavender that has seeds and special fertilizer already. Some seeds have germinated but I'm worried that the seedlings are not growing properly as they've grown thin and tall so they droop!..and they only have one thin main root. I am considering repotting them into regular soil (without their fertilizer), as I feel the eco cube soil is very loose. Should I?
Thanks. I'll see about an update when I transplant. As for your seedlings, could it be low light levels or poor air movement? Just checking. Overfertility may look more like a leaf tip burn, dark green color or root die back.
Is it late to grow lavender seeds in peat pellets? Can you please make a video with details on it? Like when and how much to water seeds in pellets, when to transplant, types of fertilizer etc.
Hi Salma. No it's not too late. Even later in the season would be okay - I sometimes grow plugs for summer/fall and overwinter them to size up early the next season. I'll post more videos through the spring on seedling/potted plant care as time allows. Thanks!
I just received my lavender seeds which I ordered last month end. I live in tropical area in India, we have monsoon now temperature as 24-32°C and good rain fall, should I plant them now directly in soil? Do they need cold stratified for 2 weeks?
I won't argue with what's worked for other people. I've done well without stratification, and my seed supplier (Jelitto) notes: "These seeds germinate rapidly depending on species and origin. If germination does not occur after 3-4 weeks a cooling period of 2-4 weeks is recommended." So I guess I'd try it if my seeds weren't popping. So far, no need.
Hi thank you for the video.I have questions when is the best for seeding which month.Also after seeding do i need to cover it with the plastic bag or just leave them grow without it please?
Hi Martina. I started mine early (in February, northern hemisphere) to have them ready for sale in the summer. You can start a little later if you don't want to use supplemental light. I don't cover at all.
I live in Canada zone 4 so when should I start my seeds, and if I am too late now, then I will wait until next year, by then I will have my new greenhouse, so then how big should they be before putting out in the greenhouse. Also where do I buy seed?
Hi Dorothy. It may be a bit late now to start - don't want to send the seedlings into the coming winter too small to survive. I got my seeds from Jelitto - but here in Canada Richters is decente (maybe a bit expensive, but good selection). William Dam also has a couple of varieties.
Hi Dorothy. It may be a bit late now to start - don't want to send the seedlings into the coming winter too small to survive. I got my seeds from Jelitto - but here in Canada Richters is decente (maybe a bit expensive, but good selection). William Dam also has a couple of varieties.
I'm try my had at growing English lavender from seed their sprouting fine but they start tilting to the side and then bind over and die what am I doing wrong
I sow some French lavender seeds and sage seed in a medium pot with regular soil & river sand mixed, I sow them 2 weeks, this morning I noticed one germinate in the pot. I live in the tropical Caribbean, I put the pot to direct sunlight and protect it from hard rain fall but this evening I noticed like a wild cat landed on the pot I sow the seeds and his like digging in the soil, I feel angry about so I leave it. Do u think I should just wait or re sow back some seeds again?
I'm wondering whether I actually have lavender growing? 😂 I see lots of videos saying they need stratification and lots and lots of comments saying how all their seeds failed. I literally bought a seeding tray, threw in some compost and sprinkled over the seeds and water. In about 10 days I have loads of little sprouts. I hope they are lavender but I feel it was far too easy for them to be
Hard to tell this early but I definitely wouldn't bet against them being lavender just because they were fast. Mine did not need stratification and also germinated with relative ease.
Hi Janet - my advice is to wait until early spring. It would take additional efforts in providing light and air movement to keep the seedlings happy during the winter - and in my opinion, there's not that much advantage to the earlier start
Hi Man Ee. In small plug trays, I still check them for water every day - there's just not much soil to hold moisture. On a cloudy day, I may skip, but on warm/sunny days they always need water. Once I transplant to a 9cm pot (which will be soon) I'll reduce watering by quite a bit. Thanks for watching!
Jason, I sowed a second batch of lavenders recently and have encountered a peculiar situation. On Feb 1 I sowed two varieties of lavender, Vera and Hidcote, which I sourced from two different reputable seed companies, after having stratified them for a month (Jan 3) in the fridge. About 50% of the Vera germinated and are growing, while as of today, Feb 21, NONE of the Hidcote seeds have germinated. Could you venture a guess as to why that might be the case? Does Hidcote seed take unusually long time to germinate or might there be another reason? Thank you for your advice.
My first thought goes to seed quality. I've germinated Hidcote from Jelitto with no stratification at all, and get 70-80% germination within 2 to 3 weeks.
Hi, what kind of soil did you use? I saw a video that advised to use 1 part potting mix, 1 part play sand, and 1 part perlite. Another video said regular compost will do, so I am not sure. I was able to germinate successfully after stratification but most of them died afterwards. I am not sure if it is due to my soil, over/under watering, or (in-door) lighting. Is there such thing as too much light for them? Do you give them any fertilizer as they grew (after germination)? Thank you.
Hi Vinh. Regular potting soil mix worked well for me. Additional sand/perlite would just help drainage - which you can also solve by frequency of watering. The top reasons for fast failure of seedlings would be : 1) damping off (from soil born disease, usually solved with a clean peat, coir or composted bark-based potting mix) 2) too much fertilizer. I feed a VERY dilute liquid solution - but full strength fert (esp. with a potting mix that has fertilizer already in it) would be too much.
I do use some warmth, but even average household temps would usually do it. Germination on lavender seeds can be pretty variable, and the quality (freshness) of the seeds makes a huge difference. If they don't germinate rapidly, I'll sometimes throw the whole tray into the fridge for 2-3 weeks and then back to warm. The cold treatment sometimes jump-starts the process.
Good afternoon. I am happy to tell you that several of the lavender seeds I sowed using your technique have sprouted and growing well. I have a couple of concerns and would appreciate your guidance. Some of them had started to flower three months after they had germinated, which I pinched off as I thought it was way too early for them to flower and that it might stunt their growth otherwise. I also pruned them down. Is that normal for them to flower so early? I had them under a grow light and was feeding them diluted fertilizer three times in a row and then once with water only. Also, I have noticed that a couple of the leaves on some of them are turning brown at the tip. Is that also normal or should I do something to mitigate that? I can send you a picture if that helps. Thanks again for all your help and advice.
Flowering is not a concern - you did the right thing by pinching it off in my opinion. Brown tips can be a problem, but there's a wide range of potential causes: at some point it could have suffered from dryness or overfertilization. Or alternately, brown tips can be because of too much humidity, and a little rot on the tips. I don't think I'd be able to tell the cause from a picture. You'll have to troubleshoot your growing conditions. I assume you've potted them up into a larger pot, and they've been transitioned to a place with some good amount of sun and air movement.
I live in S.E. Michigan and I'd like to start a 2 acre lavender farm. If I start with seed when should I start germinating? It's April 15th so I think I'm quite late already.
How exciting! Lavender is a long-term crop, so I don't see it as too late... maybe early for next year! If you have a place to overwinter them in containers, you can get them started now and size them up all season for planting next spring. Are you also starting some from cuttings?
@frazervalleyrosefarm Hi I’m growing lavender from seeds.. this is my 4th try in 4 months. Failed! They germinate from paper towel then I pot them in seed tray with plastic dome. They grow there but roots become brown then the seedling topple and die. One of the seedling is an inch tall thin with just the seed leaves. Don’t know what went wrong. I’m growing them on south facing window since we have a warmer climate we get good sunlight. Pls suggest what to do
Hi Shruti. I suspect that your seedlings rotted due to high humidity and poor air circulation under that plastic dome. This is just my guess, but I've had poor success under plastic domes in the past (both with seedlings and cuttings) because it's difficult to keep the right temperature, humidity and air circulation. After germination, I try to transition my seedlings to cooler temperatures, lower humidity and moderate light levels until they've grown their first true leaves - begin feeding with liquid feed (low concentration) and increase the light levels gradually until you're able to grow outside or in a greenhouse.
Fraser Valley Rose Farm thanks alot for your response . Our climate is more dry and its hard to maintain the right humidity but i believe you’re right about the air circulation. Plus my window light doesn’t seem enough for the seedling and now I’ve put a LED bulb(20w-2000lumen-6500k cool daylight ) over them around 3-4inches above. I’ve still kept the plastic dome on them since the humidy outside is below 20% and I’m gradually lifting the dome higher & higher every week so hoping it might work. What do you think?
I put the seeds most of them didn't came out.. During the germination process I watered them constantly but I don't know when to stop watering as it is a "dry flower"
I am wanting to start a small farm, would this be the best way then transplant them? Or plant directly into the ground? How long will it take for them to grow so I can start cutting them?
Hi Kiana - seedlings will take a while to size up and hold their own in the garden. I usually pot up 2x - once to a 9cm/4" pot, and next up to a gallon letting my seedlings or cuttings grow a full year before getting them into the ground.
Can I just use my table lamp for germination process? How much lumens or Watt do I need minimum? Can I use jiff dome and keep it outside under the sunlight?
I don't use a humidity dome at all, but if you do, you should remove it shortly after germination - it just keeps too much humidity. Natural sunlight is fine, but if you're in a warm climate like Egypt, I guess you should look for a part shaded area or indirect sunlight inside by a window. For supplemental light, I've had decent luck with fluorescent or LED spot lamps - for a single tray, you don't need too much wattage between 20 and 40 may be enough, but just watch your seedlings for stretch to know if you are doing okay.
@@FraserValleyRoseFarm I live in Illinois, USA and my balcony is blessed with full sunlight all day! 😍 Thanks for your response. We are learning a lot from you.
I live on the Mediterranean where summer is long, hot and humid and winter is mild. When would be the best time of year to sow lavender seeds in these conditions? Merci.
I just planted some lavender seeds but I just left them inside the little purple seed pods instead of removing them before planting. Will they still grow?
Again, thanks for sharing. Google says stratify lavender. Do you buy pre stratified seeds? I got 60 meters S facing sandy soil were I want two rows of lavender. Have 2000seeds coming. Guess I’ll call the seed supplier.
Fresh good quality seeds will often get good germination even without a cold treatment. I've been told that older seeds can respond well to a 2-3 week cold moist period if they're sporadic.
hey Jason, I am going to start some seeds to be able to plant next to my roses in the spring. Can I start them now, in the beginning of Autumn, and just keep them inside until the spring? How much light will I need to provide for them so they don't just get leggy?
Lavender isn't on my list for seeding this late into the season - the seedlings start off pretty small and they do need a lot of light. Unless you're in a warmer climate, I'd hold off.
I have successfully seeded 12 English Lavender in door a year ago in April. And moved them out door in late Summer. It was covered with a dome with ventilation hole in Winter until early Spring. I have put them in a 8” pot from a 6” pot and make sure they have at least 8 hours sun by moving them from one side to an other daily. I just found out one of them is kind of sticky and a little shinny on the leaves. I put on my reading glass to look closely and found out there are some dark colour tiny thing at the back of the leaves and some green soft shell pests on the stems. I have checked all other young lavender and they all have the pest but not sticky. I have cleaned them away with soap water by hand. Can you please tell me if I can spray them with neem oil, or what do I have to do to keep them from coming back.
I accidentally covered my English Lavender seeds lightly and it’s been less than a week and nothing came up, is there any chance that they’ll germinate?
I'm trying to remember, but I think I was using Promix (mainly chopped peat and fine perlite) at the time. I've grown them in a bark mix too, and just watered a little less.
If I were doing the video today, I'd probably use something like the SpiderFarmer SF1000 or similar. There are quite a few white LED lights in the similar price range. Amazon is pretty good to compare them.
Which lavender plant type grows the biggest? (There are like 3 or 4 types). I want to ask this because I see some lavender at the parking lots in some stores like Walmart for their landscaping. And they've got a big variety that's quite nice. It seems like it would be good to try to grow one of those big ones.
will it block the light too much if I keep my seed trays (smaller than yours) in plastic bags under my grow lights? (To keep them moist and not worry about drying out.)
Hi Merab Bhatti. I take my germination advice from Jelitto, just because they're the experts on perennial seeds - they note that most Lavenders will germinate rapidly with no stratification, and only recommend a short cooling period IF warm germination fails. For what it's worth, all of my lavender varieties (stoechas, viridis and angustifolia) sprouted with zero cold treatment. I hope that helps!
Ok forgive me but I am new to gardening and I’m about to plant my first vegetable garden and I also bought some lavender seeds because they smell amazing and for medicinal purposes. My question is, do you have to plant them in the cell first or can you just sprinkle into the ground? What is the purpose of doing this first? Thank you! Great video, btw!
Jason, I've used a peat moss based medium (sterile) to sow lavender seeds as you suggested. However, I have noticed green algae on the surface of the medium. Is that normal or should i do something to treat it? What can I do to prevent it in the future. Thank you and Happy New Year.
The cuticle tool from a manicure set works great for handling tiny seeds
Thanks Riley. I'll have to try that!
@@FraserValleyRoseFarm What kind of soil should I use?
Great idea
For lavender, and other small seeds, I use the tip of a pencil. I dip the tip into a bowl of water then touch it to a seed. It attaches like a magnet. Then I carefully wipe it into the planting cell. 😊
I just got some lavender seeds from asda, put normal planting compost from asda in a pot chucked the seeds on top of the compost put them in a room what is 15c most of the time, 3 days later there growing nicely.
Purple flowers purple trees I really Love.
Interesting. My main problem is heat (far north of NZ) and humidity. We often get stifling hot days so I keep lavender seed in the fridge for a few days to make them think it's winter; for us, that means maybe a light frost a few times and very rarely, puddles with a thin ice cover! Different varieties of lavender probably germinate differently. I just collect seed myself.
I got some organic lavender seeds from tractor supply. They are extremely tiny.....they came up and bloomed
.. they were white daisy looking flowers..... so pissed off.
Agh... so annoying!
Did they end up being chamomile?
Lol
You probably got chamomille
I extracted the seeds from a piece of lavender and they looked so beautiful when they bloomed 😍😍😍
I planted over 21 dqys ago and nothing. They have some shade in the morning hours but then have 6+ hours of full sun and watered regularly. I replanted in same pot hoping something will grow. Today i have hope. Out of 6 planters i have 1 sprout. So!!! Thank for the video will try seedlings next spring
You haven't made an update video on this. I wished to see a full detailed video of growing lavender. I want to grow and keep it as long as possible.
Thanks Jessica - I'm doing more on lavender this year. I did a seedling follow-up shortly after the original: czcams.com/video/AIqIMvlee5I/video.html Not specific to lavender only, but I had them in mind when I made it.
Same here. And the care to keep a great healthy lavender plant. Online there is so much back and forth with how to care for it.
Lol. I put a bunch of seeds in my hand and scooped them up one at a time with a melon baller.
It was weird, but it worked. 😁
Nice! Don't ruin my rep, but I sometimes use a moist pencil eraser for small seeds. How are your seedlings doing?
My lavender required stratification on packet, tried without and didn't work, after a few months in the fridge they sprouted by just taking them out of the fridge.
because they are pioneer species.
What exactly is a pioneer species?
Tweezers work nicely to plant the seeds.
Thanks..you got great germination..I hope the one I read works..fingers crossed 🙏
I have a white lavender a couple of years old. Cut the blooms late in the season, dried them and made sachets. The ones I kept for self I just planted today for growing under lights. Wonder if there were any seeds in there that will sprout? A true novice...lol
I think tricky part is how to take care of seedlings once they germinate all the,way to the point of transplanting in bigger part. Most of us noobs end up losing them by not knowing how to take proper care of them. For example where do you keep them ? Under what conditions ? You said you may sell them next spring so that's a long time to take proper care for them, How often do you water them ? When do you fertilize them, if ever
Good point, and thanks. I'll definitely cover off some of those topics as I get into spring potting with these and other crops - and of course I'm happy to answer here. Once well rooted in the plugs, I graduate almost all of my perennials into 9cm (4 inch) pots with a bark mix (as in my potting soil video) with a low rate of slow-release fertilizer. If I think they need more fertilizer, I liquid feed one every second watering. I grow them on in an unheated cold-frame greenhouse, and I'm hoping to get them to selling size in 4 months. Watering frequency is a whole other topic I should cover in more detail. If overwintering is necessary, I do have a (very old) vid on that topic. Anyhow, please don't hesitate to hit me up for more details here in the comments of any video. I'll skip stuff. I'll miss stuff. Not intentionally - so I'm pleased to get questions and feedback.
@@FraserValleyRoseFarm
Jason you're my favorite, you and Mike Kincaid. Thanks for being YOU!
@@FraserValleyRoseFarm thank you!!!!!
Very informative, thank you!! 👍
Do they have to be burried or they need full sun to bloom ? And what type of soil is more suitable for lavender ?
The seeds need some light to germinate, so just barely cover if at all. I just make a little depression in the top if the soil and drop them in without covering. Lavender prefers well-drained soil, so when growing in containers, just make sure to use a light potting mix (peat & perlite works well to start).
🌱💜🌱INFORMATIVE 🌱💜🌱
Thanks!
My name is Jason Fraser and I’m growing lavender from seed right now too - what a coincidence - Je Suis Prest !
How wholesome
I use a little plastic pipette for tiny seeds like it. Works great.
Love your show, can you grow your hair just above the top of your ear and make it a little messy. Wear cool t-shirts. You are awesome!! I'll keep watching.
I made my own organic soil with worm castings and just thee the seeds and put the pot outside. I’ll just wait and see if they sprout
Best luck with your seedlings!
Fraser Valley Rose Farm thanks ! I see a bunch of videos where they germinate inside and use indoor lighting
I live in ama apartment I can’t do all that could I just plant vegetables and fruits in soil and try to grow them ? Or do I forcefully have to germinate indoor and grow into seedling then transplant ?
How is the lavender coming?
@@InfamousKiddXD of course you don’t have to start indoors. Nature doesn’t have an indoors. Indoors starting is for areas where it is freezing weather.
I grow a lot of different stuff around here . I grow a lot of basil , thyme , rosemary, English lavender , dill , parsley etc. one day hint I’m looking for that I can set under trees is this stuff called lady slipper. I’d like to find some seed or a plant of it. I already grow stuff like catnip and peppermint but I’d like to find some other rare medicinal herbs . Foxglove is good something to have around for congestive heart failure patients but must know how to use that stuff proper. I’m going to start distilling lavender here soon.
Cool. Interesting website in the US called "Strictly Medicinal" - I've bought seeds from them in the past, and it worked out great.
good. been looking for info on lavender from seeds...
Again: well explained! Thank you 10.7.24
My seeds came up. I misted them, but they just died! I did put the cover on the seed tray. Was that my mistake? Oh, I do love Lavender so much!
Me too. I don't use the humidity cover on my seeds because I've found it increases rot and encourages stretch. I don't know if that's what killed your seedlings, but why not try without? Best luck!
You need to give them nutrients when they shoot out . And expose them to low hours of sun lights. You need to harden them or other wise they will die
On most any seedling too much humidity can cause fungus to kill them. They kinda get stringy, fall over and die. Some people call it “damping off”. Air flow is very important.
Hey Jason! LOVE your videos. I’m in zone 7b and want to start a lavender farm. I’m having lots of trouble finding the best variety for my zone. Which do you recommend for my new venture? Thanks so much!
In zone 7 you get pretty free choice among the English (angustifolia) varieties and the x. intermedia varieties (like 'Grosso') - and both of these groups are highly fragrant. I might shy away from the Spanish lavender (stoechas) varieties as a little more tender.
Update video please would like to see how they grew
Thanks - you can see them at around the 5 minute mark of this video: czcams.com/video/AIqIMvlee5I/video.html After that, I ran out of time for follow ups last season, but I'll see if I can do more with my batch from this year.
@@FraserValleyRoseFarm awesome
Thanks for this information
That was very useful
Thank you much!
Awesome! Thank you!!
I just purchased a lavender (true) seed pack. Can I just sprinkle them, cover with soil, and water periodically? I want it to be very natural. TIA!
They don't need much cover (if at all) - lavender seeds need some light to germinate. Make sure to water frequently enough to keep the seeded area moist for germination.
Can I just place mine in a warm room next to a sunny window ? I do not have lights for plants so wondering if they will still grow without lights and just the sunny window
Sure. The lights are only there to supplement my natural light. There was a lot less sunlight when I got these started, and not every tray is right beside the window - without the extra lights, my seedling were stretching toward the window. If you have better sun, and your seedlings don't stretch, you're all good.
Okay thank you !
Thank you so much for this!
My pleasure Mela
Great video, getting ready to plant lavender this week myself. Enjoy your channel. Can you comment on which LED you use and what to look for when choosing LEDS? Thanks again for great channel.
Thanks Tim. Best luck with your seeding. I'm still experimenting with lighting right now, so I don't have all the answers - but I know for sure that I'd spring for more expensive lights if I were using them as my sole source of light. One channel I like a lot is MIGRO - a real technical channel on grow lighting. However, he's focused on fairly expensive sole-source lighting for grow rooms, and high light intensities for yield. In my case, I'm only using the lamps as supplemental, and to control stretch in the seedlings. For the most part, my seedlings "graduate" out to the greenhouse within a week or so from unfurling leaves - so I can shuffle and redirect the lamps as needed to the trays with the most seedlings. I'm currently using a 50w waterproof blurple LED from Amazon (like $50), and a couple of off-the-shelf warm white type LED spotlights (may have been $10 each) from Home Depot. Low investment, low wattage, and flexible to my needs. Hope that gives you some ideas, and I'll keep experimenting until I find something I like better.
@@FraserValleyRoseFarm they haven't popped out yet......but I'm impatiently waiting😁
Took nearly two months for my lavander seeds to germinate in the fridge
I thought lavender seedlings needed stratification at least from when I stratified my English lavender seedlings I got close to 100% germination
Nice video: thanks!
I hope to see your update on the lavender! I bought an "eco cube" for lavender that has seeds and special fertilizer already. Some seeds have germinated but I'm worried that the seedlings are not growing properly as they've grown thin and tall so they droop!..and they only have one thin main root. I am considering repotting them into regular soil (without their fertilizer), as I feel the eco cube soil is very loose. Should I?
Thanks. I'll see about an update when I transplant. As for your seedlings, could it be low light levels or poor air movement? Just checking. Overfertility may look more like a leaf tip burn, dark green color or root die back.
Is it late to grow lavender seeds in peat pellets? Can you please make a video with details on it? Like when and how much to water seeds in pellets, when to transplant, types of fertilizer etc.
Hi Salma. No it's not too late. Even later in the season would be okay - I sometimes grow plugs for summer/fall and overwinter them to size up early the next season. I'll post more videos through the spring on seedling/potted plant care as time allows. Thanks!
Thanks for letting me know! I was worrying about if I just missed the chance! I will be waiting for your videos 😊
I just received my lavender seeds which I ordered last month end.
I live in tropical area in India, we have monsoon now temperature as 24-32°C and good rain fall, should I plant them now directly in soil? Do they need cold stratified for 2 weeks?
They don't like rain.
Hmmm, every other place I look says lavender definitely needs stratification...
I won't argue with what's worked for other people. I've done well without stratification, and my seed supplier (Jelitto) notes: "These seeds germinate rapidly depending on species and origin. If germination does not occur after 3-4 weeks a cooling period of 2-4 weeks is recommended." So I guess I'd try it if my seeds weren't popping. So far, no need.
Definitely needs stratification
Thank you very helpful
Hi just wondering how much water you give your lavender seeds 😊
I check every day, and use a light mist as needed to keep the surface moist.
Hi thank you for the video.I have questions when is the best for seeding which month.Also after seeding do i need to cover it with the plastic bag or just leave them grow without it please?
Hi Martina. I started mine early (in February, northern hemisphere) to have them ready for sale in the summer. You can start a little later if you don't want to use supplemental light. I don't cover at all.
Fraser Valley Rose Farm thank you very much for your answer.I let you know how is go..:-)
I live in Canada zone 4 so when should I start my seeds, and if I am too late now, then I will wait until next year, by then I will have my new greenhouse, so then how big should they be before putting out in the greenhouse. Also where do I buy seed?
Hi Dorothy. It may be a bit late now to start - don't want to send the seedlings into the coming winter too small to survive. I got my seeds from Jelitto - but here in Canada Richters is decente (maybe a bit expensive, but good selection). William Dam also has a couple of varieties.
Hi Dorothy. It may be a bit late now to start - don't want to send the seedlings into the coming winter too small to survive. I got my seeds from Jelitto - but here in Canada Richters is decente (maybe a bit expensive, but good selection). William Dam also has a couple of varieties.
I'm try my had at growing English lavender from seed their sprouting fine but they start tilting to the side and then bind over and die what am I doing wrong
I sow some French lavender seeds and sage seed in a medium pot with regular soil & river sand mixed, I sow them 2 weeks, this morning I noticed one germinate in the pot. I live in the tropical Caribbean, I put the pot to direct sunlight and protect it from hard rain fall but this evening I noticed like a wild cat landed on the pot I sow the seeds and his like digging in the soil, I feel angry about so I leave it. Do u think I should just wait or re sow back some seeds again?
Sow again, I say. Otherwise, the cat wins!
Cats love lavender my cat goes crazy when i boil it
I'm wondering whether I actually have lavender growing? 😂 I see lots of videos saying they need stratification and lots and lots of comments saying how all their seeds failed. I literally bought a seeding tray, threw in some compost and sprinkled over the seeds and water. In about 10 days I have loads of little sprouts. I hope they are lavender but I feel it was far too easy for them to be
Hard to tell this early but I definitely wouldn't bet against them being lavender just because they were fast. Mine did not need stratification and also germinated with relative ease.
Can lavender be germinated in the fall indoors or should I wait for the spring?
Hi Janet - my advice is to wait until early spring. It would take additional efforts in providing light and air movement to keep the seedlings happy during the winter - and in my opinion, there's not that much advantage to the earlier start
Thanks! Something to look forward to.
How often do you water these ? I once read that they are a lot better when you don’t water them . But I’m not sure
Hi Man Ee. In small plug trays, I still check them for water every day - there's just not much soil to hold moisture. On a cloudy day, I may skip, but on warm/sunny days they always need water. Once I transplant to a 9cm pot (which will be soon) I'll reduce watering by quite a bit. Thanks for watching!
Fraser Valley Rose Farm thanks so much for the swift reply . I wish you best of luck in your growing endeavors.
Jason, I sowed a second batch of lavenders recently and have encountered a peculiar situation.
On Feb 1 I sowed two varieties of lavender, Vera and Hidcote, which I sourced from two different reputable seed companies, after having stratified them for a month (Jan 3) in the fridge. About 50% of the Vera germinated and are growing, while as of today, Feb 21, NONE of the Hidcote seeds have germinated. Could you venture a guess as to why that might be the case? Does Hidcote seed take unusually long time to germinate or might there be another reason? Thank you for your advice.
My first thought goes to seed quality. I've germinated Hidcote from Jelitto with no stratification at all, and get 70-80% germination within 2 to 3 weeks.
Hi, what kind of soil did you use? I saw a video that advised to use 1 part potting mix, 1 part play sand, and 1 part perlite. Another video said regular compost will do, so I am not sure. I was able to germinate successfully after stratification but most of them died afterwards. I am not sure if it is due to my soil, over/under watering, or (in-door) lighting. Is there such thing as too much light for them? Do you give them any fertilizer as they grew (after germination)? Thank you.
Hi Vinh. Regular potting soil mix worked well for me. Additional sand/perlite would just help drainage - which you can also solve by frequency of watering. The top reasons for fast failure of seedlings would be : 1) damping off (from soil born disease, usually solved with a clean peat, coir or composted bark-based potting mix) 2) too much fertilizer. I feed a VERY dilute liquid solution - but full strength fert (esp. with a potting mix that has fertilizer already in it) would be too much.
Hey there! Did you use the heat mat. I have sewn my seeds several weeks now and no germination. They get good sunlight daily.
I do use some warmth, but even average household temps would usually do it. Germination on lavender seeds can be pretty variable, and the quality (freshness) of the seeds makes a huge difference. If they don't germinate rapidly, I'll sometimes throw the whole tray into the fridge for 2-3 weeks and then back to warm. The cold treatment sometimes jump-starts the process.
Good afternoon. I am happy to tell you that several of the lavender seeds I sowed using your technique have sprouted and growing well. I have a couple of concerns and would appreciate your guidance. Some of them had started to flower three months after they had germinated, which I pinched off as I thought it was way too early for them to flower and that it might stunt their growth otherwise. I also pruned them down. Is that normal for them to flower so early? I had them under a grow light and was feeding them diluted fertilizer three times in a row and then once with water only. Also, I have noticed that a couple of the leaves on some of them are turning brown at the tip. Is that also normal or should I do something to mitigate that? I can send you a picture if that helps. Thanks again for all your help and advice.
Flowering is not a concern - you did the right thing by pinching it off in my opinion. Brown tips can be a problem, but there's a wide range of potential causes: at some point it could have suffered from dryness or overfertilization. Or alternately, brown tips can be because of too much humidity, and a little rot on the tips. I don't think I'd be able to tell the cause from a picture. You'll have to troubleshoot your growing conditions. I assume you've potted them up into a larger pot, and they've been transitioned to a place with some good amount of sun and air movement.
That’s the one thing I neglected to do. But I up-potted them yesterday. Will see what happens.
Did you have them covered with a cover under the lights? Thanks for the video!
No - I grew them uncovered, but you could definitely use a humidity dome until they germinate
I live in S.E. Michigan and I'd like to start a 2 acre lavender farm. If I start with seed when should I start germinating? It's April 15th so I think I'm quite late already.
How exciting! Lavender is a long-term crop, so I don't see it as too late... maybe early for next year! If you have a place to overwinter them in containers, you can get them started now and size them up all season for planting next spring. Are you also starting some from cuttings?
@@FraserValleyRoseFarm i only bought 500 seeds of english lavender on amazon so just starting from seed.
Best luck! Hope it goes well for you.
@frazervalleyrosefarm
Hi I’m growing lavender from seeds.. this is my 4th try in 4 months. Failed! They germinate from paper towel then I pot them in seed tray with plastic dome. They grow there but roots become brown then the seedling topple and die. One of the seedling is an inch tall thin with just the seed leaves. Don’t know what went wrong. I’m growing them on south facing window since we have a warmer climate we get good sunlight. Pls suggest what to do
Hi Shruti. I suspect that your seedlings rotted due to high humidity and poor air circulation under that plastic dome. This is just my guess, but I've had poor success under plastic domes in the past (both with seedlings and cuttings) because it's difficult to keep the right temperature, humidity and air circulation. After germination, I try to transition my seedlings to cooler temperatures, lower humidity and moderate light levels until they've grown their first true leaves - begin feeding with liquid feed (low concentration) and increase the light levels gradually until you're able to grow outside or in a greenhouse.
Fraser Valley Rose Farm thanks alot for your response . Our climate is more dry and its hard to maintain the right humidity but i believe you’re right about the air circulation. Plus my window light doesn’t seem enough for the seedling and now I’ve put a LED bulb(20w-2000lumen-6500k cool daylight ) over them around 3-4inches above. I’ve still kept the plastic dome on them since the humidy outside is below 20% and I’m gradually lifting the dome higher & higher every week so hoping it might work. What do you think?
looks good. thank you!
I put the seeds most of them didn't came out.. During the germination process I watered them constantly but I don't know when to stop watering as it is a "dry flower"
How do they take time to grow from seed ..i mean to show up
I usually see germination within 12 days
How long should you cold statify the seeds? And can you just put them in the freezer ?
They don't require cold stratification to sprout.
Plz do update!
I should! They're getting close to selling size now.
I am wanting to start a small farm, would this be the best way then transplant them? Or plant directly into the ground? How long will it take for them to grow so I can start cutting them?
Hi Kiana - seedlings will take a while to size up and hold their own in the garden. I usually pot up 2x - once to a 9cm/4" pot, and next up to a gallon letting my seedlings or cuttings grow a full year before getting them into the ground.
@@FraserValleyRoseFarm Do you keep them indoors for the first year under a grow light or do you expose them to the cold at all?
Can I just use my table lamp for germination process? How much lumens or Watt do I need minimum? Can I use jiff dome and keep it outside under the sunlight?
I don't use a humidity dome at all, but if you do, you should remove it shortly after germination - it just keeps too much humidity. Natural sunlight is fine, but if you're in a warm climate like Egypt, I guess you should look for a part shaded area or indirect sunlight inside by a window. For supplemental light, I've had decent luck with fluorescent or LED spot lamps - for a single tray, you don't need too much wattage between 20 and 40 may be enough, but just watch your seedlings for stretch to know if you are doing okay.
@@FraserValleyRoseFarm I live in Illinois, USA and my balcony is blessed with full sunlight all day! 😍
Thanks for your response. We are learning a lot from you.
I live on the Mediterranean where summer is long, hot and humid and winter is mild. When would be the best time of year to sow lavender seeds in these conditions? Merci.
I just planted some lavender seeds but I just left them inside the little purple seed pods instead of removing them before planting. Will they still grow?
I can't say for sure they wont, but lavender seeds need light to germinate, so removing from the pods would be better.
@@FraserValleyRoseFarm thank you! I will plant some more out of the pods and see what happens!
You shirt is nice
Again, thanks for sharing.
Google says stratify lavender.
Do you buy pre stratified seeds?
I got 60 meters S facing sandy soil were I want two rows of lavender. Have 2000seeds coming. Guess I’ll call the seed supplier.
Fresh good quality seeds will often get good germination even without a cold treatment. I've been told that older seeds can respond well to a 2-3 week cold moist period if they're sporadic.
@@FraserValleyRoseFarm
Thank you 😊
How often do you water it
I check every day, but usually I mist/watered every 2nd day.
Question, I have been told Lavender needs cold stratification?
I haven't found it to be necessary with relatively fresh or primed seeds
Can I take the seeds from the lavender in my garden when the flowers wither down?
You bet.
How much did you water them?? Did you cover them up??
Hi John - no, I didn't cover them, and only misted once per day
i dont have any plastic trays to start the seedlings. can I use egg cartons.
hey Jason, I am going to start some seeds to be able to plant next to my roses in the spring. Can I start them now, in the beginning of Autumn, and just keep them inside until the spring? How much light will I need to provide for them so they don't just get leggy?
Lavender isn't on my list for seeding this late into the season - the seedlings start off pretty small and they do need a lot of light. Unless you're in a warmer climate, I'd hold off.
Did you cover the seeds? How did you water them?
Hi John. No cover - and I just checked moisture daily and topped up with a fine mist (so as to not was the small seeds around)
I managed to germinate them but then they all died. 😢 I will try again though. I think it was temperatures.
I am trying to find seeds for Lavender Grosso, but having difficulty locating the seller. Can you please help me with this.
Grosso is not propagated by seed, only from cuttings.
When you put off from tray and put it on small pot ? 3 month normally ?
2 or 3 months.
How often must be wet?
Hi Alexandra. With small plug trays like this, I mist every day.
I have successfully seeded 12 English Lavender in door a year ago in April. And moved them out door in late Summer. It was covered with a dome with ventilation hole in Winter until early Spring. I have put them in a 8” pot from a 6” pot and make sure they have at least 8 hours sun by moving them from one side to an other daily. I just found out one of them is kind of sticky and a little shinny on the leaves. I put on my reading glass to look closely and found out there are some dark colour tiny thing at the back of the leaves and some green soft shell pests on the stems. I have checked all other young lavender and they all have the pest but not sticky. I have cleaned them away with soap water by hand. Can you please tell me if I can spray them with neem oil, or what do I have to do to keep them from coming back.
Hi Stella, neem oil should be fine to apply
stop using peat, that industry is destructive
doing Lavender from seed this year, good tips, can't wait to see how much I get
I accidentally covered my English Lavender seeds lightly and it’s been less than a week and nothing came up, is there any chance that they’ll germinate?
Yes - be patient. Lightly covered seeds will still get light. Germination time can be up to 3 weeks.
Fraser Valley Rose Farm Thank heaven I just checked the seed tray and two popped up so that’s a relief, thank you for the amazing video!
How many full grown plants could fit in a gallon jar? Also could I put the jar in my window (which is facing the sun most of the day)?
Only one full grown plant would grow in a gallon and that would become to small after a year.
I couldn’t understand what type of soil,seeding soil... in it
I'm trying to remember, but I think I was using Promix (mainly chopped peat and fine perlite) at the time. I've grown them in a bark mix too, and just watered a little less.
hey! thanks for this video. what kinds of lights do you use? and where do you get them? thanks!
If I were doing the video today, I'd probably use something like the SpiderFarmer SF1000 or similar. There are quite a few white LED lights in the similar price range. Amazon is pretty good to compare them.
Which lavender plant type grows the biggest? (There are like 3 or 4 types).
I want to ask this because I see some lavender at the parking lots in some stores like Walmart for their landscaping. And they've got a big variety that's quite nice. It seems like it would be good to try to grow one of those big ones.
My bet would be on one of the lavendin varieties (L. x intermedia) like 'Phenomenal'
will it block the light too much if I keep my seed trays (smaller than yours) in plastic bags under my grow lights? (To keep them moist and not worry about drying out.)
Hi Jennifer - no, a clear plastic cover should be fine.
I saw many videos on CZcams and they say to stratification is must before seedling.. and you are saying its not require who to believe and listen?
Hi Merab Bhatti. I take my germination advice from Jelitto, just because they're the experts on perennial seeds - they note that most Lavenders will germinate rapidly with no stratification, and only recommend a short cooling period IF warm germination fails. For what it's worth, all of my lavender varieties (stoechas, viridis and angustifolia) sprouted with zero cold treatment. I hope that helps!
@@FraserValleyRoseFarm ok thankyou so much for replying 😊
How long should I put the seeds to germinate?
It usually takes me about 2 weeks.
Thank you!
Ok forgive me but I am new to gardening and I’m about to plant my first vegetable garden and I also bought some lavender seeds because they smell amazing and for medicinal purposes. My question is, do you have to plant them in the cell first or can you just sprinkle into the ground? What is the purpose of doing this first? Thank you! Great video, btw!
Everyone has a problem germinate leavender seeds I tried 4 kinds and they didn't come up what could be the problem also have a problem with lime basil
I've had an easy time with lavender germination - but I do think that I've had the advantage of good quality seeds from Jelitto
I live in Zone 5, what is the right time for sowing Lavender seeds?
Early spring usually, so that you can get them to a good size before the next winter.
I just plant my seeds three days ago. Suddenly my cat disturbed the seeds and some of them spilled. Will it disturb the germination process?
Only if the seeds ended up buried far more deeply than you intended.
Jason, I've used a peat moss based medium (sterile) to sow lavender seeds as you suggested. However, I have noticed green algae on the surface of the medium. Is that normal or should i do something to treat it? What can I do to prevent it in the future. Thank you and Happy New Year.
It's pretty normal, and doesn't do much harm. It can be an indication of a wet surface, but that's hard to avoid with such small seeds.
That’s the one thing I had neglected to do, but I up potted them today.
small spearmint are small
Hello. Great video. I’m in zone 6b in the US. I’ve watched some other videos that mention that the seeds need to be cold pretreated. Any advice?
I've read the same, but so far in my experience fresh high-quality seed and warm germination temperatures from the start have given me good results.
@@FraserValleyRoseFarm do you use humidity dome for seedlings?
Is Lavender true herb a perennial in zone 7A?
Hi Tim - yes. L. angustifolia is usually hardy even down to zone 5
@@FraserValleyRoseFarm Thank you very much!