If you have ever tried germinating lavender seeds in a paper towel, then you know it can be easier said than done. Do you just put them on the counter, do you give them time in the fridge or freezer, and if so, for how long? And then what about the dreaded mould? Luckily, I have some answers for you.
I did an experiment where I tried germinating lavender seeds in paper towel in a few different ways. I was looking to see what gave me the highest germination rate, as well as the fastest germination time. Now I get to share the results with you.
Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) can be very finicky to grow from seed. It is a perennial Mediterranean plant which means it will naturally take its time to grow. It is known to have a very slow, and very low germination rate which can lead to your seeds rotting. I found that it takes between five and twenty days for lavender seeds to germinate in paper towel. I also found that cold stratification does indeed have a positive impact on the seed germination rate.
For best results: take a dry paper towel, add lavender seeds, and fold in half. Place in a Ziplock bag, and then leave them in the fridge for one week. Remove them from the fridge, wet the paper towel and put them in a very warm spot to germinate. Once germinated, plant the seeds in a moist soil mix and put them under a grow light to continue growing.
Testing the Lavender Germination Paper Towel Method
I had five variations I wanted to try during this experiment. They all included placing lavender seeds in paper towels and then inside Ziplock bags. The differences were when I moistened the paper towels, how cold they were, and how long they were kept cold.
The five variations I tested were: wet and on the counter, wet and in the fridge for 1 week, wet and in the fridge for 2 weeks, dry and in the fridge for 1 week, and dry and in the freezer for 1 week.
Once the dry seeds came out of the fridge or freezer, I moistened them and left them in the warmth like the other seeds.
I set up my lavender paper towel germination experiment on November 16th. Fifteen small seeds were chosen for each experiment out of the same pack of seeds. I wrote on the Ziplock bags with permanent marker to keep track of each experiment and the germination time. I checked them every day and made notes along the way.
The earliest seeds germinated in 5 days and the latest ones germinated in 20 days. I had one outlier that took a whopping 33 days to germinate – wow that’s a long time. The first seed to germinate was on November 22nd and was from the damp paper towel that was left in the Ziplock bag on the counter.
The highest germination rate was 60% from the seeds that were left dry in the fridge for one week. There was a three-way tie for the lowest germination rate of 27% with the wet seeds on the counter, wet seeds in the fridge for 1 week, and the dry seeds in the freezer for 1 week.
Here are a couple graphs showing the results in more detail:
What you need to germinate lavender seeds in a paper towel
Get ready for this list, and don’t be too overwhelmed by it… ok ready? Here is what you need to germinate lavender seeds in paper towel…
- Lavender seeds
- Paper towel
- Ziplock bag
- Permanent marker
Phew, ok that was it. I guess it wasn’t worth all that suspense after all. Not too bad is it? And I bet you even have most – if not all these things in your house right now. Which means… you could be starting your seeds today -woohoo!
Steps to germinating lavender seeds in paper towel
- Collect supplies
- Place lavender seeds on a piece of paper towel and fold it over leaving the seeds in the middle
- Start more seeds than you need, just in case some don’t germinate
- Put your paper towel in a Ziplock bag
- Seal up the Ziplock bag and write the variety of lavender and the date on the outside
- Put your Ziplock bag in the fridge for one week
- Set a reminder in your calendar to remember to take them out
- Take out the Ziplock bag after the week is up and spray with water (just enough to fully wet the paper towel) – seal up the Ziplock bag again
- Place in a warm spot or on a heat mat
- Check daily for any germinated seeds (where the seed coat has softened, and you can see the tap root coming out)
- Once germinated – transfer to a container with pre-moistened potting mix
- Make a small divot in the soil – only about 1/8 to 1/4 inch deep
- drop the germinated seed in and lightly cover
- mist with a spray bottle so the soil settles in
- Place under a grow light, and watch for those first lavender sprouts to emerge
- Keep the soil moist during this time by using the spray bottle as needed
- Continue to care for and watch your lavender grow (click to read more on: Lavender Plant Growth Stages and how to maximize each one)
Benefits of germinating lavender seeds in paper towels
So, you may be wondering why go through all the trouble of starting lavender from seed? I can tell you that once you get into seed starting it can become quite addicting. It is so satisfying, and it gives you something to look forward to as you check for new sprouts each day.
One of the biggest benefits of germinating lavender seeds in paper towels is the cost savings. Full-grown lavender plants cost quite a bit at the garden centre, whereas you can buy a pack of 100 seeds for only a couple of dollars.
If you are germinating lavender in a moist paper towel your equipment cost will be low as well. You could use paper towels, then pot up into a recycled container. Then plan it out so your last frost date has passed, so you can put your lavender seedlings out in the direct sunlight. This is a great way to provide your young plants with plenty of light while you save even more money.
Another benefit is that you can choose from so many more varieties. I love going through seed company websites or catalogues and looking at all the varieties. You will find things that you would never see in the stores. Plus, you can read about the growing conditions they like and choose something that will suit your space and growing climate.
The other thing that I sort of already touched on above is the satisfaction you will get. It is a delayed gratification kind of thing. Every time you walk past that lavender plant in full bloom in your garden and see the pollinators enjoying, or get a whiff of those fragrant flowers, you can be proud that you grew it from a seed.
Do lavender seeds need cold stratification?
Some perennial-type herbs and flowers (like lavender) need cold stratification to have the best germination. When we say cold stratification, we just mean providing seeds with a period of cold temperatures. By doing this we are mimicking the plant’s natural environment where they will go through a cold dormant period (winter) before spring arrives and they start growing. It is amazing how seeds are able to sense the right conditions and know it is time to start coming out of dormancy.
The main benefit of cold stratification is that your lavender seeds will have a much higher germination rate. So more of the seeds you try to start will actually germinate and grow. I found this to be true in my experiment as well.
I also found that lavender seeds did still germinate without the cold stratification so it is possible, but like I mentioned it was a lot lower percentage than the cold stratified seeds.
Do you put lavender seeds in the fridge or freezer?
Lavender seeds can either be put in the fridge or freezer to cold stratify. The most popular way is to put them in the fridge on a wet paper towel. I have also found the best luck when cold-stratifying them in the fridge.
It can even be beneficial to store your lavender seed packet in the fridge (dry) until you are ready to plant your seeds. I like this method because you don’t need to remember to do anything with them, and then they will just be ready to go when you want to plant them.
I hate it when you go to start a project and the first step is something you should have started 4 weeks ago…ugh. Sorry if you are feeling that now. But the good news is you can start lavender any time of year – just grow it indoors until you can plant it outside ;).
What is the best secret to germinate lavender seeds?
From my personal experience, I have found the best secret to germinate lavender seeds is to store your seed packet in the fridge. Then when you are ready to start them, take them straight from the fridge, add them to a moist growing medium (like paper towel or seed starting mix), and put them on a heat mat or in a very warm place. The drastic change from cold to warm as well as the sudden moisture availability really does help.
Should I water lavender seeds every day?
No – once you have set up your seeds in a wet paper towel and sealed it up in the Ziplock bag you should just leave it until you see some germination happening. If the seeds are taking extra long and the paper towel is drying out then you can mist it again very lightly.
The paper towel will hold the moisture due to the plastic bag. If you water too much, you could drown your seeds and they may end up rotting instead of germinating. Seeds need warmth, moisture, and oxygen to germinate.
Final Thoughts…
In the end, it looks like you may get the odd seed to sprout faster if you skip the cold stratification part, but overall, you will have a much lower germination rate. I believe that if you follow the steps outlined above, you will have much better success.
There are many ways to germinate lavender and I think it is just a matter of experimentation to get it right. I will continue to experiment with this and update as I learn more.
I hope you found this interesting and that it will help you along the way as you try germinating lavender seeds in paper towel. Please also comment below with any methods you have tried. The more knowledge we gather, the more we can grow as gardeners.
Until next time!
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