Find everything you need to know about lavender plant growth stages. Keep reading for a description of each stage and what you can do to maximize your lavenders chances of success. I will be starting with lavender germination, moving to caring for a growing lavender plant, and finally ending with harvesting lavender.
Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) has to be one of the first plants that comes to mind when picturing an herb garden. It is great for pollinators, pest control, medicinal use, aromatherapy, crafts, and can be used in some recipes as well. Not to mention that the flowers are beautiful to look at out in the garden. Or, as dried or fresh cut flowers in the house.
Your lavender plant requires different things throughout its life cycle. This is why it is so important to recognize which of the lavender plant growth stages you are in, so you can provide the right care at the right time.
Are Lavender plant Growth stages different for different varieties?
Generally speaking, lavender plant growth stages will be the same no matter which variety you grow. The only difference will be the final look and shape of your plant.
There are three categories of lavender: French, English, and Spanish. Within that you will find more specific varieties or cultivars.
Some lavender plants naturally get larger, others are more compact. You will find some varieties have different flower colours and shapes. Others can handle the cold better over the winter, or high humidity in the late summer.
I am lucky to be gardening in zone 7a in Southern Ontario, Canada. We generally get cold, windy winters, and hot, humid summers. My favourite variety to grow here is Munstead.
The most important thing is to look at the growing conditions and final size for each variety. Then, chose a variety that will best suit you and your garden.
Lavender Plant Growth Stage 1
Seed Germination
The lavender germination stage can take a long time, and depends on quite a few factors. It can also be somewhat difficult at first, but don’t be discouraged – it is completely doable.
When we are talking about germination we mean starting with a seed and ending with the first little leaves poking through the soil. In order for successful herb seed germination you need to provide the correct temperature, moisture, and oxygen.
During germination your lavender seed is first coming out of dormancy, and absorbing water. It will swell up, and the seed coat will soften so that the first little tap root and leaves can emerge. Once these things have happened you have successfully germinated your seed.
I have had lavender germinate in as little as 5 days, but I have also heard that it can take weeks until you see the first sprouts. I prefer to germinate lavender seeds in paper towel. I have had the fastest and best results this way.
What lavender needs during germination:
- Provide warm temperatures
- Moist seed starting medium
- Oxygen rich environment
Luckily, lavender does not need to be too warm to germinate. You will not need to use a heat mat for this, just a nice warm spot in your home. Anywhere from 68-70+ degrees will be fine.
To get the moisture level correct – you will want to use the set it and forget it approach…
I get my seed starting medium nice and moist like a damp sponge. Then I add my seeds in to the planting medium, and cover with a plastic bag, bottle, or plastic wrap.
Check in on them often, but you shouldn’t need to add any more water until you are in the next stage. As soon as you see green leaves – remove the plastic.
My go to soil is “Vegetable and Herb Promix” – I have actually never spent the extra money to purchase specific “seed starting” mixes. I have tried other potting soil though and it was way too heavy and held too much water. The Promix is great because it is organic, nutrient rich, has good drainage, and is light and fluffy to let oxygen in.
I generally start lavender seeds indoors around 12 weeks before my last frost. This way you will have a more established plant in the spring.
Lavender Seedling Care – Stage 2
Congrats! You have made it to the next stage. I think this is one of my favourite stages because I love caring for little baby herb seedlings. They just make me feel happy and excited for what the future will bring.
During this stage your lavender is really working on establishing a healthy root system and getting its first true leaves. When a seed germinates the first two leaves you see are actually the cotyledons and you will notice they are not the same shape as the leaves of the fully mature plant – they are more rounded. The second set of leaves are what we call the “true leaves” and those will look like the parent plant – for lavender they are longer and more narrow.
When lavender first sprouts, the seedlings are very small. During this stage the seedling lives off of the seed coat that it sprouted from. As the true leaves appear, the seedling will start to create its own food and energy from the light.
During this transition phase it is so important to provide intense and consistent light. If lavender seedlings do not receive enough light they will become very tall and spindly which is not what you want. You want those first few leaves to grow as close to the soil as possible and get bushier not taller.
What lavender needs during the seedling stage:
- Light: provide intense light
- Warmth: keep seedlings in a warm environment
- Water: maintain a good watering schedule
Your lavender needs direct sunlight or a strong grow light as soon as the first leaves emerge. This promotes thicker bushier growth and a stronger plant later on. It is a good idea to give the young plants 10+ hours of sunlight each day.
If you do not have a grow light, then a nice bright southern facing window is best. Just be sure to turn your container every so often so it doesn’t lean towards the window as it grows.
Being that lavender is a Mediterranean plant, it will prefer warm conditions. If it is a little cooler or warmer that is fine but, consistency is key. Lavender will not be happy if there are large fluctuations.
It is crucial to maintain the proper moisture during this stage. A huge problem that most beginner gardeners face (me included) is damping off. This happens because your soil is too wet.
Your first leaves will sprout. You will be so proud and happy – then you will come back and your little seedling will have flopped over and died on the soil surface. You want to keep the soil moist like a damp sponge.
Bottom watering is great because it encourages the roots to go down deeper. Do not let your pot sit in excess water or that will lead to possible root rot and other issues.
Often times than not – plants suffer more from over watering than under watering.
During this stage I do not worry about fertilizing. The Promix I use actually has enough nutrients to provide to the plant for the first three months anyway. Less is more when it comes to fertilizer at this early stage.
Lavender Vegetative Growth – Stage 3
Now your lavender is really starting to look like something. The main focus in this stage is for your plant to continue to establish itself and put on a whole lot more leaves and stems. Some stems may start to harden as well and become more woody.
You will know your lavender is happy and growing well in this stage because it will become bushier over all, and the tips of each stem will have many smaller leaves, with softer stems and new growth.
It is during this stage that you will harden off and move your lavender outside if that was your intention. You want to chose a location in your garden that has full sun. It is best to transplant your lavender out in early spring once you risk of frost has past. This will give your plant more time to establish throughout the summer before the cold weather comes around.
Lavender can take up quite a bit of space so you will want to give about 2 -3 feet from the other plants unless you will be regularly pruning. I will admit I plant most of my plants way closer then recommended. I also keep on top of pruning and observing to make sure everyone is healthy and happy.
A mature lavender plant can live quite happily with a small amount of water. This is because the roots can go quite deep and tap into moisture there. Lavender also grows out from the center in a low bush shape, which creates shade and cover around the base of the plant acting like its own living mulch.
What lavender needs during vegetative growth:
- dry, sandy soil, rich in organic matter
- application of light nitrogen rich fertilizer
- transplant to final home
- grow in full sun
- reduce watering
The things you want to note about your soil is that it is light, well draining, but still rich in organic matter. I really swear by the no dig method to create a healthy living soil in all my garden spaces.
I garden in an area that has very heavy, clay soil which is not recommended for lavender – well also not good for many other reasons but that is another story. Something I have found really helps is to add some sand and organic compost to the clay and over time it improves the soil quality. It loosens up the soil to create better drainage and oxygen.
When you transplant your lavender out to the garden this can be a good time to fertilize. I like to water in with a light amount of fish emulsion fertilizer. At this vegetative stage you want to be more nitrogen heavy as this encourages more leaf growth which is exactly what you plant wants to do in this stage.
Overall though herbs are amazing because I have grown them without ever worrying about fertilizer and they still do fine and produce the way they should. However if you apply the right fertilizer at the right times, it will give them that extra boost. You can go from a A plant to an A++ who doesn’t want that?
Lavender Plant Flowering – Stage 4
Did you know that lavender only flowers on first year growth?? Its true. I have also heard that when the soil is too wet lavender will flower less. Makes sense because the lavender plant won’t be as happy and it will just try to tough it out instead of having extra energy for flowering.
Lavender flowers come in many different shapes, sizes, and colours. There is the classic purple or blue, as well as pinks and even white. Flowers will form in small clusters at the top of tall spike like stems. Some clusters of flowers will be longer down the stem and others shorter and stay closer to the top.
Generally lavender flowers during the warmer months, but this will be different depending on where you are in the world and what your weather is like that year. The best way to understand when plants flower in your garden is by keeping a garden journal. I have been doing this for the last 5 years and it is fun to be able to understand my little micro climate in my garden.
Depending on your growing season you could get two or three rounds of flowers. I get about two rounds with the first being in late spring to early summer and then a second round closer to early fall. Your lavender will not flower in colder weather and will be dormant at that time.
Once you start to get those nice warm days and nights be on the lookout for the first lavender buds.
What lavender needs during flowering:
The good news is that you do not need to do too much during the flowering stage of a lavender plant except to sit back and enjoy. You have put in the hard work to get your lavender to this stage and now you can just take in the beauty and aroma.
That being said you will want to make sure to keep your lavender on the dryer side and really be sure to not overwater. Then you can continue to deadhead the flowers as they finish.
If you have chosen a nutrient rich soil, then you will not need to add any additional soil amendments or fertilizers at this time.
Now for the best part – harvesting your lavender!!
It is best to harvest lavender flowers early in the morning before the heat of the day, but after the dew has dried off. You will want to harvest the flowers once the first 25-50% of flower buds open. You may decide to adjust when you harvest lavender based on how you are going to be using it.
When you cut the lavender flowers you will want to follow that tall spike all the way back to the plant and cut it there above the woody growth.
Once harvested to you can tie small bundles together and hang upside down in a cool, dark, dry room for about 2 weeks. After that you can do so many things with lavender.
If you are looking for more detail on harvesting and drying lavender, or some fun ways to use it – check out this post by The Lavender Homefront.
Pruning Lavender to maintain shape as it grows
Do you know what goes hand in hand with harvesting herbs?? Pruning herbs! The best time to think about pruning is when you are harvesting because as you cut from the plant you can always be working towards a certain shape.
Lavender can be pruned twice a year. I like to shape it up a little in mid summer just after flowering which will then sometimes be enough time to produce a second flush of flowers in the fall. I then do a harder pruning or cut back into the woodier stems in the late fall before the cold weather really sets in.
For those of you in warmer climates who can grow all year round, you may want to up your pruning to three or four times per year.
When pruning you want to take off any dead or sick looking leaves or stems as this will reduce the chances of powdery mildew or rot. As well as you will have less pests in the garden if it is kept tidier – less habitat and less food for them.
Some people will prune more throughout the growing period if they want to create a lavender topiary for example, but if you are just going for a nice mounded shape then you don’t have to worry as much. No matter what shape you are going for, you will want a mounded top so that the snow and precipitation will be more inclined to roll off.
If you do not prune your lavender it will grow very large. It would not be unheard of for it to double in size in a single season.
Fall Maintenance of Lavender
I like to clean up my gardens in the fall by applying some organic compost. If your lavender is growing in the ground then my focus is more on feeding the soil with compost and other amendments than feeding the plant with fertilizer.
If you are growing lavender in pots then fertilizer may be more beneficial. You could add a potassium rich fertilizer 1-2 months before your first frost.
If you are brining lavender inside to overwinter, you should spray for pests. I like this 2 Ingredient Homemade Insecticide from Garden Betty. Remember to put it in a very bright window or use a grow light. Then continue to water and care for it over the winter.
As the winter months roll in your lavender will slow down its growth and stop flowering. It will definitely not look its best, but don’t be alarmed. As long as you have prepped it for winter it should come back even happier next spring. The good news is that all your hard work is done for the year. Now you just sit back watch, and wait for those new signs of growth in the spring.
Lavender is a perennial down to zone 5 (-16 c or 3.2 f). Some lavender varieties will tolerate colder than others. Also, you find that the rain and snow you get will really affect how well your lavender will overwinter as well. The main thing again is that they do not stay to wet or damp.
If you are getting very harsh weather you can use a frost fabric to cover the plant. Although I live in Canada and we get cold, strong winds, and snow and I have never covered or had any issues with lavender. They really are pretty hardy plants.
Final Thoughts
Ok so, I know that was a lot – there is just so much to say. Thanks so much if you are still here reading this, I appreciate you :).
Now you should be more familiar with all the lavender plant growth stages from germination, to seedling care, vegetative growth, flowering, harvest, and winter maintenance.
The main thing to remember is that plants want to grow, it is really their only goal in life. You are just merely providing them with what they need to help them along their way. Lavender is very hardy and as long as you check in once in a while and adjust as needed it will be just fine.
The best thing to do now is get out there and try growing that lavender you always wanted. Even if it doesn’t go perfectly as you planned, you can learn so much from just one single growing season. But, I know you got this – I believe in you!
So get ready to get your hands in the soil and harvest some beautiful aromatic lavender in the future. No time like the present.
Let me know if you have any further questions in the comments below and I will be more than happy to help.
Until next time!
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