lavender from seed

[totp]

Does anyone have any experience of growing lavender from seed?
I sowed some Munstead Strain which germinated well but now 3 or 4 moths on they have hardly grown. They are about 4 inches high with about 4 pairs if leaves, they look more like seedlings than young plants. Is that normal with lavender plants? The packet talks about them flowering in the first year but I really can't see it. Any advice?

[Tig]

I've not tried growing them from commercially purchased seed totp, but I do find mine self seed. They are usually quite small plants in their first year, maybe just one or two stems? But they seem to take off in year 2.
I was astonished to find some French lavender seedlings (the bunny ears ones) having lost the parent plant during the cold winter. Still not a very big plant, but it has been very wet and quite cold here I'm hoping it will be hardier than it's parent!

x Tig

[andy]

Have you pricked them out TotP ? just find sometimes that nutrients get used and are leeched fairly quickly and by just pricking them out into 3" pots (clay ones if you can get them), it sometimes just gives them a bit of a boost.

They are fairly slow growing at first and like Tig, mine seed themselves quite a bit.

Good luck

[Ladygardener]

I sowed a whole tray of bought lavender seeds and have just 1 plant from them totp so well done for getting plants of any kind. As Andy says, don't forget to prick them out and pot them on again after 6-8 weeks or so. No way will mine be blooming this year but it has grown into a nice bushy if small plant.

[Jasmine]

I sowed Lavender Munstead not expecting much back in March Totp. They germinated much quicker than the packet said they would and I have ended up with 6 bushy little plants (about the same size as you say yours are). They are far to small to plant out yet and they are growing very slowly but look healthy enough.
I sowed Lavender Hidcote a few weeks ago and have about 4 spindly little seedlings so they look like they'll be very similar with their growth.
Good luck with yours!

[carolann]

I won a packet of seeds and have sown them this year about 2 dozen have been priccked out into individual pots but they are only about 2/3" high and the smell is lovely, I will put them in the CF for the rest of the Summer and maybe the Winter depending how big they have grown for planting out next year. They do have a lot of leaves growing on each plant.

[Jasmine]

You did well to get 2 dozen Carolann - I had slightly haphazard germination!

[Auricula]

I sowed a packet of free seeds I got with a mag.I sowed them about 10days ago and I have at least 30 seedlings now Will let you know how they develop

[Chuckles]

Not something I've sowed totp but I would imagine they are fairly slow growing/slow to mature like Andy mentioned

[Ladygardener]

Well done to those of you who've had good germination. I've always had bother with them but I'll not stop trying.

[Jasmine]

My Lavender Munstead. I can't count - there's 5 of them! ;D

[Ladygardener]

Those will be 5 substantial plants next year Jasmine, well done. Mine is about the same size.

[jean]

I've tried lavender from seed and from cuttings and both can be quite difficult. Its worth buying a decent plant just to use to use for cuttings. When you have decimated it, bury it in a pot just under the soil and it will re-generate for more abuse

[totp]

Thanks for all the advice.