July 24, 2026, 4:43 am | Read time: 4 minutes
Propagating lavender is child’s play. With material that is already available from pruning, you can grow new lavender plants with minimal effort in just a few weeks. myHOMEBOOK explains how to easily propagate lavender and what to watch out for.
The Right Time to Propagate Lavender
Lavender is pruned twice a year, and both times usable material is produced. After blooming, all shoots are trimmed by about a third in late summer, mainly to remove the wilted flower heads. The more vigorous pruning by two-thirds follows in spring, once there is no longer a threat of prolonged frost. These pruning measures ensure that the semi-shrub does not become bare from below, remains compact, and branches well. These two phases—early spring and late summer—are also the best time windows for rooting lavender cuttings. Those who pick up the shears then can accomplish pruning and propagation in one go.
Sowing is the second way to propagate lavender, but it takes longer, is more labor-intensive, and yields uneven results. A cutting, on the other hand, grows into an exact copy of the mother plant, with the same growth and fragrance.
Step-by-Step Guide to Propagating Lavender from Cuttings
Non-flowering, still green shoots are suitable for propagation by cuttings. The cut end can already be slightly firm but should not be fully woody, as it will not root from the wood. Proceed shoot by shoot:
1. Trim one of the selected shoots with a clean, sharp knife to about four inches and make the lower cut directly below a node. Roots will later sprout from the nodes. Therefore, the lower third that goes into the soil should have at least two, preferably three nodes.
2. Strip the leaves from this lower third so that the nodes are exposed, and nothing rots under the soil. About three pairs of leaves can remain at the top. No more, as the still rootless shoot should focus its energy on root formation rather than supplying many leaves.
3. Insert the bare piece into nutrient-poor potting soil, ideally mixed with sand. The cutting should be planted deep enough so that the lowest remaining pair of leaves is just above the ground.
4. Water well and cover the container with a clear hood or plastic wrap. The moist air underneath facilitates rooting.
5. Place the lavender in a bright spot, but not in direct sunlight. If you remove the hood briefly each day for ventilation, the likelihood of mold formation decreases.
You can tell if a cutting has taken root: If it sprouts fresh, green tips after a few weeks, it has developed roots. If you have placed several cuttings in a pot or seed tray, now is the right time to separate the plants. You can use herb soil for this. To encourage branching, slightly trim the shoot tips.
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Planting Young Lavender Plants in the Bed
When the young plants can be planted in the bed depends on the season. Spring cuttings grow over the summer and have the entire season to establish themselves in the bed before the first winter arrives. Late summer cuttings are too small for this: With good winter protection, they can stay outside, but they will survive the first winter more safely indoors or in a greenhouse and move to the bed in spring.
What Can Go Wrong with Propagating Cuttings
Lavender originates from the sparse Mediterranean region and can tolerate many things, but not wet feet. If a cutting is too moist, it will rot, turn brown, and become soft before roots form. Therefore, the soil should be consistently slightly moist but not wet. Those who water daily with a watering can may kill the young plants with too much love.