Lavender from Cuttings Update
TLDRIn this informative video, Jason from Fraser Valley Rose Farm shares his experience propagating lavender, comparing the results of using cuttings with those from seeds. He highlights the uniformity and faster growth achieved through cuttings, while noting the variability and slower pace of seed-grown plants. Jason also offers practical advice on caring for lavender, including pinching for bushiness, soil mixture, fertilization, and the importance of generous watering, even in the off-season, to maintain health and prevent disease. His insights are aimed at guiding viewers in successfully cultivating lavender plants.
Takeaways
- 🌿 **Propagation Method Comparison**: Jason from Fraser Valley Rose farm compares propagating lavender through cuttings and seeds, highlighting the differences in growth and appearance.
- 🚀 **Faster Growth with Cuttings**: Cuttings provide a faster growth rate compared to seeds, allowing for quicker development of the lavender plants.
- 🎍 **Uniformity in Cuttings**: Plants propagated from cuttings exhibit a high degree of uniformity in size, branching, color, and shape.
- 🌱 **Variability in Seed-Grown Plants**: Lavender grown from seeds show more variability, with differences in size, flowering time, foliage color, and branching.
- 📈 **Pinching for Bushiness**: Pinching, or manually removing tips of the branches, is used to encourage branching and create bushier plants from cuttings.
- 🌾 **Soil Mixture**: The soil used for lavender in the video is a mix of composted bark mulch and shredded wood fiber, with the addition of slow-release fertilizer.
- 💧 **Watering Practices**: Lavender in pots should be watered generously, even in the off-season, as long as the soil is well-draining to prevent root rot.
- 🌡️ **Drought Tolerance Misunderstanding**: While lavender is drought-tolerant in the landscape, potted lavender requires more attention to watering to ensure health.
- 🌳 **Container Care**: Pot-grown lavender benefits from regular watering and should not be treated as dormant during off-seasons, especially in controlled environments like greenhouses.
- 🛠️ **Post-Propagation Care**: After rooting, lavender cuttings are transplanted into larger pots, pinched to encourage growth, and fed with slow-release and liquid fertilizers.
- 📅 **Timing for Planting**: The goal is to have the propagated lavender ready for planting in the ground the following spring after being cared for through the winter.
Q & A
What is the main topic of Jason's video?
-The main topic of Jason's video is the comparison of propagating lavender plants from cuttings versus from seeds.
How long ago did Jason post a video on propagating lavender from cuttings?
-Jason posted the video on propagating lavender from cuttings about three months ago.
What are the benefits of using a humidity dome for propagating lavender from cuttings?
-Using a humidity dome helps in maintaining a high level of moisture which is beneficial for the cuttings to root and grow successfully.
What is the primary advantage of propagating lavender from cuttings over seeds?
-The primary advantage of propagating lavender from cuttings is that it provides a very uniform and consistent result in terms of size, branching, color, and shape of the plants.
How did Jason create branching in the lavender plants?
-Jason created branching in the lavender plants by pinching, which involves pinching off a branch with thumb and forefinger, and sometimes by 'ponytailing' the plant and cutting across to encourage lower branching.
What type of soil mix did Jason use for growing lavender?
-Jason used a mix of composted bark mulch and shredded wood fiber for growing lavender.
How often should you water potted lavender according to Jason?
-Jason advises to water potted lavender generously and frequently, even in the off season, as long as the soil is well-draining, because lavender in pots cannot seek out moisture like it can in the landscape.
What is the potential issue with not watering potted lavender sufficiently?
-Insufficient watering can lead to the leaves losing their luster, turning grayish, and the plant becoming limp, which may make the plant susceptible to diseases like botrytis, especially in the fall and winter.
What are the care instructions for the lavender plants after they have been propagated?
-After propagation, the lavender plants should be transplanted into larger pots, pinched to encourage branching, fed with slow-release and liquid fertilizers, and watered appropriately. They can be held over the winter until they are planted in the ground the following spring.
What is the difference in the growth timing and variability between lavender grown from cuttings and those grown from seeds?
-Lavender grown from cuttings tends to grow faster and more uniformly, while those grown from seeds have a variability in size, branching, color, and flowering timing due to genetic differences and slower initial development from a small seed.
How does Jason address concerns about watering lavender considering its drought-tolerant nature?
-Jason advises that despite lavender's drought-tolerant nature in the landscape, potted lavender should be watered generously and frequently to ensure it does not become susceptible to diseases like botrytis, especially when grown indoors or in a greenhouse.
Outlines
🌿 Propagating Lavender: Cuttings vs. Seed Comparison
In this paragraph, Jason from Fraser Valley Rose Farm updates viewers on his lavender propagation experiment started three months prior. He compares the growth of lavender plants propagated from cuttings using a humidity dome to those grown from seed. The cuttings have resulted in uniform, bushy plants with similar size, branching, color, and shape, demonstrating the consistency and faster results of this method. On the other hand, the seed-grown plants exhibit variability in size, timing of flowering, foliage color, and overall branching, highlighting the genetic differences and slower development inherent to seed propagation. Jason also addresses care instructions, including pinching techniques to encourage branching and achieve a bushier plant, and shares his soil mixture and fertilization practices.
💧 Watering Lavender in Pots: Generously and Frequently
In the second paragraph, Jason discusses the importance of proper watering for lavender plants grown in pots, particularly in greenhouse or sunroom conditions. He advises against the common misconception that lavender, being a drought-tolerant perennial, requires minimal watering when potted. Instead, he suggests generous and frequent watering as long as the soil is well-draining, to prevent the plant from becoming dormant and susceptible to diseases like botrytis. Jason also shares a glimpse of his new batch of lavender in the early stages of root development under grow lights, indicating his plans for a formal lavender planting the following year.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡propagate
💡humidity dome
💡uniformity
💡pinching
💡soil mix
💡slow-release fertilizer
💡watering
💡drought tolerant
💡botrytis
💡transplanting
💡rooting
Highlights
Jason from Fraser Valley Rose farm shares his experience on propagating lavender from cuttings and seed.
A comparison between growing lavender from cuttings and from seed is presented, showing the differences in growth and uniformity.
The uniformity of plants grown from cuttings is emphasized, with a full tray of similar size, branching, color, and shape.
The variability in plants grown from seed is highlighted, with differences in size, flowering timing, and foliage color.
Pinching is introduced as a technique to encourage branching and create a bushier plant from a single unbranched cutting.
The process of pinching is described in detail, including the use of a 'ponytail' method and cutting across to stimulate branching.
The soil mix used in the container is revealed to be a combination of composted bark mulch and shredded wood fiber.
Incorporating slow-release fertilizer into the soil and using a water-soluble fertilizer for top-ups is recommended for plant nutrition.
Contrary to common belief, it is advised to water lavender generously in pots as long as the soil is well-draining, even in the off-season.
Lavender's susceptibility to rot and diseases like botrytis is linked to insufficient watering and loss of leaf luster.
Jason is propagating another batch of lavender under grow lights for a formal lavender planting next year.
The steps for transplanting rooted lavender into larger pots, pinching, feeding, and holding them over winter are outlined.
The importance of maintaining consistent moisture levels in potted lavender to prevent diseases is emphasized.
The video provides valuable insights for those interested in growing lavender and understanding the differences between propagation methods.
Jason encourages viewers to ask questions and engage in discussions about lavender cultivation in the comments section.