The genus Lavandula contains nearly 4 dozen separate varieties of lavender, each one as simple to care for and maintain as the next. Once established, lavender is one of the most low-maintenance and tolerant herbs in the garden, widely known to thrive from neglect, poor soils, and full sun.
Lavender is native to the dry, temperate, and rocky slopes of the Mediterranean and still prefers the same growing conditions from which it evolved. Similar to its Mediterranean relatives rosemary, sage, and thyme, lavender also matures into a woody overwintering perennial known to live for a minimum of 5 years, even up to 20, depending on variety and pruning schedule.
Minimal watering, full sun, and well-draining soil is just about all thatâs needed to guarantee years worth of garden fresh lavender.
Lavender is a popular herb admired for its beautiful flowers and aromatic fragrance This Mediterranean plant has been used for centuries in cooking, cosmetics, medicine, and aromatherapy. When growing lavender, it’s helpful to understand its different stages of growth so you can provide the right care at each phase In this complete guide, we’ll walk through lavender’s growth timeline from seed to harvest.
Overview of Lavender Growth
Lavender is considered a woody perennial herb that can live for many years. It goes through a yearly cycle of growth, flowering and dormancy. Here is a quick overview of the key stages
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Germination: Lavender seeds take 2-4 weeks to sprout. They require warmth and light.
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Seedling stage: The first true leaves appear. Seedlings need 4-8 weeks of growth before transplanting.
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Vegetative stage: The lavender focuses on root and foliage growth for 2-3 months.
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Budding stage: Flower buds start to form as lavender prepares to bloom after the vegetative stage.
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Flowering stage: Lavender blooms, typically in late spring or early summer. Deadheading prolongs blooming.
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Post-bloom care: Pruning and preparing for winter dormancy occurs in fall.
It can take 1 to 5 years for lavender to fully mature depending on variables like the starting plant size and growing conditions. Now let’s explore each growth stage in more detail.
Germination Stage
Lavender seeds are known to germinate slowly and unevenly compared to many other plants. The small seeds can take 2 to 4 weeks to sprout, sometimes even longer.
To boost germination success:
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Maintain a consistent soil temperature of 70-75°F (21-24°C).
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Ensure the starting mix is lightly moist but not soaked.
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Expose seeds to plenty of light. Consider using a heating mat or grow lights.
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Have patience! Irregular germination is normal for lavender.
Once the seeds sprout, you’ll enter the seedling phase.
Seedling Stage
The seedling stage begins when the first shoots emerge from the seeds. At this point, the baby lavender plants are delicate and need attentive care. Here are some tips for this phase:
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Provide 16-18 hours per day of bright light or sunlight. Supplement with grow lights if needed.
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Water carefully from below to encourage strong roots. Avoid overwatering.
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Use a well-draining seed starting mix.
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Consider bottom heat to maintain 70-75°F (21-24°C) soil temperature.
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Harden off seedlings before transplanting them outside.
With proper care, lavender seedlings are ready for transplanting outdoors after 4-8 weeks once they’ve developed true leaves.
Vegetative Stage
The vegetative stage is when lavender works on growing more robust roots and foliage. This phase lasts around 2-3 months. Some key tips for this stage include:
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Acclimate transplants gradually to outdoor conditions (hardening off).
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Ensure full sun exposure (minimum 6 hours per day).
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Plant in well-draining soil. Sandy, gravelly soil is ideal.
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Water only when the top inch of soil is dry. Avoid overwatering.
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Use a balanced organic fertilizer to support growth. But don’t over-fertilize.
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Watch for pests like spider mites that can affect young plants.
Once established, lavender is fairly drought tolerant. But regular watering helps it thrive in its juvenile stage.
Budding Stage
After the vegetative period of leaf and root growth, lavender enters the budding stage. At this point, the plant begins forming flower buds as it gears up to bloom.
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Flower buds will start to swell and become visible at the tips of the stems.
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Consider reducing water slightly since lavender prefers drier conditions when entering the blooming stage.
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Monitor for signs of pests or diseases that could affect the flower quality.
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Continue providing full sun and well-drained soil.
The budding period typically lasts 1-2 months as lavender transitions from pure vegetative growth to reproductive growth.
Flowering Stage
Finally, the long-awaited blooming stage arrives! Lavender blooms from late spring through early summer, varying slightly by variety. The peak flowering period extends 2-4 weeks.
To encourage prolific flowers:
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Deadhead spent blooms to promote reblooming.
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Harvest lavender for bouquets or other uses when the first 1-2 flowers on each stem open.
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Maintain proper growing conditions – full sun, well-draining soil, minimal fertilizer.
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Watch for common lavender pests like thrips, mites, or whitefly.
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Enjoy the vision and aroma of beautiful lavender in bloom!
Post-Bloom Care
After lavender finishes flowering, it’s time to stimulate growth for next season and prepare for winter dormancy.
In early fall:
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Prune plants by 1/3 to 2/3 to prevent woodiness.
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Clear away dropped leaves and flowers.
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Give plants a final deep watering before winter.
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Apply organic compost or fertilizer to feed the soil.
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Protect plants from harsh winter weather as needed.
Proper post-bloom care ensures your lavender remains healthy for years to come.
Lavender Growth Timeline from Seed to Maturity
Now that we’ve covered each growth stage, let’s zoom out and look at the full timeline of growing lavender from seed to maturity.
Pre-germination (1-2 weeks): Gather supplies, prepare planting area, cold stratify seeds.
Germination (2-6 weeks): Sow seeds, maintain proper temperature and moisture.
Seedling stage (4-8 weeks): Seedlings develop leaves and are hardened off before transplanting.
Vegetative stage (2-3 months): Focus on robust roots and foliage.
Budding stage (1-2 months): Flower buds start forming.
Flowering stage: Blooms from late spring through summer based on variety.
Post-bloom care: Pruning and winter preparation in early fall.
It can realistically take 3-5 years for lavender to become a mature, productive plant when grown from seed. For faster results, start with transplants from a nursery. Proper growing conditions also speed up lavender’s development.
With an understanding of lavender’s growth habits, you can better nurture it through each life stage. Patience and attentive care will be rewarded with the vision and perfume of lavender in full bloom.
Growing lavender is a rewarding journey from seed to harvest. Knowing what to expect at each stage helps you provide the right care when it matters most. Key factors like starting plant size, variety, and growing conditions impact how fast lavender matures. With the proper cultivation techniques, you can enjoy this Mediterranean herb’s beauty and fragrance for years to come.
Prune to Encourage More Growth
The happiest plants are the ones that are pruned! It may seem counterintuitive, but you can encourage faster growth by pruning twice per year. The first pruning happens in the late spring after the first round of flowers.
You can cut back to a few inches above the woody portion of the plant. This refreshes the herb to prepare for another flush of blooms in the fall.
After the autumn flowers fade, it’s time to prune again. This hard prune takes back the plant by up to two-thirds of its growth. Don’t worry, this will all grow back even more abundantly next spring! Pruning encourages the plant to channel its energy into preparing the roots for winter dormancy so it can come up with lusher green foliage in the following year.
As mentioned above, it’s best practice to prune lavender before transplanting as well. This helps the plant be less stressed when moving into a new home.
How to Grow Lavender from Seed
- Full lighting
- 2-3 week cold-stratification
- Begin more starts than youâll use
Lavender seeds are especially small, nearly microscopic, and can be notorious for their slower 14-28 day germination as well as having a naturally lower germination rate.
Like many other herbs and wildflowers, lavender seeds experience a significant increase in germination if sown in the fall to lie dormant through winter or stored in a freezer for about 2-3 weeks prior to spring sowing.
This process of cold-stratification simulates the seedsâ natural habitat and conditions, helping to ensure thorough germination as if the plant had naturally reseeded itself. Lavender seeds are slow to germinate and should be cold-stratified as early as 10-12 weeks prior to outdoor transplanting.
After a 2-3 week cold-stratification, lavender seeds are best started indoors using unamended loose potting soil and a 6500k T5 LED grow light, allowing full lighting for thorough germination.
Because seeds are so small and difficult to handle, try your best to plant about 3-4 seeds per individual cell or start, but donât worry too much since lavender naturally has a reduced germination rate, any extra seeds are going to help. Always begin more lavender starts than youâll use to allow for poor germination.
Lightly press seeds into soil without covering to allow lavender full lighting to properly warm and dry out. Seedlings should reach about 4-5â tall when ready to transplant.
As a native to the rocky and arid expanses of the Mediterranean, lavender still thrives in the same poor, shallow, and depleted soils to which its accustomed. Whether germinating seeds or repotting an established plant, lavender will always require the same loose, unamended, and well-draining soil.
If transplanting outdoors to the garden bed, provide some extra compost and sand for optimal drainage or plant lavender starts on a mound about 3-4â higher than ground level.
Lavender grown in humid southern climates will benefit from a little extra compost and sand to account for added precipitation. Plants grown in heavy, saturated soils are susceptible to mold and root rot. Lavandula prefers a soil pH of about 6.5-7.5 throughout its life cycle.
- Less is more
- Thrives from neglect
- Allow soil to dry between waterings
Allow soil to dry between waterings since lavender will always prefer drier, more arid soils. Water soil directly to avoid any moisture contact with vegetative growth.
As mentioned, lavender actually thrives from some neglect, including lack of water.
Lavender is susceptible to mold and rot if overwatered and not allowed to thoroughly drain between waterings.
How To Grow Insane Amounts of Lavender Like A Pro
FAQ
What is the growth cycle of lavender?
Lavender grows slowly during the fall and plants not survive the winter without good root development and heavy mulching. Space lavender plants 18-24 inches apart into light, well aerated, gravelly soil. Lavender grows about 1-2 feet tall and wide depending on variety and takes 3 years to reach full size.
What not to plant near lavender?
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Moisture-loving plants:Hostas, ferns, and hydrangeas need consistent moisture and rich soil, which is the opposite of what lavender needs. Mint, while a fragrant herb, also requires a lot of water and can spread aggressively, potentially overpowering the lavender.
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Acid-loving plants:Lavender thrives in slightly alkaline to neutral soil (pH 6.5-7.5), so avoid planting it with acid-loving plants like rhododendrons, azaleas, camellias, or blueberries, which prefer a lower pH.
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Heavy feeders:Plants that need rich soil, like tomatoes, peppers, and squash, can compete with lavender for nutrients and disrupt its growth.
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Shade-loving plants:Lavender requires full sun (at least 8 hours a day), so shade-loving plants like impatiens and violets will not thrive alongside it.
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Fennel:Fennel has allelopathic properties, meaning it releases chemicals that can inhibit the growth of other plants, including lavender.
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Daffodils:While beautiful, daffodils can spread aggressively and might compete with lavender for space and nutrients.
What does lavender look like when not in bloom?
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Foliage:The leaves are narrow, linear, and often a silvery-green or grey-green color, which provides visual interest throughout the year.
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Growth Habit:Lavender plants are typically upright and bushy, with multiple stems growing from the base.
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Winter Dormancy:During the colder months, the leaves may turn a more silvery, sage-green color as they enter a natural dormancy period.
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Spring Emergence:In the spring, new bright green growth will emerge from the woody stems as the plant wakes up from dormancy.
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Pruning:Pruning can help maintain a more compact and attractive shape, especially after flowering is complete.