Many types of lavender are plants that can live for two years or more. These plants will grow larger in the spring and summer, and may eventually grow larger in your garden. But lavender plants don't usually break down when separated, so gardeners almost always use small grafts to create new plants. If your plant is not growing, is dying, or the number of flowers is decreasing every year, it means that it needs a process of care.
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Method 1 of 4: Deciding How to Spread Lavender
Step 1. Use the grafted part to produce new plants
Spread your lavender plant through the grafted sections, if your goal is to create a large number of plants. These grafts have a higher survival rate and require less effort to perform. However this part may die, and should only be used if it is necessary for the survival of the plant, to use the criteria below.
Step 2. If your lavender plant is growing too fast, try pruning it
This kind of growth carries a high risk of death of the plant part, although a lavender plant that is growing too fast should not be separated. Prune the plants carefully, reducing 1/3 of the number of plants each year. Prune the plant only in spring, and control the spread of lavender by removing young, not mature, woody growths in the center.
- Ideally, prune lavender at the start of the rainy season, right after the plant has started growing. Pruning lavender in the dry season can make the lavender spend too much energy growing new parts, making them prone to drying out.
- Do not prune lavender in the first year, as long as the plant is still strengthening its roots.
- If on mature stalks the woody growth is already too large for your garden, consider taking several grafts and removing the full fledged plant from the new plant that has been living for a year. This section is a quick solution, but has a very low success rate.
Step 3. Before considering the section, find the decline in plant development from year to year
Notice how many lavender flowers are produced, compared to the previous year. Periodic releases or descents may vary depending on the weather. However, if the plant has declined significantly over the years or so, and production is less, you may need to divide the plant. A safer step might be to start grafting the young plants, and continue to monitor the development of the mature plants.
Step 4. Examine the center of the lavender
More mature lavender plants may start to die in the center, and only produce flowers on the outside. This is one situation where dividing lavender plants may be necessary. But some lavender plants have a risk of death following the order of the parts.
There are differing opinions as to whether old or young plants are at a lower risk of death if they are split
Method 2 of 4: Removing the Graft from the Lavender Host Plant (Softwood or Hardwood Method)
Step 1. Start in spring or summer
Remove the graft during the growing season, or roots may fail to form. The grafts have the best chance of erecting if you cut them early, in the spring, but if you want additional flowers, you may wait until early or mid-summer, then remove the graft after the plant blooms. Doing this in midsummer is not recommended unless you live in a non-frozen area, as these plants need at least 6 weeks to grow roots before the soil freezes.
Step 2. Choose a branch with 2 leaf nodes
A "knot" is a clump on a branch from a crowd of leaf buds. Choose a young branch, the underside of the plant, with 2 knots. There are 2 different methods of selecting branches:
- Softwood. The method uses only the smooth parts, the parts that have not browned and become wood. These grafts will grow quickly, but they can only be used if the smooth part is at least 12 cm long, and includes 2 leaf nodes.
- Hardwood. The method uses a woody, brown twig material, but must also have at least 1 or 2 inches (2.5-5 cm) of smooth, new growth at the tips. This method requires a root stimulator to promote root growth. It is available at the plantation store.
Step 3. Get a root stimulator (as an option)
Root stimulator is important for wood graft growth. That's the choice for fine grafts, because young stalks will grow roots without a root stimulator. Root stimulators may be useful for fine grafts if you remove them from the host plant, less than 6 weeks before the first frost.
Check the label and root stimulator ingredients before buying. Choose a root stimulator that contains root hormones, “no” only fertilizers and vitamin B1
Step 4. Prepare small pots or special trays for soil
Prepare a small tray or flowerpot to place the grafts for the first few weeks after grafting. Since rootless plants are very sensitive to dry season and too wet soil, use a special mixture of 50% compost and 50% perlite to hold the water in the correct layer. Just as mixtures sold at gardening stores can be used, such as mixtures of sphagnum moss and perlite.
Terra cotta flower pots are preferable to plastic pots to help the plant "breathe", especially if you soak the plant in water overnight before continuing with the next steps below
Step 5. Cut the branch with a sharp, clean knife
Sharpen and clean the knife if necessary, to prepare a neat cut with a low infection rate. Cut the selected branch at the bottom of the leaf node, pulling the incision until it reaches 13 cm, including 2 leaf nodes. The length of the graft and the number of leaf nodes it has will affect its success.
The use of scissors is not recommended, as this may tear the stem and make it more difficult for roots to emerge
Step 6. Trim all the leaves but not the top leaves
Leave the upper leaves, as they will provide energy for the new plant. Use your knife to trim all the leaves, so the leaves regulate the energy of root development rather than leaf overgrowth.
Be careful not to damage the bark when removing the leaves
Step 7. Insert the base of the graft into the root stimulator (optional)
Follow the directions on the label on the root stimulator pack to dilute it, if your stimulator is in solid or powder form. Insert the bottom inch (2 cm) of the graft, at the end of the graft, into the stimulator provided.
Step 8. Plant the graft in the space provided and then water it
Plant the graft in the place you provided earlier, and make sure the graft can stand upright. Water the plant with a large amount of water after planting, according to the size of the place.
Step 9. Keep it moist and shady, but keep the amount of water less and more sunlight
Watering too much is a common mistake with new lavender grafts. After the first soak, water the graft only when the soil begins to dry out, not while the soil is still wet. Shade will help reduce damage caused by stress from the grafting process during the first few days, after which the plant can be moved to a lighter environment.
Greenhouse environments may be very humid for lavender grafts. However, if the graft appears wilted or dry after 1 or 2 days, moving the graft into a greenhouse or under plastic may help the plant stay moist until it grows with roots
Step 10. Plant the graft in a larger pot or yard for roots to develop
After about 3 weeks, and generally 6 weeks or so, strong roots will develop in a small pot or tray of soil. The roots will simultaneously enter the soil in the pot, you can move the soil and lavender plants into a large flower pot. Plant in fertile, well-draining soil and take care of it because you will get some lavender plants.
Method 3 of 4: Removing Grafts from Lavender (Layering Method)
Step 1. Choose lavender that is small, young branches near the base of the lavender
For each graft you will make, choose a small branch that is outside the base of the lavender plant. A young, easily bent branch is needed, or a branch that grows horizontally from the ground.
These are some of the methods related to reproduction that refer to "layering". This is very simple and low risk, but can be the tricky part if you plan on creating more grafts. Follow the tips above if you want to turn your lavender into dozens of grafts
Step 2. Bury half the branch into the hole
Dig a hole 4-6 inches (10-15 cm) deep, a short distance from the host plant. Make a hole so you can bend half of the branch you selected into it, with the leaves and flowers above the ground on the other side of the hole.
Step 3. Put the branches in place
Hold the branches with rocks or stakes to prevent them from popping out of the hole. Bury the branch with soil into the hole, then let the flower sit on the ground.
Step 4. Keep the buried branches moist
Water the buried area occasionally, keeping it moist, but not soggy. Take care not to let the soil dry out during the summer.
- Watering is not recommended when the plant is sleeping in winter.
- Straw can help the soil retain water, but may overheat the plants during hot weather.
Step 5. Remove and cut branches after 3 months of growth
When you begin this process, the branches may not develop into strong stems and roots until the growing season in the spring and summer. After 3 to 4 months of growth, or cold weather as autumn begins, be careful when digging around buried stems for roots. If roots are visible and clustered on the ground, cut the branches so that all the roots are on the same side as they have flowered.
Step 6. Transplant the plant as a new lavender plant
Move the graft directly to a new place, moving the soil around the plant to avoid damage to the roots. Keep the plant safe from the wind until the roots strengthen, and give it some care as you will have some lavender plants.
Method 4 of 4: Separating the Lavender Plant
Step 1. Use this method only if you have to
Lavender plants, unlike other plants, don't take things too seriously. Read the section on how to decide on lavender propagation for more input, or refer to the grafting section if your goal is to produce new lavender plants.
Step 2. Separate the plants in early spring
Lavender plants sleep during the winter, although they may remain club green. Wait until early spring to separate the plants, but don't wait for the plants to start growing.
Step 3. Get to know each of the parts
If the center of the plant dies, you should be able to identify the clusters of stalks around the dead area, adding equal parts of the roots. Plan to separate each piece that has at least 3-5 stalks and basic roots.
This may require you to fit multiple mobs into 1 section
Step 4. Dig a hole to separate the plants
According to the guidelines, each hole should be twice as deep as the root roll, and about 12 inches (30 cm) deep. Keep in mind that these root rolls will get smaller once divided.
Step 5. Add soil to the bottom of the hole
Organic materials such as compost or spruce bark can be mixed into the soil in your garden or they can be placed in a layer about 3 inches (7.5 cm) deep at the bottom of each hole.
Optionally, add a little fertilizer with phosphorus and potassium content at the bottom of the hole well
Step 6. Dig the lavender plant partly or completely out of the soil
If the plant isn't very large, the center isn't dead, or the sections aren't easily visible when the plant is in the ground, you may want to remove the entire plant before separating it. Instead, remove a small amount of soil around the plant to increase visibility and access for root rolls.
Dig with the shovel while you move the plant until it is uprooted from the soil
Step 7. Use a shovel to cut off the root roll
Some levenders are difficult to disassemble, but if your plant variety has clusters with other types, you might try to separate them using 2 garden forks. More generally, you'll need to use a cleaning, sharp shovel to cut the lavender plant as you specified above, then use a garden fork to remove any tangled roots.
Step 8. Plant each piece into its hole
Plant each new lavender plant at the same depth as the previous one, pressing the soil around the plant you filled in the hole. Water gently until the plant encourages the growth of new roots and set the plant in the soil. Continue to nurture the lavender as usual.
Tips
- Taking multiple grafts from a healthy lavender plant shouldn't cause any harm to the host plant which can be cared for as usual.
- You can sacrifice your lavender plant to create dozens of new grafts, but only if it's between 3-5 years. In the spring, bury the stems to a depth of 12 inches (30 cm) with a mound of wet soil, shaking the stems and collecting soil to provide air circulation. In mid-autumn, a few weeks before the first frost, take the mound and cut the stems that have had new woody branches.
