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How to Strike Lavender for an Endless Supply of Free Plants
My favourite flowers are the old fashioned flowers. Roses, daisies, sweet peas, and lavender. Can you guess why? Well they all come in my favourite colours - pinks, blues, whites, creams, lilacs. And they all smell divine.
They're useful too, in so many ways, but I think the most useful is the lavender.
Lavender is known for it's fragrance and delicate colours. It's scent can stir memories of long-gone great aunties and hankies and church and afternoon tea at Grandma's and sweet smelling bed linens.
And the health and medicinal benefits of lavender can't be forgotten. It's know for it's calming and soothing properties, but did you know that lavender oil is also an antiseptic, has antibacterial properties, is soothing to burns and is an anti-depressive, something I'm sure we could all use in these turbulent times.
It is so versatile.
In the garden lavender is hardy, not needing too much care. It's what we in Australia call a drought tolerant plant, surviving on very little water (and that makes it ideal for our gardens). But boy can those plants be expensive - they start at around $6 each (that's last year's price from Aldi).
So being able to strike new plants gives me plenty of new stock for the grand price of absolutely nothing! And they are coming from plants that cost nothing; they are all strikes from Wayne's mother's lavender garden. She loved her lavender garden and had so many different varieties in it; the display was stunning.
So now the lavender garden in the backyard is growing strong and healthy, it's time to think about the front garden and start striking plants to put out next year.
They're useful too, in so many ways, but I think the most useful is the lavender.
Lavender is known for it's fragrance and delicate colours. It's scent can stir memories of long-gone great aunties and hankies and church and afternoon tea at Grandma's and sweet smelling bed linens.
And the health and medicinal benefits of lavender can't be forgotten. It's know for it's calming and soothing properties, but did you know that lavender oil is also an antiseptic, has antibacterial properties, is soothing to burns and is an anti-depressive, something I'm sure we could all use in these turbulent times.
It is so versatile.
In the garden lavender is hardy, not needing too much care. It's what we in Australia call a drought tolerant plant, surviving on very little water (and that makes it ideal for our gardens). But boy can those plants be expensive - they start at around $6 each (that's last year's price from Aldi).
So being able to strike new plants gives me plenty of new stock for the grand price of absolutely nothing! And they are coming from plants that cost nothing; they are all strikes from Wayne's mother's lavender garden. She loved her lavender garden and had so many different varieties in it; the display was stunning.
So now the lavender garden in the backyard is growing strong and healthy, it's time to think about the front garden and start striking plants to put out next year.
How To Strike Lavender Plants
Lavender is very easy to propagate, meaning you may never have to buy another plant if you follow these simple steps.
Step 1. Cut a stem of lavender about 10cm - 15cm (4 - 6 inches) long. Make sure it doesn't have any flowers on it and is still soft and flexible - you don't want any old, woody stems.
Step 2. Remove the leaves from the lower two-thirds of the stem. I do this by gently running my fingers down the stem - it's faster than pulling them off one-by-one.
Step 3. Dip the cut end in honey, and the plant the cutting into seed raising mix or a good quality potting mix or rich garden soil - whatever you have on hand. Make sure the container has good drainage. I use toilet roll planters as these can be put straight into the garden when the cutting is ready to be transplanted.
Step 4. Keep the cutting moist and in a sunny window. It will be ready to go into the garden in about 4 - 6 weeks. You'll see new growth, the sign it is ready to transplant. If you've used the toilet roll planters just dig a hole the depth of the roll and plant. Easy!
Keep the cuttings moist but not drowning in water their first summer in the garden so they establish a good, strong plant.
And then expect to be cutting flowers from your free lavender plants next summer.
Step 1. Cut a stem of lavender about 10cm - 15cm (4 - 6 inches) long. Make sure it doesn't have any flowers on it and is still soft and flexible - you don't want any old, woody stems.
Step 2. Remove the leaves from the lower two-thirds of the stem. I do this by gently running my fingers down the stem - it's faster than pulling them off one-by-one.
Step 3. Dip the cut end in honey, and the plant the cutting into seed raising mix or a good quality potting mix or rich garden soil - whatever you have on hand. Make sure the container has good drainage. I use toilet roll planters as these can be put straight into the garden when the cutting is ready to be transplanted.
Step 4. Keep the cutting moist and in a sunny window. It will be ready to go into the garden in about 4 - 6 weeks. You'll see new growth, the sign it is ready to transplant. If you've used the toilet roll planters just dig a hole the depth of the roll and plant. Easy!
Keep the cuttings moist but not drowning in water their first summer in the garden so they establish a good, strong plant.
And then expect to be cutting flowers from your free lavender plants next summer.