How to take lavender cuttings

Alan Titchmarsh demonstrates how to take cuttings from lavender, in summer, to propagate your own new lavender plants for free, taking both stem and heel cuttings.

Make your cut immediately below where a pair of leaves have been removed. That's because there, there's a greater concentration of rooting hormone, so that means it'll have a better chance.

You Will Need

• Lavender
• Sharp knife
• 10cm pots
• Multi-purpose, peat-free compost
• Rooting hormone, liquid or powder
• Polythene bag, clear

Total time: 20 minutes

Step 1

Choose sideshoots as cuttings, pulling these away from the main stem with a thin strip of bark, or heel, still attached.

Step 2

This heel is important as it is where the roots of the new plant will develop. If your cuttings don't have a heel, trim the bottom, cutting with a sharp knife, just below a leaf joint.

Step 3

Remove the lower pairs of leaves so that the cutting has a length of bare stem that can be cleanly inserted into the compost.

Step 4

Dip the cut end of each cutting into rooting hormone. Insert several cuttings around the edge of small pots of gritty compost.

Step 5

Water the compost well then cover the whole pot with a clear polythene bag to maintain a humid atmosphere around the cuttings.

Step 6

Put the pots in a warm, shaded place. Once rooting has started (usually after four to six weeks), cut the corner of the bag to increase ventilation. Remove the bag completely after a few weeks. Leave cuttings in place until they are well rooted, then pot up individually.

Feeling inspired? Take a look at five other ways to increase your stock of plants through propagation, or browse our propagation projects.

Growing on your lavender cuttings

Grow plants to a larger size before planting out in their final positions – pot up each cutting individually. Protect cuttings under glass or a cold frame in winter and plant out the following spring.