How to Grow Lavender
Lavender At a Glance
Difficulty
Moderate
Category
Herb
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Frost Tolerance
Frost Hardy
Cold Hardiness
Survives to -15°C
Plant Family
Lamiaceae
Growing Season
Warm Season
Plant Lifecycle
Perennial
How to Start It
★ Recommended for beginners
Lavender seeds need a cold spell before they sprout, and the simplest way is to sow outdoors in late fall and let winter do the work. Or mix the seeds with a spoonful of damp sand in a small bag, keep it in the fridge for 4 weeks, then sow about 4 weeks before your last spring frost. Press the tiny seeds onto the surface without covering them, since they need light to sprout, and keep the spot damp. They are slow, taking 21 to 28 days to sprout after the cold, so mark the spot and thin the seedlings to 30 cm apart.
Lavender is a small, woody shrub that comes back for many years when it has sun and soil that drains fast. Wet soil is what kills it, far more often than cold, so a raised bed or a pot with gravel mixed in is ideal. Plants from seed can vary a little in colour and size, and they flower lightly in the first year, then fully from the second.
When To Start
First chance to plant
30 Days Before Last Frost
Last chance to plant
60 Days Before First Frost
When should you plant Lavender?
Your planting dates depend on your local climate. Sign up and add your location to unlock personalized dates.
Your Lavender Planting Window
Start planting
May 15, 2026
Last chance
Sep 10, 2026
Your Lavender Calendar
Set your location to turn these into exact dates and reminders.
Sow fridge chilled lavender seeds on the soil surface now
30 days before your last frost· every year
Optional: plant a young lavender in full sun and fast draining soil
1 week after your last frost· every year· optional
Cut lavender for drying when half the flowers are open
90 days after your last frost· every year· optional
Trim lavender by a third after flowering, not into old wood
120 days after your last frost· every year· optional
Did you water your lavender seedlings today? Keep the top of the soil damp until they are up and growing.
About 1 days after you plant it
Your lavender is growing slowly and steadily. Let the soil dry between waterings, since it hates wet roots.
About 58 days after you plant it
Lovely progress! Pinch the tips of your lavender to help it branch into a fuller plant.
About 88 days after you plant it
Picking time may be here: check your lavender.
About 90 days after you plant it
The Journey Ahead
Lavender's Lifecycle
Seedling
Mature Plant
Seed Production
Step 2
Planting & Sprouting
Expect sprouts in 21–28 days
Growing Tips
- 1Give lavender your sunniest, hottest spot, with at least 6 to 8 hours of sun a day.
- 2Plant it in light, sandy or gravelly soil that drains fast, and skip rich compost and feeding, since rich soil gives floppy plants with less scent.
- 3Water young plants weekly until they settle in, then only when the soil is dry several centimetres down.
- 4Trim the plants by about a third after flowering to keep them bushy, but never cut into the bare, woody base, which does not grow back.
- 5Root rot from soggy soil is the main problem, so keep mulch and dead leaves away from the base to let air flow.
- 6Lavender can upset a cat's or dog's stomach if they eat a lot of it, so keep chewing pets away.
Seedling Phase
Step 3
Growth & Maturity
~90
Days to Maturity
60 cm
Mature Height
60 cm
Mature Width
Pests to Watch For
Diseases to Watch For
Mature Plant
Step 4
Harvesting
Harvest Window
45 days
When to Pick
Harvest flower spikes when just opening
How to Harvest
- 1For drying, cut lavender when about half the flowers on each spike are open, in the morning once the dew has dried.
- 2Cut each stem just above the leafy green growth, leaving some leaves on the plant.
- 3Tie small bunches and hang them upside down in a dark, airy spot for 1 to 2 weeks.
- 4Rub the dry flowers off the stems and keep them in a sealed jar away from light.
- 5Use English lavender for cooking and tea, and use just a pinch, since the taste is strong.
Step 5
Saving Seeds
How to Save Seeds
Bees cross lavender plants freely, so seeds from a named variety grow into plants that vary a little in colour and size, which is usually fine for the garden. Hybrid F1 seeds will not grow true, so save only from a variety that is not a hybrid. Leave a few flower spikes on the plant until they turn brown and dry, then cut them into a paper bag. Rub the spikes between your fingers to free the tiny black seeds, and shake out the bits of husk. Store them labelled in a cool, dark, dry place, and remember they need a cold spell again before you sow them.
Seed Production
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