How to Take Lavender Cuttings in Late Summer (Step by Step)

Lavender is one of those plants nobody should ever need to buy twice. Every established plant carries dozens of potential new ones in its stems, and late summer — right now, in the northern hemisphere — is the sweet spot for taking them. One session with secateurs in August can line out a whole new border, a low hedge, or gifts for every gardener you know, entirely for free.

Why late summer is the perfect time

Through the season, lavender stems mature from soft, bendy spring growth into woody stems. In between comes the semi-hardwood stage: shoots that have firmed up and browned slightly at the base but are still green and flexible at the tip. Semi-hardwood cuttings are the propagator's favourite — sturdy enough not to wilt and collapse, yet still young enough to root readily. In most temperate gardens that window runs from midsummer into early September, and cuttings taken now have time to root before the plant winds down for winter.

Softwood cuttings taken in late spring also work and root even faster, but they are fragile and need closer watching. If you're starting now, semi-hardwood is exactly what your plants are offering.

What you'll need

• A healthy, established lavender plant, ideally 2+ years old
• Sharp, clean secateurs or snips
• Small pots (terracotta is ideal) with drainage holes
• A free-draining mix — roughly half multipurpose compost, half perlite, coarse sand or fine grit
• Rooting hormone powder (optional but improves your odds)
• A clear plastic bag or propagator lid

Taking the cuttings, step by step

• 1. Choose straight, healthy side shoots with no flower buds — flowering stems put their energy into blooms, not roots, and root poorly.
• 2. Cut 10–15 cm lengths; anything much shorter runs out of reserves before it roots. Cut just below a leaf node.
• 3. Strip the leaves from the lower half to two-thirds of the stem by sliding finger and thumb down it, leaving a small tuft of growth at the top. Fewer leaves means less water lost while there are no roots to replace it.
• 4. Dip the cut end in rooting hormone, tap off the excess, and insert the lower third of the stem into the mix around the edge of the pot, spacing cuttings a few centimetres apart so air can circulate.
• 5. Water gently, label the pot — future you will not remember the date — and cover with a clear bag or propagator lid to hold humidity.

Aftercare while they root

Stand the pots somewhere bright but out of direct sun, which cooks covered cuttings in minutes. Keep the mix barely moist — the classic failure is rot from soggy compost, not drought. Bottom-watering for ten to fifteen minutes every few days works beautifully. Air the cover for a few minutes now and then, and pull out any cutting that browns or moulds before it infects its neighbours.

Expect roots in about six weeks, sometimes sooner. White roots peeking from the drainage holes are your confirmation; a gentle tug that meets resistance is another good sign. Once rooted, uncover the pots and let the young plants toughen up.

Getting young lavender through winter

Pot rooted cuttings individually into a slightly richer mix (about one part grit to three parts compost) and grow them on somewhere protected — a cold frame, an unheated greenhouse, or a sheltered spot against a house wall. They don't need warmth, just protection from waterlogged compost and hard freezes in their first winter. Plant them out in spring after the last frost, in full sun and sharply drained soil, and they'll romp away.

Tip: Take twice as many cuttings as you want plants. Even experienced propagators lose a share, and surplus lavender plants never struggle to find a home.

Warning: Don't be tempted to root lavender in a glass of water. The stems usually rot before they root — Mediterranean plants want air around their base, and a gritty mix gives far better results.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Using flowering shoots — always choose non-flowering growth, or pinch off buds
• Cuttings shorter than 10 cm, which exhaust their reserves
• Rich, moisture-retentive compost with no added grit
• Keeping the mix wet instead of barely moist
• Direct sunshine on covered pots
• Giving up too early — some cuttings take eight weeks or more