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French lavender Cuttings

hallstina77hallstina77 Posts: 12
in The potting shed
Hi
I am new to the group and need some advice please. I have a beautiful french lavender. Im assuming its new this year as it has no woody stems. I took some cuttings from it after watching a video of Monty Don. I made sure it had nodes on, took all leaves off except for the top, and made sure it was one without a flower. He said to pop it straight into a pot, cover with a bag and thats it. I did that and 10 minutes later they were wilting terribly. I popped them into some water and left them over night, and they were fine. This afternoon I dipped them in rooting gel and put the back in the pot and they wilted again! Ive had to put them back into some water. I know they're only young, as they are soft not woody, but I cant work out what I'm doing wrong! I have never tried playing with cuttings before but I am a very keen gardener. I really want to take a heap of cuttings from my back garden and grow them over winter really to plant them in my front garden next spring (apologies ) if I haven't used the correct terminology) thank you in advance
Tina
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Posts

  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    It might sound like a daft question but did you water the compost in the pot? Use a fine rose on the watering can, or stand the pot in a tray of water until the top of the compost looks damp, so that you don't disturb the cuttings. Allow any excess water to drain out then put the pot in the bag.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • hallstina77hallstina77 Posts: 12
    Hi. 
    I did water the compost. Maybe a little too much but I let it drain out before putting the cutting in. I know that lavender docent like a lot of water, but I water mine every day and it's beautiful. I work in a small garden centre, Which I where I got it from. When we have lavender, if we don't water it it wilts really quickly.  as soon as they're watered they come back up! 
    Also another question. Should I keep them inside or outside while trying to propagate them? I read conflicting answers online.
    Thankyou
    Tina
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    I would keep them inside, myself, on a shady windowsill (it's hot enough to make me wilt never mind cuttings), but a shady spot outside would probably be fine at this time of year.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • hallstina77hallstina77 Posts: 12
    ok fantastic thank you. Im just frightened to take them out of the water now, and put them in compost! :smile:
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    Some things do root in water (there's a thread on that, https://forum.gardenersworld.com/discussion/1004868/plants-that-root-in-water/p1), so you could leave them in the water and see what happens.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • hallstina77hallstina77 Posts: 12
    ok great thank you x

  • hallstina77hallstina77 Posts: 12
    ok great thank you x

  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    And you can always try again with a fresh batch. Sometimes a batch of cuttings just don't root despite doing everything right.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • hallstina77hallstina77 Posts: 12
    I’ve got two lots on the go at the moment, one in water and one in a pot 🤞🏻🤞🏻
  • KiliKili Posts: 1,104
    edited June 2020
    When I take cuttings and put a plastic bag over the pot I always place the pot in full shade until such time as they have rooted. The sun brearing down on plants covered by a plastic bag as you can imagine is not going to help at all.

    Keep them in the shade.

    'The power of accurate observation .... is commonly called cynicism by those that have not got it.

    George Bernard Shaw'

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