Now this is what i call bee Heaven

[RAFAEL/PR]

Now this is what i call bee Heaven , look and listen ! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNBfe5F06KQ

[Mr.Beeman]

Looks rather perfect doesn't it!
Wonder what the honey tastes like.

[Daniel Y]

I know from last year Lavender growing in this area was one of the best ways for me to find out if the bees where foraging. Many other flowers the bees would be ignoring. but they where always on the lavender.

[RAFAEL/PR]

I know from last year Lavender growing in this area was one of the best ways for me to find out if the bees where foraging. Many other flowers the bees would be ignoring. but they where always on the lavender.

that for sure im planing on planting a whole mess of them for my bees my sister is going to be senting the seed to my location , they dont sell them on the Island (Pr), so by next year they wil be happy bees

[Daniel Y]

Rafael, From what I can find and in my experience. Lavender can be hard,(not impossible) to start from seed. I tried started a couple of plants for my wife last year and the seed never came up. I never did try again but I have a few methods I usually use to get the more difficult seeds started that usually work. Anyway I woudl suggest you experiment with getting the seed started before you attempt a bunch of them at once. At least get an idea of what will work and what doesn't.

[hemichuck]

I've never had any luck starting lavender from seed either. Maybe someone knows a trick or tip that would be helpfull. I've tried every year for about the last 10 and it will pop up in pots but I cant seem to get it out into the yard and growing good.

[nada]

its so...beautiful.../cry

[RAFAEL/PR]

Rafael, From what I can find and in my experience. Lavender can be hard,(not impossible) to start from seed. I tried started a couple of plants for my wife last year and the seed never came up. I never did try again but I have a few methods I usually use to get the more difficult seeds started that usually work. Anyway I woudl suggest you experiment with getting the seed started before you attempt a bunch of them at once. At least get an idea of what will work and what doesn't.

ok guys i have two things going for me first my winters is in the 80s+ in the day time ,nights about 65 , two going to start them out door on my roof where i have my bees , vegetable and flower garden which i started 2 months ago , so far everything i started from seeds have has germinated , i dont use dirt but i make my own compost it's a big big diff. one trick i use for seed im not sure of ,if it will germinated or not because the seed might be old is to put them in a wet not soak paper towel and put them in a zip lock bag , and put it away for a week or two , believe it work pretty good for hard to grow seeds here a link on how http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbjXZZsLfV0

[My-smokepole]

Thread made me do some hunting on youtube. And one was sudjecting the best way was from cuttings. one of there main crop it sounded like.
David

[Daniel Y]

What Rafael does with a paper towel is one trick I use. it is one of the simpler ways to get hard to germinate seed going. Other types of seed, Usually larger seed is to simply soak it in water over night. Starting them outdoors is harder when it comes to keeping them moist. but better for the plant.

Hemi, It sounds to me like you problem is in hardening them off. Plants grown indoors have to be introduced to the outdoors slowely. Either place them in a well shaded area for a couple of days then slowely move them so they are exposed to more and more direct sunlight. or limit how much direct sunlight they get each day by moving them back indoors.

I usually try for a couple of hours of direct sunlight on the first day. double that for the second day watching very closely how they are reacting. any sign they are burning and I move them back in. If I did not get a full 4 hours on day two I will try again for 4 hours on day 3. The following day I try to double it again but this is also sometimes to much. after a full 8 hours in the sun the plants are ready to go outdoor permanently. It can take 5 days to a week to get a plant hardened off to live outdoors.

[BeeCurious]

I've never had any luck starting lavender from seed either. Maybe someone knows a trick or tip that would be helpfull. I've tried every year for about the last 10 and it will pop up in pots but I cant seem to get it out into the yard and growing good.

Try stratifying the seeds in the refrigerator as one would do with apple seeds. I have some Kazakh seeds that I will setup today. They will be kept in the fridge until they germinate.

The info for lavender must be on the internet somewhere.

[Daniel Y]

Some seeds have to be exposed to freezing before they can germinate. but those are exceptions. like apple seed being germinated in the cold.

From the info I have they need to be germinated at 70 degrees. In comparison tobacco is germinated at 85 to 90 degrees.

The biggest problem with lavender is soil that is to wet. They like moist, sandy or even gravely soil and will develop root rot quickly in wet soil. excellent drainage. growing in pots or indoors will increase the problem with soil that is to wet. Many people will then move plants outdoors and immediately start watering. this could then appear that moving them was the problem when really the watering was. water is not the cure all for plants that most treat it as. wet soil will cause a tobacco plant to stop growing for example.

I like to do things with plants very slowly when i am first growing them. if I know I will be moving the plants in 24 hours. I will water them the day before if I think they are goign to need it. It then check them the following morning to see how the watering effected them. I then move them out. if there is a reaction after being moved I can be fairly certain it was caused by the moving and not a lot of other things I did at the same time. Do not move plants outdoors and then fertilize them. In fact lavender does not really like fertilizer at all. it will cause it to grow lots of green foliage and not many flowers.

Abuse and hardship is what lavender seems to like best. very drought tolerant. it likes it dry and hot.

[RAFAEL/PR]

once i get the seeds going to try 3 diff way to germinated them and going to use 2 type of soil to see what they like best and i give your guys feed back,on my attemp on growing them here.

[RAFAEL/PR]

Some seeds have to be exposed to freezing before they can germinate. but those are exceptions. like apple seed being germinated in the cold.

From the info I have they need to be germinated at 70 degrees. In comparison tobacco is germinated at 85 to 90 degrees.

The biggest problem with lavender is soil that is to wet. They like moist, sandy or even gravely soil and will develop root rot quickly in wet soil. excellent drainage. growing in pots or indoors will increase the problem with soil that is to wet. Many people will then move plants outdoors and immediately start watering. this could then appear that moving them was the problem when really the watering was. water is not the cure all for plants that most treat it as. wet soil will cause a tobacco plant to stop growing for example.

I like to do things with plants very slowly when i am first growing them. if I know I will be moving the plants in 24 hours. I will water them the day before if I think they are goign to need it. It then check them the following morning to see how the watering effected them. I then move them out. if there is a reaction after being moved I can be fairly certain it was caused by the moving and not a lot of other things I did at the same time. Do not move plants outdoors and then fertilize them. In fact lavender does not really like fertilizer at all. it will cause it to grow lots of green foliage and not many flowers.

Abuse and hardship is what lavender seems to like best. very drought tolerant. it likes it dry and hot.

wow!! Denial you must be a Big time Gardener your 110% right what you said. also people forget you could grow rose not only from cuttings but by seeds if you put them on the freezer for 3 to 4 month ,with the moist paper towel and zip lock bag trick they will germinated. the fact is some plants seeds need the winter to germinated , and bulbs also in fact need some cold storage for a few month but you store them in a dry dark place

[hemichuck]

I think Daniel Y might be on to something with the problem I am having. I'm one of them guys that puts the plants out and throws the water to them. Thats probably whats causing them to fade away. Good advice from all here and I hope I can use it to have my best lavender crop ever. Not only my bees love it but my Wife does too and we all know if Mommas happy everybodies happy.

[RAFAEL/PR]

I think Daniel Y might be on to something with the problem I am having. I'm one of them guys that puts the plants out and throws the water to them. Thats probably whats causing them to fade away. Good advice from all here and I hope I can use it to have my best lavender crop ever. Not only my bees love it but my Wife does too and we all know if Mommas happy everybodies happy.

Good luck , Hemichuck if you successfully got you lavaender going plz give us a feed back and take pictures and post them for us to see!