Stratification of lavender seeds at home

Stratifying lavender at home is an effective way to significantly increase seed germination. To do this, they are placed in a humid environment and stored in the refrigerator for 1-1,5 months.

What is stratification and why is it needed

Stratification (hardening) is a special preparation of seeds for spring planting. The essence of the procedure is the storage of seeds in certain conditions (often in cold ones). In nature, the grains fall out of the fruit and fall into the soil, after which they are covered with snow. The temperature gradually drops, and in spring, on the contrary, the air and the earth warm up. Thanks to this, the grain “understands” that it needs to start growing.

At home, the seeds of some plants can be stored without hardening (for example, tomatoes, cucumbers). In other cases, stratification should be combined (warm and cold conditions are alternately created). And in the case of lavender, it is right to do cold stratification. To do this, the seeds are packaged and stored in a conventional refrigerator at a temperature of +3 to +6 °C.

Deadlines

The procedure does not begin immediately, but 30-40 days before growing seedlings. You need to focus on the fact that after hardening they immediately begin sowing for seedlings. Since this is usually done at the beginning of March, the hardening procedure can be started as early as the end of January. The specific period is determined depending on the climatic conditions of the region.

Ways to Stratify Lavender Seeds in the Refrigerator

Hardening is carried out in a conventional refrigerator. At the same time, the grains are laid out on the material at hand, moistened and placed in an airtight container to maintain a constant level of humidity.

How to Stratify Lavender Seeds on Cotton Pads

One of the simple and effective ways to stratify is to put the seeds on cotton pads, which can be purchased at any pharmacy. The instruction is this:

1. Take a cotton pad and divide it in half so that you get 2 layers – top and bottom.
2. Carefully pour the grains onto the base and cover.
3. Put on a plate and moisten with water – it is most convenient to do this from a spray bottle.
4. Put in a pre-prepared bag or small jar.
5. Leave on the table for a day – at room temperature.
6. Then put in the refrigerator.
7. Periodically it is necessary to ensure that the disk does not dry out. Therefore, the bags must be sealed. And if the cotton wool dries up, it needs to be moistened again.

Lavender stratification is conveniently done using a regular dishwashing sponge.

How to properly stratify lavender seeds in sawdust

In this case, it is necessary to take clean sawdust, the volume of which is 10 times greater than the volume of the seeds. The sequence of actions is as follows:

1. Sawdust is doused with boiling water.
2. Cool and squeeze out excess water.
3. Mix with seeds.
4. Put in a jar or plastic bottle and incubated for three days at room temperature.
5. Placed in the refrigerator and stored for 30-40 days.

Stratification of lavender in the sand in the refrigerator

In this case, they act like this:

1. The grains are mixed with a large volume of sand.
2. Abundantly moisturize.
3. Put in a container and cover with a film or lid.
4. Keep overnight at room temperature, and then placed in the refrigerator.

Advice of professionals

In general, tempering lavender is very simple. The main thing is to monitor the tightness of the container and the normal level of humidity. Experienced gardeners recommend taking into account several nuances:

1. Lavender seeds should be stratified in the refrigerator on the shelf that is closer to the freezer (this is where the air is a little colder). The optimum storage temperature is from +3 to +5 degrees.
2. When stored in sawdust, it is recommended to mix them periodically.
3. It is convenient to carry out the stratification of lavender seeds in agroperlite. It can be used alone or mixed with sand. The sequence of actions is the same.
4. If not only lavender, but also other seeds are hardened, it is better to stick labels with inscriptions on bags or jars: type, date of bookmarking, quantity (if necessary).
5. To increase the germination of lavender, after hardening, the grains can be held in Epin or a solution of succinic acid.

Perlite retains moisture well, so it is also used for stratification.

Conclusion

Stratification of lavender at home is carried out in different ways, and all of them are very affordable. The shelf life is no more than 1,5 months. When doing this, it is important to ensure that the sponge, sawdust or sand remain wet.