It’s easy to collect lavender seeds from your garden to start new plants, or to share with friends. Below I will show you exactly when and how to harvest lavender seeds, and also how to store the seeds for planting next year.
Lavender is one of my favorite perennial herbs to grow in the garden. I mean, who doesn’t love lavender? Not only does it look gorgeous in the garden, it attracts tons of bees too. It also smells amazing, and can be used for so many things!
I love saving seeds from my garden so I can grow more of my favorites, or share them with friends. Harvesting lavender seeds is easy, and doesn’t take much time at all.
Lavender growing in my garden
Harvesting Lavender Seeds
It’s very easy to harvest lavender seeds and save them to grow next year, or to share with friends! In order for the plant to form seeds, don’t deadhead lavender. Instead, leave the flowers on the plant and allow the seeds to mature.
Once they’re ready, collecting lavender seeds from the garden doesn’t take much time. Lavender plant seeds form inside the flower heads, so allow some of the flowers to dry out on the plant.
Related Post: How To Harvest Lavender Fresh From The Garden
Lavender going to seed
When To Harvest Lavender Seeds
After the flowers have faded, lavender seed pods will start to form in their place. Leave those seed pods on the plant until they are completely dried out. They will turn a light brown/grayish color. You’ll know it’s time to start collecting lavender seeds if seeds start to fly out when you gently shake the plant.
Lavender seed pods
What Do Lavender Seeds Look Like
Lavender seeds are pretty small, but it’s not hard to see them. The seeds are black, and they’re about half the size of a sesame seed.
Related Post: How To Prune Lavender Plants
Lavender flower seeds and chaff
How to Collect Lavender Seeds From Your Garden
To collect lavender seeds, I like to gently shake the seed pods over a container. You could also clip the seed pods off the plant and drop them into a paper bag. Then fold the top of the bag over and shake it to release the lavender seeds from the seed pods.
Lavender flower seeds usually come out of the pods pretty clean, but there will be some chaff (extra bits of seed pods and other plant material). If you want to separate the seeds from the chaff (you don’t need to do this), dump them onto a flat surface, and lightly blow on the pile. The lighter pieces of chaff will blow away.
Related Post: How To Dry Lavender From Your Garden
Collecting lavender seeds from my garden
What To Do With Lavender Seeds After Harvesting
Allow your seeds to dry out completely before storing them. Keep in mind that lavender seeds need a period of cold (aka cold stratifying) in order to grow, so you will need to refrigerate lavender seeds for a while before planting them.
Once they’re dry, lavender seeds can be stored in plastic containers (film canisters work great!), a paper bag, or in small envelopes. I like to store my seeds in a plastic shoe box, but if you’re more organized than I am, a Seed Keeper would be perfect. If you want to share your seeds with friends, try these custom seed envelopes. Learn how to make your own seed envelopes here.
Related Post: How To Propagate Lavender Plants From Cuttings
Where To Buy Lavender Seeds
If you don’t already have lavender growing in your garden, you can usually find lavender seeds for sale at your local garden center mid-winter through spring. Otherwise, you can always buy lavender seeds online. Here are some great, quality seeds you can buy to get started… English Lavender Seeds, French Lavender Seeds, Provence Blue Lavender Seeds or Lavender Hidcote Dwarf Seeds.
Growing lavender from seed is rewarding, and it’s easy to collect lavender seeds from your garden. Take a little time to collect the seeds, and you’ll have lots of lavender seeds to share with your friends or trade for other garden seeds.
Now that you know how to collect the seeds, learn how to grow lavender in our detailed lavender plant care guide!
If you want to learn how to start seeds indoors, then my Starting Seeds Indoors eBook is for you! It’s a quick-start guide to get you sowing seeds quickly, so that you can saving money by starting your garden plants indoors from seed. Download your copy today!
Otherwise, if you’re looking for more help, then enroll in the Online Seed Starting Course! This fun, comprehensive course will show you everything you need to know to grow all of you own plants from seed.
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More Posts About Collecting Seeds
- How To Collect Butterfly Weed Seeds From The Garden
- How To Harvest Dill Seeds From Your Garden
- How to Collect Chive Seeds in Your Garden
- How To Collect Cilantro Seeds From Your Garden
Share your tips for collecting lavender seeds in the comments section below.
Roberta Lepage says
if you have purchased dried lavender flowers by mistake (instead of seeds) and you plant them, will they grow anything? Do the dried flowers contain seeds?
*I might have done this by mistake lol
Amy Andrychowicz says
Oh no, LOL! Unfortunately, the dried flowers likely will not contain any seeds. They’re usually harvested and dried before the buds even open. Lavender seeds don’t usually form until the flowers fade and the petals fall off.
Beverly says
Is there a particular type of lavender I should grow for use in teas and salves? I live in the Gulf Coast area of Florida and I get confused with all the different varieties available. I’m about to retire and plan to spend more time ‘homesteading’. Thanks!
Amy Andrychowicz says
English lavender is the best variety for oils and fragrance, but it grow better in cold climates. So, it may not do well for you in Florida if it’s too warm. Here’s a post I wrote that’s all about lavender, and it has a section where I discuss the different varieties, hope it will help… How To Care For Lavender Plants
Susie Hardy says
Could someone explain the cold process to me?
Thank you, I live in the mountains in Southern California.
Amy Andrychowicz says
It’s called “cold stratification”. You can just put the seeds in your refrigerator for a month or so. 🙂
Rebecca Flack says
when the flowers are done blooming do i trim the tops off or just let them fall to the ground?
Amy Andrychowicz says
If you want to collect lavender seeds, then you should leave the flowers on the plant until they dry out and form seeds.
Hollie says
I love lavender! We live in Florida, ive tried three times to grow! And failed three times! Im trying one more time. A lady at Lowe’s said use packing peanuts and only water once a week.. we just had a cold snap.. can I get the seeds out of the gray colored ones?
How to start seeds indoors?
Amy Andrychowicz says
Just make sure that your pot also has drainage holes in the bottom. Packing peanuts in a pot w/o drainage won’t do anything. Also, always check the soil before watering, rather than watering on a set schedule. You might find that the soil dries out faster than once a week, or you might find that it’s still moist after a week. Stick your finger one inch into the soil and if it feels dry, then water it. But, if it’s wet, then wait to water. As for collecting lavender seeds, yes, check the gray colored seed pods to see if there are seeds in there. Simply shake the seed pods over a container, or cut them off and drop them into the container as described above.
emily b says
Have you ever heard of anyone using the actual seeds in cooking/culinary uses?
Amy Andrychowicz says
Lavender flowers yes, but I’ve never heard of using the seeds for cooking.
Patsy Heath says
When would I plant my seeds to “winter over” the seeds?
Amy Andrychowicz says
Sorry, I’m not sure what you’re asking. Are you asking when you would plant your lavender seeds using the winter sowing method?
Jess Lee says
Hello,
I have lots of very old lavender seeds (about several years old) from a friend who liked to place them inside the house for fregrance. Would they be okay to plant and grow? Or they can be just for decoration.
Have a nice day!
Best,
Jess
Amy Andrychowicz says
Unfortunately, lavender seeds are usually only viable for a 2-3 years. If you want, you could certainly try doing a simple viability test on a few of them to make sure. Here’s how… How To Test Viability Of Garden Seeds
Debra Bury says
I have a lavender tree/Bush. It produces beautiful flowers. In the fall, it has tiny round “seeds” what kind is this and why can’t I get more of the same seeds to grow.
Amy Andrychowicz says
Humm… I’m not sure what type of lavender you have. Lavender seeds need cold stratification in order to grow. So, after you collect seeds from your lavender plant, make sure to give them a cold period before planting them.
Hi says
Thanks! My lavender is different to yours thought. I have to spend a lot of time opening every single bud/pocket. My lavender attracts lots of bees.
Amy Andrychowicz says
Interesting, thanks for sharing