When to plant Lavender in Temperate Australia

Temperate zone — applies to Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, Newcastle and similar areas. Growing elsewhere? Cool · Subtropical · Tropical · Arid.

Raise lavender from seed in punnets from September to November in temperate Australia, then transplant once seedlings are sturdy. Sow shallowly at just 3 mm, keep the mix barely moist, and be patient — germination is slow and uneven at 18–28 days, and you are growing a shrub, not a salad: allow around 365 days for a plant that flowers properly. Space transplants 50–70 cm apart in the hottest, driest, best-drained spot you own. Get the position right at the start, because a happy lavender then asks almost nothing of you for years.

Sowing calendar — temperate zone

Green months are your sowing window: September to November.

Growing notes

Frost is the least of lavender's worries in temperate Australia. Established plants are thoroughly hardy through winter; what kills them is wet feet, and a heavy soil that stays sodden from May to September will rot roots long before any frost causes harm. Plant on a mound or in a raised bed, work coarse grit into clay, and mulch with gravel rather than anything moisture-holding.

Within the sowing window, September starts give seedlings the longest first season — they can be transplanted after the mid-October last frost and put on real size before the first May frost arrives. November sowings still succeed but go into their first winter smaller, so pot them on and hold them somewhere sheltered if autumn growth is slight. Either way, temper expectations: the first year is establishment, and meaningful flowering follows in the second.

Give full sun, lean soil and restraint. Rich compost and frequent watering produce soft, floppy, short-lived plants; lavender wants the Mediterranean treatment — deep, occasional water while young, then near-neglect once established. The keeping-it-alive rules are few but firm:

• Never let it sit in waterlogged winter soil
• Keep the 50–70 cm spacing for airflow in humid weather
• Trim after flowering every year to keep growth compact
• Never cut back into old, leafless wood — it rarely reshoots

Lavender at a glance

Common questions

How long does lavender take to grow from seed?

Germination alone takes 18–28 days and can be patchy, and plants need around a full year before they mature and flower well. Most of the first season is establishment.

When should I sow lavender in temperate Australia?

Sow in punnets from September to November and transplant seedlings out once they are sturdy, after the last frost in mid-October.

Why did my lavender die over winter?

Almost always waterlogged soil rather than cold — lavender is frost hardy but cannot stand wet roots. Replant on a mound or raised bed with sharp drainage.

Should I fertilise my lavender?

Barely, if at all. Lavender thrives in lean soil, and generous feeding or rich compost produces soft, sprawling growth that flowers poorly and ages quickly.

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