You can plant lavender seeds directly in ground soil, but you won't get great results that way. Most of your seeds will fail to sprout when you skip indoor starting. You'll see much better results when you start seeds inside and move your plants out later.
I tried direct sowing lavender two springs ago in my prepared garden bed. I planted fifty seeds and waited for weeks. After two months, I had just three tiny sprouts to show for all my effort. The seeds I started indoors that same week gave me over thirty plants ready for your garden.
My outdoor failure taught me what your seeds need to grow well. Your garden soil goes through hot days and cool nights with no steady temp. Birds and bugs can eat your seeds before they sprout. Rain washes seeds away or buries them too deep in the dirt. You won't face these problems with your indoor trays.
Research from Utah State Extension shows direct seeding produces poor results. Your seeds need steady temps around 70°F (21°C) to wake up properly. You also need careful moisture control every single day. Garden soil just can't give your seeds these conditions on its own no matter how hard you try.
Direct sowing lavender works better if you try it in late fall. Your seeds get natural cold treatment over winter this way. They may sprout come spring with this lavender outdoor seeding approach. But you'll still get fewer plants than indoor starting gives you.
The smart path starts your seeds indoors with a few weeks of fridge time. Plant your stratified seeds in seed starting mix under grow lights. Keep your soil moist but not soaking wet. Your seeds will sprout within two to three weeks under these perfect conditions.
Once your seedlings grow their first true leaves, pot them up to larger containers. Let your plants grow 8-12 weeks until they form sturdy stems. Then spend a week hardening them off by setting your pots outside for longer periods each day. This step prepares your plants for life in the garden.
Your transplants will have much higher survival rates than direct-sown seeds. Your young plants already have strong roots and stems when they hit the garden. They handle weather swings and bugs that would kill a tiny sprout. The extra work you put in pays off with healthy lavender that thrives for years.
Read the full article: How to Grow Lavender From Seed Successfully
