Lavender growing conditions
How to Grow Lavender: Planting and Care
Lavender (Lavendula spp.) is a well-known and fragrant perennial plant that will come back every year with gray-green foliage, upright flower spikes, and a compact shrub form. Planting lavender is best in the spring after the risk of frost has passed and the soil has warmed up. It will grow at a moderate pace, often adding a few inches to its size each year. Lavender can be toxic to pets like dogs and cats.
Click Play to Learn How to Care for Lavender Plants
| Common Name | Lavender |
| Botanical Name | Lavandula spp. |
| Family | Lamiaceae |
| Plant Type | Herbaceous perennial |
| Mature Size | 2–3 ft. tall, 2–4 ft. wide |
| Sun Exposure | Full sun |
| Soil Type | Dry, well-draining |
| Soil pH | Alkaline |
| Bloom Time | Summer |
| Flower Color | Purple |
| Hardiness Zones | 5a–9a, USDA |
| Native Areas | Europe |
| Toxicity | Toxic to dogs, toxic to cats |
How to Plant Lavender
- Plant lavender in the ground in your sunniest spots.
Lavender plants will tolerate many growing conditions, but they grow best in warm, well-draining soil, and full sun.
- In the garden, lavender makes an excellent companion plant for almost anything from roses to cabbage. It is one of those aromatic, gray herbs that deer avoid, making it a great choice to plant lavender as a decoy in your beds.
- Lavender-growing USDA zones include 5a through 9a, but this is not a plant that is dependable enough to use as a hedge. Realistically, you can expect plants to do well when the weather cooperates, but be prepared to experience the occasional loss of a plant or two after a severe winter or a wet, humid summer.
- Keep starting new plants to ensure you have a bountiful harvest for years to come.
Tips
Lavender has a large, spreading root system. However, do not plant lavender in shady spots in your garden where they will be overshadowed by trees or other large plants. Lavender grows best in full sun.
Lavender Care
As with most plants, your success in growing lavender will depend both on what kind of growing conditions you provide and which varieties you select to grow.
Even if you do everything right and your lavender plants appear happy, the genus is generally not long-lived and most lavender plants begin to decline in 10 years or less.
Light
Lavender plants grown in full sunlight is the best way to guarantee a lot of buds and big, full bushes.
Soil
Lean soil (soil without a lot of organic matter mixed in) will encourage a higher concentration of oils (and good smells), so go easy on the organic matter and fertilizer. Lavender plants prefer well-drained soil that is on the drier side, so if you're using a traditional potting mix, be sure to add in some sand for drainage. An alkaline or especially chalky soil will enhance your lavender's fragrance, while any pH below about 6.5 will likely cause lavender plants to be very short-lived.
Water
Lavender is a resilient plant that is extremely drought-tolerant once established.
When first starting your lavender plants, keep them regularly watered during their first growing season. After that, they can handle extended periods of drought—in fact, too much water can lead to fungal disease and root rot.
Temperature and Humidity
Lavender can withstand a range of temperatures, and it's usually dampness more than the cold that's responsible for killing lavender plants. Dampness can come in the form of wet roots during the winter months or high humidity in the summer. If humidity is a problem, make sure you have plenty of space between your plants for airflow, and always plant your bushes in a sunny location. Protect lavender plants from harsh winter winds by planting them next to a stone or brick wall to provide additional heat and protection. If you live in an area where the ground routinely freezes and thaws throughout the winter, your lavender plants will benefit from a layer of mulch applied after the ground initially freezes to protect the roots.
Fertilizer
It's a good idea to add a handful of compost into the hole when you are first starting lavender plants. Beyond that, feeding is not needed with these plants and can detract from the overall potency of your lavender.
Types of Lavender
There are many varieties of lavender, each boasting benefits and perks. Some of the most popular include:
- English Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia): A varietal that's available in several cultivars, including: 'Munstead,' an old-fashioned standard with blue-purple flowers; 'Hidcote,' a version favored for its dark purple flowers; 'Jean Davis,' a unique blend that produces pale pink flower spikes.
- Lavandin (Lavandula x intermedia): A varietal with several cultivars including: 'Provence,' which is particularly popular for drying; 'Grosso,' a highly disease-resistant and fragrant standard.
- Fringed lavender(Lavandula dentata): A bushy, spreading shrub varietal that produces dense purple-blue flower spikes that are only mildly fragrant.
- French lavender(Lavandula stoechas) : A beautiful Mediterranean varietal that is compact and bushy with fragrant, dark purple flowers.
Pruning
Although lavender plants get regularly pruned simply by harvesting the flowers, a bit of spring pruning is recommended to keep your plant well-shaped and to encourage new growth. Taller lavender varieties can be cut back by approximately one-third of their height, while lower-growing varieties can either be pruned back by a couple of inches or cut down to new growth.
If you live in an area where lavender suffers winter die-back, don't prune your plants until you see new green growth at the base of the plant. If you disturb the plants too soon in the season, they're unlikely to develop new growth.
Watch Now: How to Prune Lavender Plants
Harvesting Lavender
A major reason lavender is so prized is that its flowers keep their fragrance once dried. For best drying results, harvest the flowers as the buds first begin to open.
Hang them in small bunches upside-down in a warm spot with good air circulation until dried. Besides being beautiful and aromatic, lavender flowers are also edible. They can be used raw in salads, added to soups and stews, used as a seasoning, baked into cookies, and brewed into tea. Use sparingly; a little lavender flavor goes a long way.
Propagating Lavender
Lavender plants are best propagated by either softwood cuttings (the soft, flexible tips of shoots) or hardwood cuttings (segments of shoots with woody stems). Softwood cuttings are available in the spring; hardwood cuttings are available in the fall. Both processes can be done relatively the same—here's how:
- Use a sterilized, sharp knife to cut a 3-inch segment of a healthy shoot from the plant. Hardwood cuttings should be severed just below a bump that identifies a leaf node. Remove the leaves from the bottom 2 inches of the stem and scrape off the skin from the bottom of the stem along one side.
- Fill a small pot with a seed-starting mix that has been moistened with a bit of water.
- Dip the stripped side of the cutting in rooting hormone. Bury it into the seed-starting mix.
- Cover the pot with plastic and place somewhere warm with ample filtered light. Softwood cuttings take two to four weeks to begin rooting; hardwood cuttings take a bit longer.
- When you've noticed that roots are established, remove the plastic covering and place the pot back in a sunny location.
- Feed the plant once a week with a liquid plant fertilizer diluted to 25 percent strength.
- After two or three weeks, the plant can be transplanted outdoors or into a larger pot with standard potting soil—commercial potting soil has enough nutrients to nourish the plant without any more feeding.
Potting and Repotting Lavender
Where outdoor planting is not practical, growing lavender in a ceramic, clay, or terra-cotta pot and moving it around to follow the sun or even bringing it indoors for the winter, will be most efficient.
Lavender prefers to grow in a tight space. A pot that can accommodate the root ball with a couple of inches to spare is a good choice; a pot that is too large will encourage excessive dampness.
Ensure that your container has plenty of holes at its base for drainage—root rot is one of the few problems experienced by lavender plants. Additionally, you can plant lavender in a clay or terracotta pot to help wick moisture away from the soil and keep it from getting too wet. Use a loose, soilless mix for planting, and remember that container-grown lavender will require more water than garden-grown plants. A good rule of thumb is to water when the soil (not the plant) appears dry, watering at the base of the plant to limit dampness on the foliage.
Common Pests & Plant Diseases
Lavender plants are not afflicted by many diseases. They may develop phytophthora, which is a soil-borne fungal disease that causes root and stem rot. Lavender can also succumb to septoria leaf spot, which is caused by a fungus and is also commonly found on tomato plants.
However, many common pests are attracted to lavender, including whiteflies, spider mites, leafhoppers, and spittlebugs (which do little damage). Water spray, insecticidal soaps, and neem oil can be helpful to eliminate pests. The four-lined plant bug (FLPB) is another pest that can be found sucking on lavender plant leaves and can be controlled by pesticides.
How to Get Lavender to Bloom
When you're growing a plant as prized for its blooms as lavender, try to do all you can to get it to flower profusely. If you're having a difficult time getting your lavender plants to bloom, there are a few issues that could be to blame.
Soil that is too fertile can result in fewer blooms. Highly fertile soil promotes a lot of green growth at the expense of bud production. You can either relocate your plants or amend the soil with sand or gravel to aerate it and make it less nutrient-dense.
You should also make sure that your lavender plants are getting at least six to eight hours of sunlight daily, which will result in the most productive blooming.
If your plant isn't getting that much light in its current location, you can cut back nearby foliage that may be overshadowing it, or replant your lavender in containers so you can move them around and "chase" the light.
Lastly, pruning your plant each spring—even if the size is suitable for your space—can result in more frequent (and fuller) blooming. The reason: Lavender sets buds on new growth, so stimulating that process is a helpful signal to the plant that it should get growing.
Common Problems With Lavender
Lavender plants are fairly trouble-free, but problems can occur. Here are common issues you may encounter when growing lavender indoors or outdoors.
Leaves Turning Yellow
Leaves turn yellow if the soil is too wet. If the lower leaves are yellow, that definitely means you are overwatering the plant. Many lavender plants will perish if their soil gets too wet over the winter months.
Plant Smells Bad
You have probably overwatered your lavender plant.
The plant may have root rot. If you have a potted lavender plant that you think has root rot, prune the dead or affected roots with a sharp and sterilized cutting tool and repot the plant to see if it's salvageable.
Drooping Leaves
You have probably underwatered your lavender plant. In addition, the soil will feel parched.
Soil Is Always Wet
You have overwatered your lavender plant. See if you can remove any root rot and replant the lavender in new soil.
Watch Now: 4 Long-Blooming Perennials
Article Sources
The Spruce uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Lavender. ASPCA.
Fourlined Plant Bugs. University of Minnesota Extension.
Growing Lavender: Planting & Care Guide
Growing tips for this fragrant, easy-care plant that thrives in sunny locations By Anne Balogh
Lavender, an herb with many culinary uses, also makes a stunning addition to borders and perennial gardens, providing sweeping drifts of color from early summer into fall.
With its silvery-green foliage, upright flower spikes and compact shrub-like form, lavender is ideal for creating informal hedges. You can also harvest it for fragrant floral arrangements, sachets, and potpourri.
COMMON TYPES OF LAVENDER
Sweet Romance, English lavender. Photo by: Proven Winners.
ENGLISH LAVENDER
Botanical name: L. angustifolia
Zones: 5-8
Bloom time: June to August
Height: 2 to 3 feet
Flower colors: Lavender, deep blue-purple, light pink, white
Despite its Mediterranean origin, English lavender was so named because it grows well in that country's cooler climate and has long been a staple in English herb gardens. The gray-green foliage and whorls of tiny flowers make this one of the most attractive lavenders in the garden. It’s one of the most cold-hardy varieties and the best for culinary use because of its low camphor content.
Pictured: Sweet Romance® lavender from Proven Winners
French lavender.
FRENCH LAVENDER
Botanical name: L. dentata
Zones: 8-11
Bloom time: Early summer to fall
Height: 36 inches and larger
Flower colors: Light purple
Also called fringed lavender, this showy variety is distinguished by narrow, finely-toothed leaves and compact flower heads topped by purple bracts. While the flowers have less aroma than English lavender, the fleshly leaves are more fragrant, with an intoxicating rosemary-like scent.
Spanish lavender.
SPANISH LAVENDER
Botanical name: L. stoechas
Zones: 8-11
Bloom time: Mid to late summer
Height: 18 to 24 inches
Flower colors: Deep purple
This variety is prized for its unusual pineapple-shaped blooms with colorful bracts, or “bunny ears,” that emerge from each flower spike. Although the flowers are not especially fragrant, the light-green leaves are very aromatic.
Lavandin.
LAVANDIN
Botanical name: L. ×intermedia
Zones: 5-11
Bloom time: Mid to late summer
Height: 24 to 30 inches
Flower colors: Dark violet, white
This popular hybrid combines the cold hardiness of English lavender with the heat tolerance of Portuguese lavender (L. latifolia). It typically starts blooming a few weeks later than most English lavenders and features long spikes of highly fragrant flowers. Although not considered edible (due to high camphor content), the flowers and foliage are often added to sachets and potpourris.
Although all lavender (Lavandula) is native to the Mediterranean, there are many varieties offering a vast selection of bloom times, colors, flower forms, and sizes. “Bloom time can vary drastically between different locations—where one lavender blooms at the start of June, only 20 miles away could be a very different outcome,” says Kristin Nielsen, president of the Lavender Association of Western Colorado.
Contrary to the name, not all lavenders are purple. Some hybrids come in other lovely pastel hues such as violet blue, rose, pale pink, white, and even yellow. The leaves can also vary in shape and color. To extend the bloom season as well as the color palette, consider planting several varieties.
GROWING LAVENDER
Growing lavender is easy and rewarding. Lavender can be grown in garden beds or in pots. To grow lavender successfully it needs well-drained soil and full sun. In arid climates lavender grows well as a perennial, but in humid climates it is often grown as an annual.
Learn how to grow lavender:
- Purchase healthy lavender plants for your garden
- Bring them home and water them if you can’t plant them immediately
- Select a location for your lavender that receives full sun
- Set the potted plants in different spots to decide where they look best
- Unpot, plant and water your lavender
- Provide consistent watering until the lavender becomes established
- Prune back your lavender each spring
PLANTING & WATERING TIPS
Planting Sweet Romance® Lavender
Learn more about Sweet Romance® Lavender.
Planting and soil: All lavender varieties require well-drained soil, especially during the winter months. To ensure good drainage, mix some sand or gravel into the soil before you plant lavender or grow the plants in mounds, raised beds, or on slopes. Instead of applying moisture-holding organic mulches, consider using rock or stone, especially in humid climates.
Justin Claibourn of Cowlitz Falls Lavender Company in Randle, Washington also recommends checking your soil’s pH: "If it’s too acidic you can kiss your lavender goodbye," he says. They will look great at first, but after a few years you may notice plants dying off randomly. Once the roots grow out into the native, un-amended soil trouble can begin. Most universities will check your pH relatively cheaply or some hardware stores for free. You can amend your soil with lime to better accommodate your lavender plants.
Watering: Cowlitz also advises against overwatering. "As a large-scale grower, we typically irrigate twice a year—that’s it," states Claibourn. Give your lavender a long soak to promote root growth, short and frequent watering cycles result in unhealthy roots that may rot.
Illustration by: Olga Akbarova
HOW TO PRUNE LAVENDER
Once established, lavender is very low-maintenance, but should be pruned annually. Plants that aren’t pruned have a tendency to get woody and sprawl, leaving a hole in the middle.
- In Zone 7 and colder, pruning should be done after flowering in the spring.
- In Zones 8 and above, prune back after summer flowering.
- Prune lavender back by 1/3 to 1/2 its height to stimulate new growth. As plants mature, the lower stems become woody. Find the woody part of the stem and go up about 2 inches to cut; do not cut into the woody base.
- Throughout the blooming season, clip faded bloom stalks back to encourage repeat blooming.
- See the reader question below for more on how to get a leggy lavender back in shape.
CLIMATE CONSIDERATIONS
Lavender is a perennial that will last for several years under the right conditions. Because of its Mediterranean origin, lavender loves blazing hot sun and dry soil. If your lavender doesn’t thrive, it’s most likely due to overwatering, too much shade, and high humidity levels.
English lavenders and their hybrids are the best varieties for cooler climates, since they are cold hardy north to Zone 5.
However, they will grow best in a sheltered location with winter protection. For southern gardens in extremely hot, humid climates, Spanish and French lavenders are more tolerant of the moist conditions, but should be spaced apart to allow good air circulation.
If your winters are too harsh or your soil is heavy and dense, consider growing lavender in containers. They will flourish as long as they receive at least 8 hours of direct sunlight a day and are planted in a high-quality potting mix with good drainage. In winter, bring your container plants indoors and place them in a sunny window. See these recipes for ideas of how to use lavender in containers.
Love plants? Learn more about how, when, & what to plant (plus more!) in our weekly newsletter!
POPULAR LAVENDER VARIETIES
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Photo by: Proven Winners
Sweet Romance® — Buy Now from Proven Winners
L. angustifolia
This variety grows 12 to 18 inches tall and blooms from early summer into fall.
Its grey-green foliage is topped with rich purple flowers that are perfect for fresh or dried bouquets.
Buy Now
Photo by: Proven Winners
Phenomenal — Buy Now from Proven Winners
Lavandula x intermedia
Good drainage is critical for this fragrant mid- to late-summer bloomer. Grows 24 to 30 inches tall and 48 to 54 inches wide. Use in containers or garden beds and borders.
Photo by: Proven Winners
‘Hidcote’
L. angustifolia
This compact cultivar grows 12 to 18 inches tall and features slender flower spikes with tightly bunched dark purple-blue flowers and aromatic silvery foliage. Because of its low profile, you can use it as a tidy hedge plant around herb or perennial gardens or alongside walkways.
Photo courtesy: W. Atlee Burpee Company.
‘Grosso’
Lavandula 'Grosso'
This popular lavandin hybrid is the most fragrant of all lavenders and the one most often used for scenting perfumes and sachets.
It produces an abundance of exceptionally large deep-violet flower spikes that stand well above the mounded silver-green foliage. Growing to 3 feet tall and wide, this heavy bloomer needs ample space to accommodate its vigorous growth habit.
Photo courtesy: W. Atlee Burpee Company.
‘Munstead’
L. angustifolia
This early-flowering English lavender is tolerant of tough growing conditions, including heat, humidity, and drought. It grows to a compact height of 12 to 18 inches and produces masses of lavender blue flowers from late spring well into summer. Use as a border accent, in mass plantings, and in containers.
Courtesy of photographer Doreen Wynja© for Monrovia.
'Provence'
Lavandula x intermedia
'Provence' is one of the tallest of the lavandin cultivars and gets its name from the area in southeastern France where it is commercially grown for the perfume industry. It grows to a height of 3 feet with heavily scented flowers and foliage.
Pale purple blooms on upright stems appear from June through August.
Photo by: Pressebereich Dehner Garten-Center / Flickr.com.
‘Thumbelina Leigh’
L. angustifolia
True to its name, ‘Thumbelina Leigh’ is a dwarf English lavender ideal for containers, low borders, and rock gardens. It produces a profusion of strongly fragrant, violet-blue flower spikes that will bloom continuously from early to mid summer.
Photo courtesy: Kieft Seed.
‘Ellagance Ice’
L. angustifolia
Silvery white blooms with a light-blue blush distinguish this attractive English lavender cultivar. The large aromatic flower spikes bloom all summer and attract butterflies. A compact bushy form makes it an excellent choice for containers.
Photo by: Ngordon99 | Dreamstime.com.
‘Melissa’
L. angustifolia
Here’s an unusual pink-flowering English lavender that harmonizes beautifully with purple-flowering varieties.
It has silvery foliage like other English lavenders but produces delicately scented light-pink flowers that gradually fade to white. It can grow to a height of 27 inches and blooms from late spring to early summer.
Photo by: HighCountryGardens.com.
'Buena Vista'
L. angustifolia
This rare twice-blooming English lavender cultivar flowers in late spring and again in September, with a few flower spikes appearing in mid-summer. It produces bi-colored purple and deep blue flowers on stems that fan out around the plant, so the form is not as tidy as some other cultivars. Grows to a height of 18 to 24 inches with a similar spread.
Photo by: Matt Purciel / Alamy Stock Photo.
'Royal Velvet'
L. angustifolia
'Royal Velvet' English Lavender is a real showstopper, producing velvety, richly colored navy and purple flower spikes on tall 2 to 2.5 foot stems. It blooms from late spring to early summer and is one of the best lavenders for use in dried arrangements because the flowers retain their gorgeous color.
DESIGN IDEAS FOR LAVENDER
- Use lavender along walkways and garden paths where you can enjoy their scent and where they can benefit from the heat reflected off the pavement.
- Plant in formal or informal herb gardens, where the cool, gray-green foliage sets off other green herbs and plants.
- Create aromatic hedges or borders along fences and garden walls as shown in this video for Sweet Romance® lavender.
- Use lavender as a natural pest repellent near patios and porches. The scent deters mosquitoes, flies, fleas, and other problem insects while attracting butterflies and bees.
- Plant with drought-tolerant companions such as coneflower, sedum, black-eyed Susan, roses, and shasta daisies.
IDEAS FOR USING LAVENDER IN THE KITCHEN
A member of the mint family, lavender has been used for centuries as a versatile, unexpected flavoring in both sweet and savory foods. English lavenders are the best varieties for culinary purposes, and both the buds and leaves can be used fresh or dried.
Because the flavor of lavender is strong, use it sparingly so it won’t overpower your dishes. The buds are best harvested right before they fully open, when the essential oils are most potent.
- Immerse a few dried lavender buds in a jar of sugar to give it a sweet aroma. Use the sugar for baking and in desserts.
- Chop the fresh buds and add to a cake batter or sweet pastry dough before baking.
- Add flower buds to preserves or fruit compotes to give them subtle spicy notes.
- Sprinkle fresh lavender on a salad as a garnish.
- Use fresh lavender to infuse teas, cocktails, and other beverages.
- Use chopped buds and leaves to flavor roast lamb, chicken, or rabbit.
- Make Herbes de Provence by blending dried lavender with thyme, savory, and rosemary.
For more ideas, check out these 15 lovely lavender recipes from Boulder Locavore.
READER QUESTIONS
Q: My ‘Provençal’ lavender plants are a few years old and very leggy, which is not so good since they line a walkway.
How can I get them back into shape? - Holly Dietor, Glen Arm, Md.
A: All lavenders should be pruned once a year to keep them low and full. Since you haven’t pruned for a year or so, renovation will require several steps. Start this spring, when the plants begin to regrow. First, brush the branches with your fingers to knock off any dead foliage. Then, shorten half the old, gray stems — roughly every other one — to within a few inches of the base. If you see green buds sprouting near the base of an unpruned stem, cut to a quarter-inch above a bud. This thinning will admit more light, awakening buds that are low on remaining old stems. When green buds form near the base of these stems, cut the old wood back to the lowest emerging bud. By early summer, you will have shortened all the old stems to a few inches above the base. In midsummer, use hedge clippers or hand pruners to shape the plant into a symmetrical mound, like a shallow bowl turned upside down.
Next year, you will have bushy lavender, which will need to be pruned only once. In zone 7, where you live, and northward, you can perform that annual haircut in early spring or in midsummer, right after heavy flowering. In milder climates, pruning should follow summer bloom.
Last updated: 1/19/2022
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photos and advice from experienced gardeners
If you want peace, tranquility and kind warmth to reign in your home, and your soul to always be light and joyful, plant lavender in your garden.
This beautiful flowering ornamental shrub occupies the first place in the medicinal fragrance gardens, which are so widespread in Western Europe and East Asia.
Its unusual smell pacifies, soothes and evokes the most positive emotions even in very irritable people. nine0003
Lavender flowers are used in folk and traditional medicine to treat a number of diseases (read more about this below).
Lavender is cultivated today by many amateur gardeners. This beautiful plant takes root well in a new place and requires the most minimal care.
In this article we will tell you in detail about lavender and how it is planted and cared for.
FEATURES AND DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT
Biological portrait . Lavender is a perennial evergreen multi-stemmed subshrub belonging to the Lamiaceae family. Plant height does not exceed 60 cm.
The lower branches are lignified and strongly branched. They form multiple young shoots with strong silvery pubescence. The oblong narrow leaves with curled edges, 4-6 cm long, are also covered with thin hairs.
Bluish-violet flowers are collected in spike-shaped inflorescences.
It is they who emit a very strong and surprisingly delicate bitter-wormwood aroma. In some types of lavender, the flowers may be white or creamy yellow. nine0003
Most species are thermophilic and will not grow in our climate. Only English lavender is highly frost-resistant (up to -30 degrees). In the garden in one place, lavender bushes can grow up to 40 years if they are pruned correctly.
HEALTH PROPERTIES OF LAVENDER
Lavender has unique healing properties.
The presence of a large amount of antioxidants in the flowers and leaves of the plant helps to reduce stress hormones in the human body. Therefore, decoctions and teas from lavender can be used to treat insomnia, increased irritability, overwork, neuroses and vegetative-vascular dystonia. nine0003
You can simply inhale the aroma of flowers or lavender oil, and this will immediately bring a pleasant calm and relaxation.
The high content of various organic compounds and antioxidants helps to lower and stabilize blood pressure.
Extracts from lavender improve blood supply, primarily to the brain and prevent the occurrence of heart attacks and strokes.
The presence of natural antibiotics in plant tissues allows the use of lavender decoction for the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases (gastritis, ulcers, indigestion, intestinal inflammation, etc.). nine0003
Lavender oil perfectly heals festering wounds and treats various skin diseases.
Lavender is widely used in cosmetics for the manufacture of creams, lotions, perfumes and colognes.
Lavender baths not only calm the nervous system, but also rejuvenate the skin.
TYPES AND VARIETIES OF LAVENDER
There are several dozen types of lavender. The most common are narrow-leaved, serrated, broad-leaved, multi-notched . nine0003
But in our climate, only the most popular frost-resistant variety of narrow-leaved lavender, lavender English , can be grown.
It thrives both outdoors and indoors when grown in a pot.
English lavender is a short shrub (35 - 60 cm high) with many branched stems (one bush can form up to 400 vertical stems).
English lavender stems and leaves covered with silvery hairs. nine0003
According to experts, the best variety of English lavender is Munstead .
Its leaves are bright green with a silver down. The inflorescences are very large. They rise above the stem and look like bright blue candles with a purple tint. The aroma of flowers is very strong, and at the same time subtle and delicate.
English lavender Munstead starts in the first decade of June and continues until the end of August. It is this variety, as the most decorative, that landscape designers most often use in their compositions. nine0003
LAVENDER: PLANTING AND CARE
We have told you about the biological characteristics and types of lavender. Now let's look at how to properly plant and care for lavender in the open field and at home.
PLANTING LAVENDER IN OUTDOOR GROUND
Site selection. Lavender is a light-loving plant, so you need to choose an open, well-lit area for it.
Lavender does not tolerate close groundwater, so it should be planted in beds or flowerbeds 40 - 50 cm high.
Soils. Lavender loves loose, light, fertile, well-drained soils with a neutral reaction environment.
It will not grow on heavy clay and acid soil.
Acid soil must first be neutralized with dolomite flour, bringing it in for digging (at the rate of 5 kg per 6 sq. m of plot).
Acidic earth, usually heavy, clayey. Therefore, two weeks after deoxidation, it is necessary to improve its structure by adding for re-digging (based on 1 sq. M): two buckets of compost and sand, a bucket of leafy soil and half a bucket of wood ash. nine0003
Planting dates. The best time for planting lavender seedlings in open ground is spring (early May).
In autumn, seedlings can be planted from mid-September to early October.
Planting lavender. Form beds for planting lavender. Dig planting holes with a depth and diameter of 15 cm at a distance of 60 - 70 cm from each other. Row spacing at least 80 cm (remember that lavender bushes grow quickly).
Prepare potting soil with compost, sand and leafy soil. In each hole, add 1.5 tbsp. spoons of superphosphate, 1 tbsp. a spoonful of potassium sulfate and a glass of wood ash. nine0003
Plant the plants and cover them with the prepared planting mix.
Water the lavender seedlings with warm water (half a watering can under each) and mulch the bed with straw or freshly cut grass. The mulch layer will retain moisture in the soil and discourage weed growth.
GROWING LAVENDER FROM SEEDS
Growing lavender outdoors . Lavender seeds have almost one hundred percent germination. Therefore, it can also be grown from seed. nine0003
It is best to use the seedling method.
To do this, in early March, soak the seeds and sow them in plastic glasses or peat pots with a diameter of 15 cm, two seeds each. This will help you avoid the picking required when growing in boxes.
Pour well with lukewarm water and place the seed containers on the tray. Cover with a film on top and put in a warm room with an air temperature of + 22 ... + 25 degrees.
After 16 - 18 days, seedlings will emerge. Then put the pallet on the window, after removing the film. Install fluorescent lamps above the crops in order to illuminate the seedlings in the morning and evening hours. Young plants need 16 hours of daylight for normal growth. nine0003
Water twice a week so that all the soil in the glass is moist, but the water does not stand on the surface of the soil, otherwise the roots of the plants will begin to rot without oxygen.
Feed with some kind of ready-made fertilizer for growing seedlings of flowers (at the dosages indicated on the package).
Two weeks before planting lavender seedlings in the open ground, start hardening it on the balcony during the daytime.
Plant seedlings in open ground as described above. nine0003
Winter sowing. Lavender seeds germinate very well even after winter sowing. It is carried out when the air temperature drops to +1 ... +3 degrees.
Make furrows 10 - 12 cm deep in the bed and sow dry seeds there at a distance of 10 cm from each other. Before sowing, pour dry river sand into the bottom of the grooves with a layer of 4 cm, and spread the dry seeds on it.
Top them with nutrient mixture prepared in the same way as for planting seedlings. nine0003
Never water! Otherwise, the seeds will hatch and will surely die in winter.
When the temperature drops below -8…-10 degrees, cover the beds with sowing with spruce branches.
Growing lavender at home . With this cultivation, first stratify by mixing lavender seeds with sand and placing them on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator for 1.5 months. After that, sow them in the same way as for growing seedlings.
Only use pots for planting in which lavender will grow at home. nine0003
LAVENDER CARE
Lavender watering. Fast growing lavender plants need plenty of moisture to grow well and bloom profusely.
In addition, remember that this plant has a very strong root system, so when watering, you need to wet the entire root layer. Water the lavender abundantly, but do not allow waterlogging when puddles form on the surface of the soil.
Water 2 times a week at the rate of 2 - 3 watering cans per plant. In the heat, increase the frequency of watering. nine0003
Loosening and mulching. After each watering, lavender bushes should be planted high so that they form adventitious roots faster and the plant grows well.
Loosen all the soil under the lavender bushes well to give access to oxygen to the root system.
After hilling the ground under the bushes, mulch with hay or freshly cut grass so that water from the soil evaporates more slowly.
The mulch will also keep weeds from growing. nine0003
Lavender nutrition. In spring, lavender needs a good nitrogen supply so that young shoots develop faster and bloom earlier.
Therefore, immediately after the snow melts, feed the plants with a solution of urea (2 tablespoons per 10 liters of water per plant).
Feed lavender with 1:10 slurry before flowering in June.
In September, after the end of flowering, feed the lavender bushes with some ready-made mineral complex for the autumn fertilization of ornamental shrubs. At the same time, strictly adhere to the dosage indicated on the package. nine0003
Lavender pruning in spring . Annually in the spring (at the end of April), carry out sanitary pruning of the bushes, removing all frozen, weak, diseased and old shoots.
In addition, shorten all long branches that extend beyond the general outline of the bush. This is especially important for lavender hedges, otherwise the hedge will look very messy.
Wintering. English lavender has high frost resistance (up to -30 degrees). However, young plantings are more sensitive to winter frosts. Therefore, in the first 3 years they are covered with spruce branches, tightly laying it on the plantings. nine0003
In areas with little snowy winters, cover old lavender plantings without fail. Pre-shorten the branches of the bushes by 7 - 10 cm (depending on the height of the bush).
In severe frosts, we recommend laying some agrofibre on top of the spruce branches, fastening it well along the edges so that the shelter is not blown away by the wind.
PESTS AND DISEASES
The strong scent of lavender generally repels pests.
However, with a strong thickening of plantings and the presence of a large number of weeds between them, aphid or slobbering penis.
To avoid this, weed well under the bushes and make sure that ants do not settle near the lavender plantings.
After all, it is they who drag aphids onto cultivated plants.
If pests still appear on lavender bushes, spray them with Fufanon solution (strictly adhering to the dosages indicated on the package).
For the prevention of fungal diseases, in the spring, on a green cone, and before flowering, spray lavender bushes with a 3% Bordeaux mixture. nine0003
ADVICE FROM EXPERIENCED GARDENERS
Lavender does not tolerate transplanting well, so choose a permanent place in your garden for it right away. If such a need arose, dig bushes with a large clod of earth in order to preserve the overgrown root system of the plant as much as possible.
The distance between the lavender bushes in the flower bed should be equal to the height of an adult bush. When creating a lavender hedge, cut it in half.
Do not plant lavender plants in the shade. There they will grow and bloom poorly. In addition, without sunlight, the likelihood of plants being affected by fungal diseases is high.
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If you create a thick layer of leaf mulch (7 - 8 cm) on the lavender bed, then there will be no need to apply additional organic fertilizers in summer.
When sheltering lavender for the winter, never cover the plantings with dry leaves. Otherwise, in winter, during thaws, the lower branches of the bushes will begin to rot. Cover lavender plantings only with spruce branches.
Don't overdo the spring pruning. If you shorten the branches too much, the bush may die!
THE BEST VARIETIES FROM OUR COLLECTION
The topic of our conversation was lavender, planting and caring for it. If you have a desire to grow this wonderful plant in your garden, then we offer you two options for planting material.
Read more about them on our website, as well as in the SEEDS 2022 and SPRING 2022 catalogs.
And you can buy them from us today!
Read also our published articles:
How to grow lavender in your garden,
How to grow lavender in your garden.
7 simple rules for chic lavender. Planting, care, reproduction. Photo — Botanichka
Let me confess my love today. In love... for lavender. One of the best unpretentious, evergreen and flowering shrubs that can be successfully grown in your garden. And if someone thinks that lavender is a Mediterranean or, at least, southern inhabitant, then you are mistaken. Lavender grows well in more northern regions, even in the Moscow region. But in order to grow it, you need to know some rules and features. They will be discussed in this article. nine0003 7 Simple Rules for Gorgeous Lavender
1. Lavender in Garden Design – Goes Anywhere
You have many options here. I like to build on the natural habitat of a particular plant. In nature, lavender grows in dry and rocky areas. Therefore, individual bushes scattered between the stones will look organic and quite natural.
Lavender can be used to make beautiful borders along paths. Not only is it beautiful, but touching these bushes with your foot, you will hear an unforgettable aroma, even when there are no flowers on it.
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Their height may vary depending on the variety you choose. Let's say Blue Scent grows by 30 cm, and Hidcote Giant by all 60 or even 70 cm. By the way, such lavender borders can be made not only along the paths, but also along not very attractive places, reliably covering them, for example, along the concrete foundation of a house or around a cesspool.
Lavender blends well with other plants and can be used to create mixborders. Either by combining it with plants that bloom in blue-violet, or, conversely, using contrast, next to plants that bloom in yellow. nine0003
Compositions with plants that have a similar color (silver-gray) and foliage texture look good: Bieberstein's sapling, santolina, sage, etc. The main thing is that companion plants do not block sunlight for lavender.
The combination of lavender and roses is considered a classic, creating a harmonious unity of both color and fragrance. But there is one subtlety here.
In addition to the fact that you can not block the lavender from the sun, the rose, to put it mildly, has somewhat different (directly opposite) requirements for soil composition and watering. When creating such a composition, it is worth taking everything into account. nine0003
Even if you decide to grow a single lavender bush, there is a place for it, either as a tapeworm on a mowed lawn, or as a plant in a large container (at least 2 liters) in a recreation area.
By the way, you can decorate the recreation area with a small spicy-aromatic flower bed, where, along with lavender, you can include rosemary, sage, mint, yarrow, oregano. And if some of these plants do not winter in your open ground, then in such a garden for the summer you can place containers with them. In addition to beauty and aroma, maybe you will scare away mosquitoes. nine0003
Read also our article 15 plants that will keep mosquitoes away.
In principle, you can try growing lavender among garden crops to repel harmful insects.
And besides my growing 16 bushes, I have a dream - a whole lavender field ...
2. The right place for luxurious lavender
If, like me, you decide that there should be a lot of lavender, then you should keep in mind that you need to plant bushes at a certain distance from each other, and it depends on the particular variety (it is worth studying them). nine0003
For example, there are lavender bushes that grow up to 30 cm in diameter in adulthood, which means that it is better to plant them with the same distance - 30 cm. And if the variety grows to 70 cm, then it is worth making a distance of 70 cm between them. Then when planting, you must follow the rule when the edges of the bushes touch, but do not crawl on top of each other.
Lavender likes neutral to slightly alkaline soil. If the soils on your site are slightly acidic, then it is necessary to neutralize them before planting by adding special components (sold in garden stores), say, dolomite flour.
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Lavender will never tolerate stagnant water, the water should quickly leave the root zone, the soil should be light. The sun is what lavender really needs! Open and sunny planting sites guarantee good growth and abundant flowering. In partial shade, she will also survive, but will look less impressive.
Not only should the sun bake lavender from above, it is desirable to heat it from below as well. To do this, unusual materials are used as mulch for lavender: neither compost, nor peat, nor, God forbid, manure, will work. Stones, rubble, pebbles, marble chips (if finances allow) are the best mulch for her. During the day, heating up, at night the stones give off their heat to lavender. nine0003
3. Lack of care is the optimal "care"
Lavender care, as such, is virtually non-existent. No fertilizer, moreover, lavender prefers to grow on poor soils. Also, she may well do without watering, she will have enough "heavenly" irrigation.
The only thing she needs is pruning.
4. Pruning - at least after flowering
Of course, it's a matter of taste, it is possible without pruning, but, in my opinion, lavender should be pruned regularly. Without pruning, the bush becomes bare and loses its decorative effect, which we love to look at on Internet pictures. At least once a season, lavender is cut off (after flowering). Shorten young shoots by 1/3. nine0003
But I cut it twice a year. In the spring - before the start of growth, and after flowering. The most important thing to remember is not to trim the lavender too much, affecting the lignified parts. The plant may die.
Cutting lavender at the moment of full and maximum opening of all flowers is necessary for making tea and cosmetics5. Harvesting - at the right time
Why do we grow lavender on our plots? Of course, this is a great element of garden design, both beautifully flowering and fragrant. But you can also harvest from lavender.
If you cut off the first flowers, then closer to autumn, wait for the second wave of flowering. Although, it's up to you to decide - either these flowers will decorate your garden or your home. nine0003
Lavender flowers make excellent dried flowers, but in order for them to stand well in a vase until the new season, cut flower stalks at the very beginning of flowering, when not all flowers have opened.
If you want to use lavender flowers for making tea, cosmetics, etc., then you should cut them off at the moment of full and maximum disclosure of all flowers. At this time, the content of essential oils is maximum. Cut flowers with peduncles are tied in bunches and hung upside down to dry indoors. nine0003
For the use of lavender as a medicinal herb, see article 9 herbs to relieve anxiety and insomnia.
6. Shelter for the winter - optional
In the southern regions, lavender feels great even without shelter. Moreover, many gardeners play it safe and, in fact, only make things worse.
In a warm climate, with mild frosts, fungal diseases begin to develop on lavender under cover, or it rots. nine0003
In the northern regions shelter is usually essential, but it is difficult to give advice on regions. You should either study the experience of neighbors growing this chic shrub, or actively propagate it and experiment with shelter.
There is good news for northern lavender lovers – lavender can be grown at home in a pot. Yes, in the summer it is worth taking it out into the sun, and in the winter it should be kept on a cool windowsill. The container for the normal development of the plant should be taken high, since its root goes deep. nine0003 Lavender field is a dream!
7. We propagate lavender ourselves
If you decide to acquire this wonderful plant, then the easiest way is to try to grow it from seeds. The selection of seeds in garden stores is large, just keep in mind that there are different types and varieties of lavender, differing in their frost resistance, height, width of the bush, and even flower color.
It is believed that for most non-southern regions, angustifolia lavender is better suited, as it is more frost-resistant. nine0003
So, the seeds were purchased. You can sow them in the spring in a container and wait for seedlings. But, from my own experience, I will say that germination noticeably increases with 30 day stratification - lavender will sprout more and more amicably.
How to stratify lavender seeds? Yes, very simple. Place the container with the sown seeds in a refrigerator or cellar at a temperature of about + 4 ... + 5 degrees. Keep the soil constantly moist - just wrap the container in plastic wrap. After a month, take it out and put it in heat, the shoots will not take long to wait. nine0003
Read more about stratification in our article 6 rules for seed stratification at home.
After the appearance of the first true leaves, the seedlings should be picked into individual cups. This is how you can get many lavender seedlings at once.
And there should be a lot of lavender!
There are other methods of reproduction. You can cut and root shoots, you can pin layering to the ground, you can divide the bush, or you can just spud the plant with earth in the fall, completely filling the space between the stems. Closer to summer, you will find that there are many rooted branches inside this earthen mound. We cut and plant. In general, all methods are good for propagating lavender. nine0003
Interesting facts about lavender
Lavender comes not only in shades of purple, but also in white and pink.
Since the 17th century, lavender has been cultivated in France for the production of perfumes. Maybe try? If not perfume, then lotions or soap with lavender can definitely be done by everyone.
Lavender is a good honey plant.
Lavender bushes gradually age and become exposed - after 5-6 years they should be changed.
Boil 3 tablespoons of dried lavender flowers, 2 cups of milk and 0.
