When should you plant lavender
for wonderful scent and color |
Agreed that a yard can never have enough, but wondering when to plant lavender?
Throughout summer, this ancient herb is a mass of blue-purple blooms. It hums with contented bees and flutters with butterflies, and the reviving aroma of the flowers and foliage scents the air. Then, during the cold months, this useful evergreen shrub provides structure and silver-green color.
Knowing how to grow lavender is key, of course, but to benefit from all its assets this summer it’s also vital to plant lavender at the right time, and our guide has the essentials.
Make sure you know how to prune lavender, to keep it in good shape and prevent it from going woody.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
When to plant lavender
The answer to when to plant lavender is that potted lavender plants can be planted in mid to late spring or early fall. Cuttings can be taken in spring, late summer, or fall. And lavender can be sown from seed between February and April.
With the right conditions it’s well worthwhile. ‘If you have a sheltered area with really sharp drainage, lavender adds the magic of fragrance to the garden,’ says Maryland-based landscape architect and designer Kirsten Coffen . ‘It has a long bloom time, bees adore it, and of course the dried flowers are wonderful for aromatherapy.’
Lavender can be part of your flower bed ideas, planted amongst roses, perennials, and other shrubs; it is superb trained into a low hedge; and it’s easy to grow in pots and window boxes.
When to plant lavender in borders
Planning to put it into borders but wondering when to plant lavender in these? ‘April is the best time to plant lavender,’ says Simon Charlesworth, director of Downderry lavender nursery in Kent, UK. ‘Lavenders may sulk if planted too early when the weather is wet. They prefer to go in and then get away immediately.
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Hailing from the Mediterranean, lavender likes sun and drainage and loathes too much cold and moisture.
‘You can plant in March, if the weather is mild,’ says Simon. ‘May is good, too. Later in the year, you can plant in September while the soil is still warm and maybe early October, depending on the weather.’
Plant in very well-drained neutral to alkaline soil and don’t add fertilizer because these shrubs – which grow wild in the stony, open ground of the Mediterranean maquis – dislike rich soil.
In cool, temperate climates (such as the northern US and the UK), planting in spring is best and a position in full sun is vital. But in very hot regions, lavender is better planted in the fall and can be placed in a site that is shaded in the latter half of the day.
When to plant lavender in pots
As for when to plant lavender in containers? ‘April is the best time for planting in pots so they don’t dry out too quickly before rooting out and they’ll also establish well before flowering,’ says Simon.
Choose a pot with plenty of drainage holes because lavender loathes being too wet. Plant in a mix of peat-free compost and grit and place in full sun.
‘‘Purity’ and ‘Purple Treasure’ reach 15in (40cm) and grow well in pots,’ says Simon Charlesworth. ‘Unless it’s a big container, in which case ‘Edelweiss’ (which is white) would look great.’
Pennsylvania-based landscape designer Nathan Tuno of Roots Landscape Inc recommends ‘Meerlo’ and Walberton’s Silver Edge, which are both variegated. ’I’ve had much success in my own city container garden with the variegated forms. Be sure to add proper drainage and maybe even some sand to your lavender soil mixture as they do not like wet feet and thrive in the heat.’
When to sow lavender
Lavender is not the easiest plant to grow from seed, but if you like a challenge and want to grow a large amount of lavender (for example, to create a lavender hedge to edge a path or driveway), then it’s worth a go.
Sow in late winter or early spring.
Use coir Jiffy pellets or something similar to make planting out quick and easy; alternatively, sow in module trays filled with compost that have been watered. Sow and lightly cover with compost or perlite. Place a propagator cover or plastic bag over the tray and put in a cold place (such as a fridge or cool garage) for three to four weeks. Then place them in a greenhouse or on a bright windowsill.
When to plant lavender cuttings
Taking cuttings is an easy way to make new lavender plants. ‘Take softwood cuttings from non-flowering stems in spring,’ advises herb supplier Jekka McVicar . ‘Take semi-hardwood cuttings in summer or early fall from the strong new growth.’
Take the cuttings with sharp secateurs and plunge them into pots of grit and compost. Semi-hardwood cuttings can be overwintered in a greenhouse or cold frame or on a bright windowsill.
When to plant a lavender hedge
Plant a lavender hedge in mid to late spring or early fall. ‘April is best, but September is also good, so they can root out before autumn,’ says Simon Charlesworth.
‘Generally avoid the high summer months: June, July and August, and avoid November through February.’
For a substantial hedge, reaching 2ft (60cm), he recommends ‘Folgate’ (purple) or ‘Arctic Snow’ (white), and for a low hedge, ‘Purple Treasure’ and ‘Purity’ only grow to 15in (40cm). Cut the hedge twice a year to keep it healthy and handsome: lightly trim in April and then cut harder (but never into the woody stems) right after flowering in August or September.
What time of year is best to plant lavender?
The best time of year to plant lavender is mid to late spring or early fall if it’s potted lavender plants you’re planning on putting in. If you like the idea of sowing lavender from seed, this should be done between February and April. Be aware that growing lavender from seed is not as easy.
What month does lavender grow?
Lavender flowers in late spring and summer and blooms for a long time, also rewarding the effort of planting with fragrance and bringing bees and butterflies to the backyard.
Fall planting: Pros, cons and insights to planting lavender and more in the fall
The air’s getting cooler and soils are still warm. Autumn offers us an array of reasons to get back to the garden for one final planting.
There are both pros and cons to planting lavender and other perennials in the fall, rather than in the spring. Deciding which season to plant depends on factors like your growing region, your intentions, the resources available to you, the size of your planting and others.
Benefits of fall planting
Planting into the warm soils of fall allows roots to grow right away, giving them a healthy start. By contrast, in spring, plants won’t grow until soils are warm enough for them. In fall, plants can establish themselves under ideal conditions: warm weather, a less scorching sun, with less pest, disease pressure and (maybe) rainfall.
Planting perennials in the fall gives them a chance to get established before going into winter dormancy.
Then, come spring, they’re ready to thrive.
Though lavender is incredibly heat tolerant once established, it, like many other perennials, does better in cooler temperatures until its roots are established. The cooling temperatures of fall, rather than the rising temperatures and erratic weather of spring, help lavender and other perennials transition into the ground.
Tips and considerations
Climate
Lavender needs a good 8-10 weeks to get established before soil temperatures get too low or a hard frost hits. Knowing your hardiness zone and your region’s average first hard frost date can help you determine when to do your fall planting. Count 8-10 weeks backwards from the expected first hard frost. In regions with more mild winters, fall planting becomes more of an option.
Goals and risk
Another element beyond climate to consider is intention: Are you planting a few plants around your house, or a full acre? Risk is a big factor in fall planting. The reward is a head-start in spring, but if an early harsh freeze comes before your plants are fully established, you run the risk of losing some or many of your plants.
Try experimenting with fall planting in colder regions before diving into a big planting.
That said, come spring, don’t be too hasty in deciding that your lavender plants have died! Lavender is slow to come out of winter dormancy – especially English lavender. Here in the high desert, we often don’t see lavender plants coming back to life until May! So be sure to give them enough time to surprise you before pulling them from the ground.
Availability and scale
Purchasing plants in fall is also hit or miss. You may find sales at nurseries on just what you’re looking for, yet you’ll also likely find a more limited selection of plants and cultivars available to you. Large plantings can be organized in the fall for spring planting, which may make for a smoother process.
Read: Fall planning for spring planting: 4 resources to help you create the lavender field of your dreams
Here at our farm, we accept wholesale and large-quantity lavender plant orders in the fall, up until November 30.
Since we do all of our own propagating in late fall, we need time to prepare in order to best serve our customers.
You can do your own propagation, too, in which case, you’ll be preparing for a spring planting.
Read: How to propagate lavender from cuttings: a step-by-step guide
Plant spring-blooming bulbs, trees and shrubs in the fall, too. Until the ground freezes, keep newly planted trees and shrubs well-watered. This way, they’re off to a good start before going into winter dormancy.
Whether you have a small herb garden or acres of lavender, play around with fall planting to see if it works for you. Either way, come spring, you’ll certainly have something to look forward to.
How to plant and care for lavender outdoors
July 18, 2022 Likbez Adviсe
We reveal all the secrets - from choosing a seedling to a shaping haircut.
When to plant lavender
In January-February, you can sow lavender seeds at home or propagate them by cuttings in order to get strong seedlings by the end of May and move them to open ground.
Or you can do it easier and buy ready-made bushes in pots. In this case, lavender can be planted on the site from May to October.
How to choose a lavender seedling
Before buying, it is important to determine the plant variety. There are three main varieties of lavender to grow in the garden. Narrow-leaved, or English, forms compact bushes with a diameter of no more than a meter with fragrant flowers of different colors - from rich purple to pale lilac. This species is frost-resistant, so it is planted in most regions.
Angustifolia lavender. Photo: Peter Turner Photography / ShutterstockBroadleaf, French lavender, on the other hand, needs a warm southern climate. In the middle lane, even under cover, it may not overwinter. This species has taller bushes - up to 1.5 m. Flowers can be blue, purple, pink, white and resemble a pineapple in shape.
Broadleaf lavender. Photo credit: mizy / Shutterstock Scalloped lavender can be identified by its leaves, which come with serrated edges or white edging.
Bushes grow up to 1.5 m in diameter, and the inflorescences have a blue-violet hue.
How to prepare a flower bed for growing lavender
Find the sunniest spot in your garden. It is important that water does not stagnate in this area after the snow melts or rains - lavender does not like excess moisture. For 1 m² of flower beds, add 5 liters of compost, and if the soil is heavy, add 5 liters of sand. Carefully dig the soil onto the bayonet of a shovel, breaking up earthen clods.
How to plant lavender
Put on gloves, grab a shovel and follow the simple instructions.
Make a hole
Frame: Live in the country / YouTube It should be about 10 cm deeper than the height of the seedling pot and 10-15 cm wider than its diameter. If you plant several lavender bushes, keep a distance of 50 to 100 cm between them. At the bottom of the planting hole, you can put 5–10 cm of river sand or expanded clay so that moisture does not stagnate.
Pour plenty of water over the dug hole and wait until it is completely absorbed.
Plant the lavender
Image: In Lav / YouTubeCarefully remove the seedling from the pot, being careful not to damage the roots. Place it in the planting hole and fill all voids with soil, compacting it well. Water the seedling generously with water.
How to care for lavender
Just a few steps for abundant fragrant blooms.
Water Lavender
This plant does not need regular watering and tolerates drought well. Humidify the flower bed only when the hot weather lasts too long. In this case, lavender is watered about twice a week.
Feed the lavender
As soon as the plant begins to produce buds, you need to water it under the root with a mineral complex fertilizer with an even distribution of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium - for example, 18 : 18 : 18. It is diluted and used according to the instructions on the package. Top dressing with such a tool is carried out every 10-15 days until the end of flowering.
In the fall, after the lavender has fully bloomed, a nitrogen-free fertilizer will be needed so that the bush stops growing green mass and begins to prepare for wintering. At this time, you can feed the plants with potassium monophosphate at the rate of 1 teaspoon of the product per 10 liters of water. Pour 0.5-1 liter of nutrient solution under the root of one plant.
But in spring, nitrogen will come in handy. As soon as the snow melts, feed the lavender with urea: dissolve 2 tablespoons in 10 liters of water. The consumption rate for one bush is about 5 liters.
Trim the lavender
Shot: Mix Kulikova / YouTube After the end of flowering, you need to cut off all the flower stalks at the very base. And in the spring, as soon as you free the bushes from shelter, you need to give them a haircut. With sharp scissors or secateurs, cut off all the shoots, leaving about 10-15 cm, giving the lavender a ball shape. This procedure will provoke the growth of side shoots, and in summer the lavender bushes will become lush and stuffed.
How to prepare lavender for wintering
Even if you grow hardy narrow-leaved lavender, it is better to play it safe and cover it in autumn. Before the onset of frost, cover each plant with fresh spruce branches.
In the spring, when the snow melts, the threat of severe frosts passes, and the air temperature is stable positive, the shelter must be removed.
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photos and tips from experienced gardeners
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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 scent soothes, soothes and evokes the most positive emotions even in very irritable people.
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.
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.
USEFUL 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.
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.).
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 .
But in our climate, only the most popular frost-resistant variety of angustifolia lavender, lavender, can be grown English .
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.
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 ten days 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.
LAVENDER: PLANTING AND CARE
We 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
Choice of location. 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 likes loose, light, fertile, well-drained soils with a neutral 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.
Landing 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Lavender supplement. In the 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.
Pruning lavender 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.
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 drooling 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.
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.
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.
