How to successfully grow lavender?
Lavender needs space to grow, allowing for maximum airflow – especially in southern regions with humid climates. A good rule of thumb is to plant them as far apart as they will grow tall. Strong southern varieties will grow much taller than the northern varieties, which remain short and dense due to the cold weather.
Does lavender need sun to grow?
Therefore, lavender loves heat and hates water. Lavender needs full sun to ensure strong and healthy growth and to enhance the blooming. If you live in a cold and humid climate, growing lavender needs some extra patience and love. You should grow it in a pot, so you can bring it inside during the winter.
What is the best way to grow lavender?
Lavender plants thrive in full sunlight, which is the best way to guarantee a lot of buds and big, full bushes. They don't tolerate much (if any) shade, so don't plant them in a spot where they'll be overshadowed by trees or other large plants.
Why is my lavender plant dying?
Why Is My Lavender Plant Dying?
- Insufficient Lighting. Insufficient light is a common misstep that people take working with the Lavandula species. ...
- Temperature. Temperature is directly related to the light intensity provided to the plant. ...
- Overwatering And Underwatering. You can harm your Lavender plants if you are not watering them appropriately. ...
- Over-Fertilization. ...
How long does it take to grow a lavender?
If starting new plants from seed, it will take 90 to 200 days to reach maturity. English lavender is considered fully mature when it reaches between 1 and 2 feet in height with an equal spread. Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) is a semi-evergreen, perennial herb that belongs to the mint family.
Is lavender an easy plant to care for?
Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) is a commonly grown herb plant popular for its fragrant aroma. This easy-care plant enjoys hot, dry conditions, making it suitable for use in a variety of landscape settings and an excellent candidate for areas prone to drought.
Which lavender is the easiest to grow?
English lavenders are the easiest lavenders to grow, with varieties such as 'Munstead' and 'Hidcote' regarded as the easiest and most versatile lavender varieties as they require minimal maintenance and can survive in both hot and cold climates.
Is lavender a beginner plant?
Lavender is a smart choice if you struggle to find time to garden, if you're a beginner or if you want to fill in areas of the garden with a useful, colorful and fragrant plant.
Does lavender come back every year?
Lavender is a Low-Maintenance Perennial And this beauty will come back to your garden every year, for about 3-5 years, so it's a great investment. What is this? Before you make any plant purchases, however, I want to remind you to always choose plants that thrive in your plant hardiness zone.
Where is the best place to plant lavender?
full sunLavender needs full sun and good drainage. It is more likely to die from excess moisture than from cold in winter. A pot is an excellent way to provide drainage, though the plant will be more vulnerable to cold temperatures than it would be in the ground.
How long does lavender last?
When sited correctly and pruned judiciously, lavenders should live for five to seven years. Although lavender is fairly drought tolerant, adequate moisture is required throughout the growing season. Most critical are the weeks after planting to ensure that soil around the rootball does not dry out.
Is lavender toxic to dogs?
The lavender plant contains a compound called linalool, which can be toxic to animals like dogs and cats.
Does lavender like full sun?
Light: Lavender needs full sun and well-drained soil to grow best. In hot summer climates, afternoon shade may help them thrive. Soil: Lavender grows best in low to moderately-fertile soils, so don't amend the soil with organic matter before planting. Lavender performs best in neutral to slightly alkaline soils.
What month does lavender bloom?
Lavender Blooming Guides Flowering typically occurs as early as May (in areas with mild summers and winters) with another flush of blooms in June followed by another flush of color in late summer or fall.
Are bees attracted to lavender?
If you are a lavender lover and grower, you have discovered that if bees are nearby, they love lavender in bloom. Lavender and bees are, simply put, very good friends!
How often should lavender be watered?
How to Care for Lavender. Water once or twice a week after planting until plants are established. Water mature plants every two to three weeks until buds form, then once or twice weekly until harvest. (Yellowing leaves are often a sign of overwatering.)
The Lure of Growing Lavender
Lavender (Lavandula) is such a romantic flower that every gardener sooner or later succumbs to the urge to grow it. Undeterred by the fact that it...
What Lavender Needs to Grow
As with most plants, your success in growing this coveted plant will depend both on what kind of growing conditions you can provide and which varie...
Special Considerations When Growing Lavender
It is dampness, more than cold, that is responsible for killing lavender plants. Dampness can come in the form of wet roots during the winter month...
Growing Lavender in Containers
You can always grow your lavender in pots and move it to follow the sun, or even bring it indoors for the winter. Although lavender has a large, sp...
Recommended Lavender Varieties
English Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) USDA Hardiness Zones 5-8 1. 'Munstead' An old-fashioned standard with blue-purple flowers. 18 inches tall...
Spacing Issues
It does require a lot of space. Each plant can grow 2-3 feet in diameter. Most farmers space the plants 30 inches or more apart within a row. Then rows are spaced at least 3 feet apart. More space means less production per unit of land. That means higher land costs.
Weeding Woes
Also, weeding is tough. Mechanical weeding techniques will frequently damage the flower stalks. Mulching to suppress weeds can cause root root and fungal problems.
Harvest Timing
Harvesting lavender is not less or more difficult than harvesting a lot of other profitable crops.
How far apart should I plant lavender plants?
One secret to growing lavender that many commercial growers use is planting it into mounds of soil 18 to 24 inches tall.
Why is it important to prune lavender?
Pruning lavender slows down the process of green stems converting to wood, which helps maintain plant shape and flower numbers. When growing lavender, it’s important to realize that plants achieve their peak bloom usually during their third growing year.
Can lavender grow in cold weather?
Learn what you need to know to grow lavender successfully. This perennial lavender has been developed for hardiness, so it stands up to heat, humidity, and winter cold. The plants also resist root and foliar diseases. Even deer leave them alone!
Can I grow lavender in a cutting garden?
Growing lavender works well in a variety of settings. Lavender is a natural fit in a cutting garden. You’ll reap plenty of bouquets when plants start flowering—and you can also dry lavender to use in bouquets and crafts. Add lavender to a wildlife garden because it’s a wonderful pollinator plant.
Can lavender be grown in a patch?
Grow lavender in your garden and you’ll be rewarded with colorful flowers and wonderful fragrance—all from a low-maintenance plant. Growing lavender isn’t a difficult proposition.
Can you prune lavender?
Mix sharp sand or small limestone fines into soil to enhance drainage. Pruning is a key part of growing lavender successfully. Harvesting flowers doesn’t qualify as pruning.
Is lavender drought tolerant?
Once plants are established, they’re relatively drought-tolerant and do best when they don’t receive supplemental watering (except in times of severe drought). When it’s in flower and out, lavender has a strong architectural shape that suits modern, geometric garden designs.
Quick Guide to Growing Lavender
Plant lavender in spring, once all chances of frost have passed. This beautiful, fragrant herb is a great addition to raised beds, in-ground gardens, and growing in containers.
Soil, Planting, and Care
Set plants 12 to 18 inches apart in an open area with full sun and good air circulation. Be sure to choose strong, vigorous young lavender plants, like those from Bonnie Plants®. Bonnie has been growing plants for the home gardener for over a century, so you can rely on us to help you be successful.
Troubleshooting
Remember that lavender needs good drainage and good air circulation. Do not over-water, and allow the soil to dry before watering again. When there is a lot of heat and humidity, fungus can attack the plants, turning the leaves brown.
Harvest and Storage
Harvest lavender stems at any time by cutting them from the plant. However, avoid clipping more than every third stem to keep the plant looking full. Flowers will keep their perfume for months when you harvest just before they are entirely open.
Uses
Fresh flowers may be used in sauces, marinades, and desserts. Handle fragile dried blossoms with care and use them in teas, salts, potpourri, sachets, and crafts.
FAQs
Lavender needs full sun and good drainage. It is more likely to die from excess moisture than from cold in winter. A pot is an excellent way to provide drainage, though the plant will be more vulnerable to cold temperatures than it would be in the ground.
What type of soil does lavender grow in?
Lavender thrives in most soil qualities, from poor to moderately fertile. If you have compacted or clay soil, add some organic matter to improve drainage. Learn more about soil amendments and preparing soil for planting. Keep away from wet, moist areas, which could encourage root rot.
How often do lavender plants bloom?
Lavandins ( L. x intermedia )—a hybrid of English and Portuguese lavender (L. latifolia )—are generally larger plants that bloom only once per year, later in the summer. ‘Phenomenal’: Vigorous variety that is highly tolerant of heat and humidity and resistant to common root and foliar diseases. Long flower spikes.
What to do with lavender sachets?
Use your lavendar sachet to keep your sheets or towels smelling sweet, to repel moths and insects, and even under your pillow for a restful night.
How to store lavender?
Store them in a lidded jar somewhere cool and dark, or pop them straight into a sachet to keep towels, sheets or clothes smelling sweet and to repel moths.
How to dry lavender bundles?
Gather into bundles and secure them with rubber bands. Dry the bundles of lavender by hanging them someplace sheltered , ideally a cool, dark place where there is good air circulation. After a few weeks the flowers will have dried fully, and can be shaken gently from the stems into a lidded jar.
How to keep lavender plants from freezing?
Another option for cold areas is to grow lavender in a pot, keeping it outdoors in the summer and indoors in winter.
How long does it take for lavender to grow?
Lavender isn’t easy to grow from seed; we recommend purchasing small starter plants from a garden nursery. Seeds may take up to three months to germinate and seedlings will need to be overwintered indoors in cool climates.
Why won't my lavender grow?
The reasons lavenders won’t grow is usually because of a lack of sun, planting lavenders in the wrong type of soil or growing lavender species that is not cold hardy in a cool climate. Lavenders require sandy, well draining, alkaline soils that are nutrient poor and full sun in order to grow properly. Other common problems include, slow draining ...
Why is my lavender not growing straight?
If your lavender is showing poor growth or perhaps excessive leggy growth and it does not stand up straight then this is often a sign of two things: The lavender is planted in soil that is too high in nutrients.
How to grow lavender in pots?
Read more about the optimal soil mix for lavenders in pots. Alternatively you can amend your garden soil with horticultural sand or grit before planting. Dig a hole that is significantly bigger then the root ball of your lavender and back fill the space with a mixture of 1/3 sand or grit with 2/3’s compost.
What type of soil do lavender plants need?
Lavenders require a light, sandy soil that drains quickly and they won’t grow well in soil that is heavily compacted or has a high content of clay. Clay soils drain slowly and are far less porous then soil that has been amended with with sand or gravel.
How often should I water lavender plants?
Lavenders are at greater risk from over watering then they are from under watering. If you are watering lavenders too frequently (more then once every two weeks) then it is likely the lavender is not growing as a sign of stress due to over watering.
How much space does lavender need?
Lavenders require up to 3 feet of space for the larger varieties and around 18 inches for smaller varieties to grow properly so plant lavenders according to their full size (which may take 2 years to grow). This is because:
Why is my lavender dying in the winter?
If your lavender has not started to grow foliage in the Spring and looks brown then it may have died in the Winter due to frost or root rot. In cooler climates that experience frost, snow, ice and freezing temperatures in Winter it is important to plant the right lavender species that can survive Winter.
