Growing Lavender

Photo by Robb Kendrick. From National Geographic.

How does your lavender grow?
Lavender is a native of the Mediterranean, the Canary Islands & India. It loves hot, dry spots, with quick draining soil. It really does not like having its “feet” wet!

To have a happy lavender plant, provide:

•  Quick draining soil, {ie. with sand or rocks}
  
• Lots of air circulation (do not plant lavenders too close together!)
• Lots of sun (keep them out of the shade!)

Growing Lavender from Seed
Lavender can be grown from seed. The seeds may take some time to germinate and do not grow super quick, so patience is key!
Lavender hybridizes (intermixes) easily so plants grown from seed can turn out different than expected but if this is not a concern, then plant away!
Even though lavender likes to have their soil on the dry side as mature plants, when they are growing they need regular watering.

Lavender from Cuttings
Lavender grows quite easily from cuttings (a cutting is a nice healthy branch of a plant, which has no blooms. It can be best to very gently pull the branch off, in a downwards way, rather than cut it, despite the name! Then you are left with what is called a “heel,” the area where the branch was attached to the main stem).
The best time of year for taking cuttings is spring or fall. Take a 4 to 8 inch cutting from a healthy branch which is not blooming. Very gently place the cutting in sandy soil (I always use a bit of root stimulator although FYI it is not considered organic), and water well. Protect cuttings over the winter in a green house, cold frame or other sheltered spot such as under a deck.

Layering Lavender (a neat little trick)
To layer a plant, very gently bend down a nice healthy branch to below soil level. Mound the soil over the branch and place a rock or other weight on top.
Water well. Eventually, the layering will develop its own roots (look for fresh new growth). Then it can be cut and moved elsewhere in the garden.
Layering is best done in the fall. This is a good propagation method if you are interested in replicating a plant exactly :)

Growing Lavender in Pots

Lavender grows well in pots & I even grow french lavender in hanging baskets…Keep in mind, though, some species do eventually get very large so they will off course need a very large pot ;) Be sure to provide free draining soil, in a pot with lots of drainage holes. For the winter, move the pots to a sheltered spot to avoid the plants getting waterlogged {I put my smaller lavender pots in a sunny spot under the deck over our wet winters.} In the heat of the summer, water the plants when dry (pots do dry out quickly!)

Lavender Field by Andreas Karelias

TYPES OF LAVENDER

coming soon!

BOOKS ABOUT LAVENDER

“Lavender” by Philipa Waring

“Lavender” by Ellen Spector Platt

“The Genus Lavandula” by Tim Upson & Susyn Andrews

{This book is packed with incredibly beautiful botanical illustrations.}

“The Unlikely Lavender Queen” by Jeannie Ralston

http://www.jeannieralston.com/

{I couldn’t put this book down! This is a memoir of a lady who moves with her new husband from a life as a journalist in Manhattan to a lavender farm in Texas.}

BOOKS ABOUT GROWING HERBS

Coming soon!!!