The most popular indoor flower plant, the complete guide to caring for lavender!
Lavender is a very popular herb known for its wonderful floral fragrance and lavender oil has calming effects. It is very easy to grow lavender at home and this plant does not require much maintenance. This comprehensive lavender plant care guide will show you how to care for lavender outdoors and in pots.
Lavender needs no introduction, it's definitely one of the most popular herbs on the planet. With its fragrant flowers used to make essential oils, the uses for the lavender plant are virtually limitless.
Fresh lavender can be used directly from the garden in many recipes or to make tea, or it can be dried for later use. Dried lavender buds store for a long time and can be used in cooking, or in making personal care products such as candles, soaps and lotions.
In the garden, lavender flowers are attractive to bees and other pollinators and deter pests, so it makes a wonderful companion plant in any garden.
Growing your own lavender is so easy! Let me show you how.
Lavender care
The good news is that caring for lavender plants is very easy, and they require little to no maintenance. But as I detail in my lavender plant care guide , like any plant, they will grow and bloom under the right growing conditions.
Different types of lavender plants
It is important to choose the best lavender to adapt to climate change. There are several different species of lavender plants , each with a different ability to withstand the cold.
If you live in a cold climate like me, then you should choose one of the hardiest varieties of lavender plants. Here are the details of the most common types.
English Lavender - If you are looking for hardy lavender, then you want English lavender. It does not grow well in hot climates. English lavender plants are also the best to grow if you want to harvest the best oils and scented flowers.
French Lavender French lavender is not cold hardy and can only survive outdoors in warm climates.
Spanish Lavender - Also not suitable for cold climates. So, like French lavender, unless you live somewhere warm, it should be grown as an annual or overwintered indoors in a pot.
Lavender Plant Care Instructions
While different varieties of lavender plants vary in their cold tolerance, their basic growing requirements are the same. Therefore, you can follow the care instructions below.
Where to grow lavender
The best place to grow lavender in your garden is in a sunny location with well-drained soil. Make sure the location you choose isn't too humid.
Lavender is a great plant for sunny, dry areas of your yard.
Lavender grown in pots
If your soil is too moist, try growing lavender in a pot instead of in the garden. Maintaining lavender in a pot is no different than growing lavender in the garden. Make sure the container you choose has drainage holes in the bottom.
Also, be sure to use fast-draining potting soil so your plants don't get overwatered and suffocated.
When to plant lavender
The best time to plant lavender in your garden is after the soil begins to warm in the spring, but before the heat of summer begins. If you live in a temperate climate, you can plant them in the fall. But if you're in a cold climate like me, brand new plants may not survive the winter.
If you grow lavender in a pot , you don't have to worry too much about timing. I would avoid transplanting lavender in the heat of summer or they may not survive.
Lavender water needs
Do you know the most common causes of death of lavender plants? Watering too much. So when it comes to watering your lavender plants, very little is needed, so be sure to keep that in mind!
It is therefore very important to ensure that the container in which they are grown has adequate drainage. When watering, be sure to allow water to drain completely from the drainage holes.
Lavender is a drought-tolerant plant, preferring the soil to stay dry but not allowing it to dry out completely. If you're not sure how often you should water your lavender plants, it's best to let the soil dry out before watering. I recommend getting a soil moisture metre to make sure you are giving your plants the right amount of water.
Lavender 's requirements for sunlight
For best growth, be sure to plant lavender in full sun . It tolerates partial shade, especially in hot climates, but will not bloom in less sunlight.
Best Soil for Lavender Plants
Using the correct type of soil is another very important part of lavender care. When it comes to the best soil for growing lavender plants, the most important thing to pay attention to is adequate drainage. They absolutely will not tolerate moisture, so it is very important to make sure the soil cannot hold water for long periods of time.
Lavender can thrive in poor quality soil as long as it drains quickly. Therefore, they grow much better in sandy soil than in heavy clay soil. While you're preparing the soil for planting lavender, amend the clay soil with sand and compost so it drains better.
They also prefer alkaline/neutral soil, lavender will not survive in highly acidic soil . Add lime to acidic soil to neutralize the soil. If you don't know what the pH level of your lavender soil is, you can use pH test paper to test it.
Fast-draining soil is also the best potting soil for lavender plants grown in pots . For convenience, you can add perlite and vermiculite.
The best fertilizer for lavender plants
I have some good news...you don't need to know how to fertilize lavender plants because they don't need it! You don't have to worry about using fertilizer for lavender in pots or gardens.
If your garden soil is really bad, you can feed your plants with organic compost every year or so as part of your regular lavender plant care routine.
Harvest lavender flowers
The best time to harvest lavender flowers is before buds begin.
If you wait too long to harvest and the flowers are already blooming, don’t worry. You can still harvest the flowers, but the oil won't be as effective.
How to dry lavender flowers
If you want to dry lavender flowers to make or store later, it dries easily. After cutting the lavender flowers, you can simply tie the entire bunch, tie the stems at the base, and hang them. Be sure to place the bunches in a cool, dry place and let them dry completely. I always do this because it makes the whole house smell great.
Propagating lavender
Propagating lavender can be done by taking root cuttings or seeding.
Mature lavender plants cannot be divided like many other types of perennials. So below I will move on to how to grow lavender from cuttings or seeds.
How to Care for Lavender Indoors
Lavender plant care is more difficult indoors than outdoors. If you want to try growing lavender indoors, be sure to give it plenty of light and be careful not to over water it - especially in the winter.
Lavender plants need plenty of light, so you should grow them in a south-facing window, especially during the winter. When growing lavender inside, pay special attention to watering. Allow the soil to be drier than outside.
Place the plant outside in late winter/early spring and slowly guide it back to its full sun position.
Solve the problem of lavender planting
Lavender is easy to care for , and here are some common lavender plant care problems and how to solve them.
Lavender isn't blooming - then it probably isn't getting enough sun or needs pruning. Providing full sun and pruning are the best ways to get lavender to bloom.
Lavender Won't Grow - Lavender is a rather slow growing plant. So sometimes you need to be patient. However, if growth stops, there may be a problem with the soil. Check first to make sure it's not flooded and that it's getting enough water. Then test the soil to see if the plant's pH is too acidic.
Lavender Plant Death – As I said earlier in this article, the most common cause of lavender plant death is overwatering. So, if your lavender is dying, check the soil moisture levels first.
0 Comments