Growing Lavender
by Jill Black

Description: Helpful tips for planting and growing lavender.

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Common Name: Lavender
Genus: Lavandula
Exposure: Full Sun

Lavender is a sun loving, evergreen, perennial, aromatic shrub that ideal for planting in a rock garden, in front of a shrub garden, in a perennial garden, or used as a hedge. Gorgeously fragrant, invigorating, and rich with healing properties, lavender has been cultivated from the beginning of recorded civilization. The word 'lavender' is thought to have derived from the Latin word lavare meaning to wash since the Romans had a habit a perfuming their baths with Lavender. The flowers grow in fragrant spikes and come in colours ranging from deep purple and lilac to white, cream, pink, sky blue, red-violet and even green.

The genus Lavendula consists of over 30 species of small shrubs or herbs. Lavender belongs to the Labiatae (Lamiaceae) family of mints (Menita spp.), Sages (Salvia spp.) and Thymes (Thymus spp.) a botanical grouping that are distinguished by their characteristic rectangular stems.

Hardy, bushy varieties such as Munstead, Hidcote and English Lavender (L. Augustifolia) are suited to hot summer conditions and can generally survive cold winters temperatures around 10 degrees centigrade or lower if kept dry over winter.

The French (L. Dentata) and Spanish (L Stoechas) are not quite as hardy and do well in a sunny corner or against a warm wall and make an excellent container plant.

Soil Preparation

Lavender likes a soil that is slightly alkaline soil with a pH factor between 6.0 and 8.0 so adjust your soil if necessary. The soil should be well worked and well drained as lavender will not tolerate wet feet for for any length of time. Heavy clay soils can be improved by raising the beds and adding compost and humus. Mixing a little bone meal into the soil below the roots (but not touching the roots) before planting will slowly release organics into the soil and promote root and leaf growth.

How to Grow Lavender

Young plants can be purchased from garden centres or with a little patience the home gardener can grow from seed or cultivate from cuttings.

Depending on the variety, seed can be sown in spring either sown in seed trays and left outside for a few weeks for an early start, or sown directly into the soil about two weeks before the last frost if it is a variety that requires cold to start the germination process.

Take tip cuttings 5-10cm in length in spring from a main stem that has new growth from a well established plant. Cuttings can set root in water or use a rooting hormone and plant cuttings directly into a sterile potting mix.

Planting Lavender

Lavender can be planted at almost any time from spring to autumn. The best time to plant is in the early morning or evening, or on an overcast day.

Gently knock the plant from its pot, spread the roots and place plant in a hole that accommodates the root spread and fill with soil. Press around the plant firmly making sure the plant well supported. A little mulch around the plant can help maintain soil moisture while the plant is getting established in its new home. Water the newly transplanted lavender with a liquid fertilizer to give it a good start. If the stems are long enough gently prune and this will start the stems branching.

Pruning Lavender

Keeping your plant in shape will help to prevent your plant from spending itself and dying out. Prune lavender to 2/3 it's size after flowering has finished and well before cold weather to allow the new growth to "harden".

Jill is the owner of Netwrite-Publish Home and Garden. For more home and garden ideas log on to http://www.netwrite-publish.com

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