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Many local lavender farms are open to the public so you can
roam through fields of blooming lavender, pick fresh bouquets, learn
about the plant and techniques for growing, caring for, harvesting
and using this wonderful plant.
Planting
Lavender
You can plant lavender in spring or fall in well-drained, slightly
alkaline, sandy soil. Planting
on mounds or in raised beds can help to promote good drainage if
your soil isn't ideal. Select
a sunny location, allow enough space for growth and good air
circulation and plant with plants that have similar water
requirements. Add about
one-half cup each of bone meal and chicken manure into the soil, mix
well; place the plants in the holes; give them some water
and watch your lavender plant grow.
Water plants regularly the first year to ensure that they
root well in their new surroundings and then they will be hardy and
drought tolerant and need little or no water.
Generally, Mother Nature can take care of the watering.
Be careful not to over water since they don't like "wet
feet." Depending on
the variety and mature size of the lavender plants you choose, the
plants should be planted 2-4 feet apart.
In general, the use of fertilizers in not necessary and may
cause excessive leaf growth and minimal blooms.
I do, however, dig-in a small amount of bone meal (1/2 cup
each) around my
plants each spring. Flower
stalks should be cut off the first year to encourage plant
development rather than flower production. |
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Harvesting
Your Flowers
Depending on the variety,
lavender blooms are usually at their peak in June through August.
Harvest the flower stems on a dry day, in the late morning hours
after any dew has evaporated. Fresh bouquets should be cut when about one-third to one-half
of the flowers have opened. If
you will be drying your lavender for bundles or buds for sachets,
pick them when the flowers are about one-half open.
If you will be
drying your cut lavender in bundles, each bunch should contain about
one hundred stems. Wrap a rubber band around the bottom of the
bunches and hang upside down to dry, in a well-ventilated, dry area,
out of direct sunlight. When
they are completely dry, about two to three weeks, you can either
strip the buds from the stems for easier storage, or store them on
the stems.
Pruning
Your Lavender
Plants should be pruned in early spring or early fall to one-half to two-thirds of
their size, leaving about 2-3 inches of green woody stems. Never
cut into the woody part of the plant.
The plants respond well to this pruning and it will help them
maintain their attractive mounded shape.
As summer progresses to fall, it's a good idea to remove
all remaining bloom stalks and shape any straggly areas.
Propagation
It's wise to purchase lavender plants rather than starting them
from seed. Plants
started from seed usually have a poor survival rate and the process
is very slow. Lavender
does root well from cuttings taken from mature plants in early
spring. Take two to
four inch cuttings, remove the bottom leaves, dip the end into
water, shake off excess and dip into rooting hormone.
Place carefully into pre-moistened potting soil.
Water regularly, keep warm (heated from the bottom if
possible) and wait about six weeks for the cutting to root.
Another method of
propagation is called layering.
Bend the lower
stems of a mature plant and mound soil over them, leaving only the
tip visible. It takes
about six months for rooting to take place.
You may then cut the rooted plant from the mother plant and
transplant in a sunny, well-draining location.
Susan Zuspan, the Founder and
Owner of Let's Do Lavender
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