How to Grow Lavender Successfully

Welcome to our comprehensive guide on how to grow lavender! Whether you're a seasoned gardener or just starting out, we've got you covered with all the essential tips and tricks to help you cultivate beautiful lavender plants right in your own backyard.

And if you are interested in the history of lavender, follow its fascinating story from ancient civilizations through to the current day.

Choosing the Right Lavender Variety

Before diving into how to grow lavender, it's crucial to choose the right lavender variety for your garden. Lavender comes in many different species and cultivars, each with its own unique characteristics. Some popular varieties are listed below, but the names can often be confusing. The correct names are as follows:

• English lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)
• Spanish lavender (Lavandula stoechas) * In the United States stoechas is referred to as Spanish lavender, but in the United Kingdom, it is referred to as French lavender.
• French lavender (Lavandula dentata)  commonly called tooth lavender. *In the United States, the Lavandin lavender is commonly called French lavender.
• Lavadin lavender (Lavandula x intermedia) - These are a cross between the Lavandula angustifolia and Lavandula latifolia (spiked lavender).

Consider factors such as your climate, soil type, and desired bloom color when selecting the perfect lavender for your garden.

How to Grow Lavender Successfully Every Time

Learn how to grow Lavender with our tips and advice! Whether you're a seasoned gardener or just getting started with your green thumb, lavender is a fantastic addition to any garden. In this guide, we'll explore the secrets to successfully growing and caring for lavender plants. From selecting the perfect variety for your climate to providing the right soil conditions and maintenance tips, you'll learn everything you need to know to cultivate thriving lavender plants that will fill your garden with beauty and fragrance. So, grab your gardening gloves and let's get started!

Is Lavender Easy to Grow?

Growing lavender is a breeze! Just make sure you pick the right type for your area and don't drown those babies when they're just getting started. Lavender's like that friend who's always low-maintenance but super generous – it just keeps on giving without asking for much in return.

Is Lavender a Useful Companion Plant?

Lavender as a companion plant is a very useful addition to your garden. It is a fairly long-flowering plant which not only looks good in your garden but if you plant it together with certain plants it will help keep pests away and increase their viability. In addition, growing lavender in your vegetable garden with veggies susceptible to aphids and the like will help keep them at bay. See our detailed article on lavender companion plants and our pick of the top 15 plants to grow together with lavender.

How Long Do Lavender Plants Live For?

These plants are like the Energizer bunnies of the garden! Yep, they're known for sticking around for quite a while – we're talking several years! With a little TLC, you can grow the same lavender plants for a good 10 to 15 years, and sometimes even longer if they're really feeling the love.

So, what's the secret sauce on how to grow lavender and keeping them happy and healthy? Well, it's all about giving them the VIP treatment: think proper pruning, plenty of sunshine, soil that drains like a champ, and regular watering to keep them hydrated. Oh, and don't forget to pick the right variety for your neck of the woods – some lavenders are just built to last longer than others!

Bottom line? With a little love and attention, your lavender plants can be the gift that keeps on giving, bringing beauty and that oh-so-soothing fragrance to your garden for years to come.

Best Place to Grow Lavender

Now let's chat about location - lavender's a full-on sun worshiper and loves well-draining soils. It needs about six to eight hours a day of sun love to grow and to really make that fragrance pop. And keep in mind, this little genius of a plant can handle dry spells like a pro but soggy soil's a big no-go. If you're growing lavender inside, keep it around a sunny south-facing window - it'll be happier than a clam!

How to Grow Lavender with the Best Soil Conditions

Soil's kind of a big deal which is why this section is quite detailed. Get this wrong and your plants will struggle. Lavender likes it well-draining and just a smidgen alkaline with a pH around the 6.7-7.3 mark. And it's okay with less-than-perfect soils too; over-nourished soils can make them too leafy at the cost of those beautiful blooms. If you're going  the pot or window-box way, pick a potting mix made for cactus or succulents - they've got the drainage bit nailed.

*A Quick Tip: Assessing Soil using Vinegar or Bicarbonate of Soda* for finding out if your soil is alkaline or acidic: Take a soil sample, say half a coffee cup, and add to your coffee mug enough water to turn your soil into mud. Now add ½ cup of vinegar and stir slightly. If the soil fizzes, foams, or bubbles, your soil is alkaline.

For acidic soil, repeat the method above but this time you will add ½ cup of baking soda, or bicarbonate of soda. If the soil fizzes, foams, or bubbles, your soil is acidic.

*A quick tip: Using the Red Cabbage Method for assessing Soil pH*

Now, how do we test the exact pH level of your soil without litmus paper? By using the Red Cabbage Method!

So, you want to know a cool trick to test the pH of your soil? Well, grab some red cabbage and get ready to make your own DIY pH paper! See, red cabbage contains this awesome thing called flavin (anthocyanin), which is basically a pigment that changes color depending on how acidic or alkaline a solution is. Cool, right?

So, here's what you do: chop up some red cabbage and simmer it in water for a bit. After letting it cool and straining out the solids, you'll be left with this vibrant purple liquid – that means it's neutral, around a 7.0 on the pH scale. Now, to test your soil, just mix some of this cabbage water with a bit of soil in a jar, give it a stir, and wait for 30 minutes. If the color turns pink, your soil's on the acidic side; if it leans more towards green, then it's alkaline. 

Adjusting your soil's pH

Adjusting your soil's pH to suit your garden's needs can seem like a bit of a magic trick, but it's totally doable with a bit of know-how. If you've got plants that are picky about their pH, here’s how you can sweeten (alkalize) or sour (acidify) your soil:

To Make Soil More Alkaline (Raise pH):

• Add Garden Lime: Lime is the go-to for bumping up the pH. You'll find it as ground limestone or dolomite. Dolomite has the added bonus of magnesium, great for plants needing a little extra love. The amount of lime depends on your soil type and current pH, so a soil test is super helpful.
• Use Wood Ash: If you have a fireplace, wood ash can be a handy, though less precise, way to increase alkalinity. Just be mindful not to overdo it, as too much can harm your plants.

To Make Soil More Acidic (Lower pH):

• Elemental Sulfur: Sulfur is the classic remedy to acidify soil. It’s a slow worker, interacting with soil moisture and bacteria to gradually lower pH, so plan to apply it a year before you need the change.
• Organic Matter: Peat moss, pine needles, and composted leaves can naturally lower soil pH over time. They also improve soil texture and fertility.
• Aluminum Sulfate or Iron Sulfate: These can acidify soil more quickly than elemental sulfur but need to be used with caution. Over-application can lead to toxic levels of aluminum or iron.

• Go Slow and Steady: It’s easier to add more later than to fix an over-correction. Apply amendments in small amounts and retest your soil’s pH after a few months to see the change.

Tweaking your soil's pH can make a big difference. Just remember, soil chemistry is more marathon than sprint, so give your garden time to adjust and thrive. It takes about a month for your soil to reach a new pH after any additions.

If you live in areas with heavy rainfall, such as the Pacific Northwest, these areas tend to have more acidic soils. In areas that are drier parts of the country, the soil is more alkaline. However, no matter where you live, always check your soil before planting. 

What's the Best Time to Plant Lavender?

So, if you're thinking about planting some lavender, here's the scoop on timing: spring or early fall is your golden ticket! Why, you ask? Well, planting during these seasons gives your lavender the best shot at getting cozy in its new home before summer or winter throws any curve balls its way. In spring, the soil starts to warm up, which is prime time for those roots to spread and get comfy. Plus, it gives your lavender plenty of time to stretch its legs before the summer heat kicks in.

Now, planting in early fall is also a smart move. The soil's still warm from those sunny summer days, making it the perfect time for root growth without any of that scorching heat. And bonus – getting your lavender settled in before winter hits means it can hunker down and establish itself before taking a little nap during the colder months.

So, whether you're getting your hands dirty in the springtime sunshine or taking advantage of the milder fall weather, planting your lavender during these seasons sets it up for success. And hey, who doesn't want their plants to thrive and flourish?

How to Water Lavender

How to grow lavender without a hitch when it comes to water? Watering's a chill affair, just let the soil dry out between each watering and cut down to natural rainfall whenever possible. Younger plants need a bit more hydration to get their roots going, and the need goes down as they grow. If the sun's going all out during dry periods, a deep watering every couple of weeks should do the trick. Never allow your lavender babies to sit in water. The roots will rot and your plants will struggle and eventually die.

Fertilizers for Lavender

Fertilizers aren’t exactly needed; lavender is pretty self-sufficient. But if your soil is super poor, a light dose of low-release balanced fertilizer in spring won't hurt. If they're potted, a light feeding in spring should be good, just keep away from high-nitrogen ones, such as bone meal or liquid fish emulsion - too much leaf action and not enough flowers, remember? 

The only time you can add high-nitrogen fertilizers is when you are growing lavender from starts. However, once your lavender is established, take your foot off the brake and only apply a low-nitrogen fertilizer if you absolutely have to and want to develop stronger roots and help with the overall health of the plant. 

• Phosphorus is an important nutrient needed for root development. Adding some phosphorus right before your lavender babies start to blossom will give it an extra boost. Natural sources are of course bone meal and bat guano. Just remember to apply sparingly. 

• Potassium, also called potash is also a key ingredient to boost your plants' tolerance to stresses such as swings in temperatures or long periods of drought. Applying a small dose of fertilizer with higher percentages of potassium will strengthen the plant through the winter. The lavender will then store the nutrients it needs during the dormancy period. Natural sources of potassium include composted vegetable and fruit and kelp meal.

So there you have it, folks! Remember, balance is the key when it comes to feeding your lavender. Go light, go natural, and watch your lavender thrive in its full glory!

Does Lavender Die in Winter?

Let's talk about lavender and its winter survival skills! So, lavender's pretty cool – it's what we call a hardy perennial, which basically means it can tough it out through winter in a bunch of places. But here's the thing: whether your lavender hangs in there during winter depends on a few factors, like the type of lavender you've got, the weather where you live, and how well you take care of it.

How to grow lavender in colder climates? In colder areas, lavender might need a little extra TLC to make it through those chilly months. Think of it like giving your plant a cozy winter jacket – mulching around the base or covering it up with burlap can really help it stay warm and happy. Oh, and don't forget about the soil! Lavender likes it nice and well-draining, so make sure it's got good drainage to avoid any soggy roots. And hey, a little pruning in the fall can also give it a helping hand.

Overall, while lavender's pretty tough, it might need a bit of extra love in colder climates to make it through the winter season with flying colors, but for some, this may not be so. See our article, Does Lavender Die in Winter? for more details.

How to Prune Lavender

How to grow lavender so that it gives back year after year? A little prune here, a little prune there goes a long way in maintaining a thriving lavender plant. Take off about a third or half of the plant size once it's done blooming, in late summer or early fall. This helps to launch new growth and keeps it from getting all woody. Deadheading spent blooms during the growing season = more flowers!

How to Propagate Lavender

Growing more lavender from cuttings is a breeze. In early summer, take cuttings about 3-4 inches from new, but mature, growth. Pull off the leaves from the bottom half of the cutting, put the end in a rooting hormone and place it in a mix of perlite and peat. Keep it moist, cover with a plastic bag to keep humidity in there and four to six weeks later, voila - roots!

You can grow lavender too from the seeds, however, there are advantages and disadvantages of doing this. The disadvantage is that almost always the plants that grow from these seeds are not the exact as the parent plant. However, the advantage is that you may be lucky enough to grow an entirely new variety of lavender. Happy mistakes do happen! See our page on growing lavender from seed for a more detailed article.

How to Grow Lavender in Pots

Do you yearn to grow lavender but are running low on space? No worries. Pots and containers will work great too! Grab a well-draining potting mix and a pot with enough drainage holes and you're all set. They do need a bit more water, though, especially during hot times and dwarf varieties work better with pots. Don't forget your soil here is so important! And if you were ever wondering how big lavender will get in those pots, and whether you have bought a dwarf variety or not, then we have the answer covered.

In Closing

There you have it! The complete lowdown on how to grow lavender. With the right TLC, you'll have the beauty and soothing aroma of lavender permeating your home or garden in no time. Give it a shot and let this purple powerhouse of a plant bring you joy, lovely smells and even some tasty lavender sprinkled delights!