The lavender plant is a very popular plant that gives off gorgeous flowers. There are several varieties of lavender and while the colors usually vary, you should know that the growing process for most lavenders is essentially the same.
The English lavender, for instance, gives off a great scent, and it is also very beautiful. They are relatively easy to grow, as you can just sow the seeds and have an extensive variety of flowers and plants available in different sizes.
Lavender, if you didn’t know, is a fast grower and is going to spread very quickly. You need to understand that this plant tends to grow very quickly as long as you provide it with appropriate amounts of care and nutrients.
Understanding Lavender
Lavender is a native plant that is found primarily in the Mediterranean regions, and it has a very long history that goes all the way back to the Old World. Today, many consider lavender to be an ornamental plant that can be used for landscaping and for decorating the garden.
Not only this, but you should know that lavender is also grown for use in an extensive range of home and medical applications. Commonly, this plant is grouped into four different subgenres, each of which have a host of different hybrids that have been cultivated for particular growing conditions and climates.
The four most popular lavender variants include:
- English hybrids
- French hybrids
- Spanish hybrids
- Egyptian hybrids
One of the things that you will realize as you start growing lavender in your house is that it doesn’t require a lot of attention during the growing season. On top of that, you should know that the lavender is an excellent pollinator.
During spring and the flowering seasons, the plant produces fantastic blossoms and also has a warm scent that makes it an ideal addition to almost any kind of garden or landscape.
The reason why so many people like to grow lavender is simply because the plant is low maintenance in general. You don’t have to worry about drought and you don’t have to worry about implementing any extra measures to care for it.
There are many important things that you should know about growing lavender properly. If you take care of the plant and know just what to do with it, the plant is going to spread quickly in all directions.
When and Where to Plant?
First, let’s talk about the important things such as the position of the plant and when you should plant it. Lavender needs lots of sun and it also needs well-draining soil around the clock.
On top of that, the plant needs well-draining soil to grow best. Furthermore, during the hot summer climates, you will have to make sure that appropriate amounts of afternoon shade is available.
The soil requirements of the lavender plant are also important to understand. Lavender usually thrives in low to medium-fertile soils, so it’s really not a wise idea to add organic matter to the soil to try to improve it.
Lavender is going to do really well in neutral soils with a slight amount of alkalinity. You should add lime to the soil to raise its pH value to 7.0, which is ideal.
It’s also recommended that you perform a basic soil test to determine the ideal results. As mentioned, the lavender plant grows very quickly, so it’s recommended that you space them around three feet apart.
When it comes to selecting a suitable time for planting, you should consider planting it in spring or early summer. In areas that are warmer than zone 6, it is recommended that you plant your lavender in the early fall so that the roots have time to establish in cool and moist weather of the winter months.
Caring for Lavenders
It’s important for you to know a thing or two about properly caring for the lavender plants if you want it to grow quickly. First, lavender tends to grow into a round shrub during the warmer seasons.
The plant tends to grow relatively slow during the winter months, and in humid areas, you have to make sure that there is appropriate space for airflow to move around. This is going to reduce the amount of fungus or mildew in the plants.
Fertilizer is also an important requirement for the plant, though you have to make sure that you do not add too much. Remember, less is more for the lavender plant, so there is no need to regularly feed the lavender plants.
For watering, it is best that you add more water while the plants are still relatively young. Once the plant has established itself, it will become resistant to drought, so there is no need for adding frequent water to the soil.
In fact, you should know that overwatering is one of the leading causes of excessive plant stress and it really affects the lavender plant.
Keep in mind that this is not the only thing; you also have to trim and prune the plants. The lavender plant usually blooms during the summer months.
You can always harvest the flower stalks and then use them when they are fresh or when they have been dried properly. Even if you are not going to harvest the lavender flowers, you have to make sure that you deadhead them.
This is going to dramatically increase the quality of the flowers and may even lead to a second flowering for the plant. Also, you should know that the freshest flowers are produced from the youngest stems, so take care not to cut those.
Pests and diseases can prove to be a problem, so you have to be careful that you add appropriate amounts of insecticides and pesticides.
Insects such as spittlebugs and whiteflies are going to infest the plant if you are not careful, so it’s important that you take appropriate action before the problem turns into something big.
These are just a few things that you should know about caring for the lavender plants.
Growing up with a mom who filled her home (inside and out) with all sorts of plants, Lisa got her start in gardening at a young age. Living now on her own with a home and yard full of plants (including an indoor greenhouse), she shares all the gardening tips she’s gained over the years.