Growing Lavender

Flower Information

Botanical Name:

Lavendula

Common names:

Lavender, English Lavender

Description:

One of the most attractive and fragrant of all herbs, Lavender is the quintessential cottage garden plant. Its aromatic foliage consists of 12 to 24 inch tall gray-green spikes of blue or mauve flowers (also highly aromatic) that bloom from mid summer to early fall. Although there are many lavender species suited for the garden, the most popular by far is English Lavender (Lavendula vera), which is also commercially grown widely for its many cosmetic and medicinal properties.

Life Cycle:

hardy perennial shrub

Exposure:

full sun

Cultivation:

Lavender can be grown from seeds, but is usually started with transplants taken from rooted cuttings in the spring or summer. The stems are thick and woody and should be trimmed after flowering to keep the plant neat and tidy. Lavender plants will deteriorate over time, so plan on planting replacements every few years.

Propagation:

cuttings and seeds

Parts Used:

flowers and leaves

Harvesting & Storage:

Harvest lavender during dry weather when stalks have less water in them. Lay them out in flat or hang them in bunches to dry. Keep in mind that oils dissipate as temperature rise throughout the day harvest in mid morning or early evening when air is cool and dry.

Medicinal Uses:

headaches, nervousness, and aromatherapy

Culinary Uses

garnish; scented oils; syrups; jellies; teas

Other Uses:

potpourri; laundry rinse; furniture polish; insect repellant; oil scented candles; wreaths, skin and hair care; perfumes; perennial gardens

Herb Information

Botanical Name:

Lavandula angustifolia

Life Cycle:

perennial herb and shrub

Planting Time:

spring or fall in most areas; spring in zone 5

Height:

10" to 3'

Exposure:

full sun

Soil:

poor to rich, well-drained soil

Hardiness:

hardy to zones 5-9

Bloom Time:

early to mid summer

Flower:

fragrant clusters of small lavender, purple or violet tubular-shaped flowers on spikes

Foliage:

fragrant mounds of long, spiky silvery-green leaves on narrow stems

Propagation:

cuttings

Suggested Use:

fragrant gardens, borders, beds, edging, herb gardens, and crafts

Growing Hints:

Purchase plants. Cuttings from new growth can be propagated in the summer, or seeds can be started indoors. Planting site should have air circulation to help combat leaf spot in humid areas. Keep organic mulches (wood chips, leaves, grass) 12 inches from the base of plants (stones, gravel and sand are okay to use near the base).

Interesting Facts:

Lavender flowers can be used for culinary or medicinal purposes.

Question:

Hardiness Zone: 6a

Zoe from New York City

Answer:

Your lavender plant is probably just settling in and focusing its energy on establishing roots. As long as it isn't showing any signs of disease or dying it's probably just fine. Here are some tips for growing it in containers:

• Lavender prefers a location that receives 7 to 8 hours of sun each day.

• The plants prefer crowded roots, so when you are growing them in containers, shoot for a pot size that is just an inch or two larger than their root ball.

• Good soil drainage is a must so use a light, well-aerated soil.

• Lavenders are fairly drought tolerant plants, but like all plants grown in containers, attention to watering is required. Water your lavender only when the soil appears dry.

• Lavenders grown in containers deplete nutrition from the soil quickly, so mix a slow release organic fertilizer in with some fresh potting soil each spring.

• L. angustifolia cultivars such as 'Munstead' are slightly larger plants and should either be moved to a larger container or planted out in the garden after a couple of years.
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• A light pruning in the spring (before budding) and again in the summer will encourage air circulation and keep your lavender looking good.

Hang in there it is probably growing a root system.

AOL cut me off before finishing:

Solution: Separate the two. Lavender requires moisture but the Rosemary doesn't like so much moisture. DON'T fertilize them. Cut any dead branches off, make certain they have good drainage and give them lots of space. Neither likes cooler weather, I believe. Good luck. God bless you. : )

Cyinda
Bronze Post Medal for All Time! 213 Posts

July 4, 20080 found this helpful

Hmmm... I was wondering if the soil was the right pH for the Lavender? Also, could you may have damaged the lavenders roots while transplanting.

Zoe, I have two in separate pots and they're doing the same. They're perennials. They always take the first year after planting to establish (even when repotted).

Linda

September 25, 20080 found this helpful

It could be that the plant has just adjusted to the pot. This happens in some perennials, mainly trees. I went to an Amish place that sells plants. And LOL they still had tomatoes in the little tiny square things they are started in. Although they looked pretty raggid, some even had Bonsai size tomatoes on them. But very tough skinned. They sold them out for 50 cents a flat. Each little flat had four tomato plants in them. So I bought a flat.

I have read that lavender don't like the roots messed with. I don't know that I could verify that for sure. I transplanted my granddaughters we started from seed into a large pot and it is fine. But it won't flower untill the next year. Good Luck with your lavender.

Tapestry Lady

March 19, 20090 found this helpful

I don't have any personal experience with that, but lavender is native to the hotter regions of the world. It tends to like drier soils and sun. If it seems to be baking too much you might try planting it where it has some shade in the hottest hours of the day. There are lots of different varieties so you could ask at a local nursery which ones might do well in your area. Lavender can actualy do pretty well in containers, so you might even try growing it in a sunny spot in the house! You should be able to get plants from seed now but I don't know if it'll bloom the first year (mine hasn't, is it just me?). The foliage smells nice, though.

Christine Anderson

March 19, 20090 found this helpful

Yes Isabel, lavender is very close to rosemary. I grow then alongside each other here in Australia. We are experiencing a very bad drought and they need less water than a lot of other plants. I bought it as a very small plant at the plant nursery and it has grown to about 5 ft tall. It needs very little looking after, just a light prune after flowering.

Louise Leahy

March 19, 20090 found this helpful

I live in the Texas Hill Country and have had trouble growing lavendar. Never had any luck at all from seeds, but a year ago I planted a lavendar plant I got at Walmart and it is thriving (right next to the rosemary). There is an herb farm over in Fredericksburg (not far from us) that grows lavendar. They have a Web site at http://www.fredericksburgherbfarm... and can no doubt give good advice. Good luck!

DeBushe
Bronze Feedback Medal for All Time! 179 Feedbacks

March 29, 20110 found this helpful

Check out this website. www.thriftyfun.com/tf74822559.tip.html
It should give you some ideas. I cut mine back every year from about 5' across to about 3' across.

DeBushe
Bronze Feedback Medal for All Time! 179 Feedbacks

March 29, 20110 found this helpful

hubpages.com/.../How-to-grow-Lavender
Here's another site.

Allison
Bronze Feedback Medal for All Time! 231 Feedbacks

August 19, 20100 found this helpful

You definitely need a sunny spot. I have some in a semi-sunny spot and it's just not doing great. Here's more:
hubpages.com/.../How-to-grow-Lavender

susan

August 22, 20100 found this helpful

Lavender likes its face in the sun but its feet in the dry soil. It will thrive in sunny dry spots.

Frugal Sunnie
Silver Feedback Medal for All Time! 282 Feedbacks

April 18, 20120 found this helpful

Move the plants to containers on a sun porch to up the humidity they live in?

susan

April 23, 20110 found this helpful

You should be able to sprout it in water and stick it in the dirt. It should start growing then.