Position for your lavender

Lavender love a sunny position or a place where they receive sunlight through most of the day.

 

Soil for your lavender 

Lavender grow best in a well drained limestone soil/stony ground with a pH level between 6.0 and 8.0. Not everyone is lucky enough to have this type of soil.

People with wet and clay soil would be better off to plant their lavender in a higher position and a handful a lime will be needed to be added to increase their pH level.

 

Spacing for your lavender

The distance between lavender is largely a matter of preference when it comes to ornamental purpose, as they can be planted in mass either well apart, as seperate entities or close together to form a canopy effect.

When planting angustifolias as individuals, spacing should be at least 70cm/28", however for hedging 45cm/18" apart is advised. 

The stoechas lavender require individual spacing of 1m and 50-70cm apart for hedges.

 

Watering your lavender

 Lavender is generally thought of as a drought tolerant plant and is not necessary to water a well established plant. However plants in pots need frequent watering during the summer months. Young lavender in particular need to be watched and watered when intially planted(depending on time of year planted)

 

Lavender in pots or containers

The smaller growing lavender and more tender varieties are ideal for container planting, as they keep a reasonably compact, small form naturally. All potted lavender require a well drained potting mixture with good drainage. A couple of slow releasing fertilizer plugs should be popped into the container to help encourage more flowers and improve brightness of the foliage.

 

Drying and harvesting lavender

The optimum timing for cutting of lavender is best in the morning once the dew has evaporated.

The lavender should be cut when the first few flowers on the spike have opened and should then be hung up in bunches in a dark room.  The lavender should be bunched with a rubber band or tie to allow for shrinking as they dry out.

 

Pruning your lavender

Cut the dead flower heads off throughout the flowering season and this will help produce more flowers.

At the end of the summer cut your lavender plant right back, we like to do this around the August bank holiday as a reminder.

You can cut your lavender back up to 50% of the plant.  You need to leave at least 2 inches of green growth, however with the French lavender only a small trim is needed.

Do not cut into the old wood as this will kill your plant.  Some people will just cut the dead heads off each year but by doing this will let the plant become leggy and produce a lot of woody stems.

If you do this every year from the time you buy your lavender it will keep the plant looking tidy and compact. You will then be rewarded with a beautiful shaped plant with an abundance of flowers.