Lavender Planting Tips
How To Plant Lavender: Step-By-Step Instructions
1. Start with healthy plants that have developed root systems.
2. Prepare a planting hole that's twice as deep and twice as wide as the root ball of your lavender plant. when planting multiple plants, you can amend the soil for each planting hole, or amend the whole bed before planting. In a container, prepare a well-draining soil mix by combining gravel or sand with soil.
3. If the roots are clinging to the sides of the pot, you can "rough up" the roots to encourage outward growth.
4. Plant your lavender with the top of the root ball even with the soil line. Backfill soil around the plant and press firmly all around.
5. Water to compress the soil and remove an air pockets. In the coming weeks, only water the Lavender if both the plant and the overall conditions in your garden are very dry. Remember, Lavender thrives on fast-draining soil and does not prefer to have "wet feet," or standing water, which can cause roots to rot.
When & Where to Plant Lavender
Light: Lavender needs full sun and well-drained soil to grow best. In hot summer climates, afternoon shade may help them thrive.
Soil: Lavender grows best in low to moderately-fertile soils, so don't amend the soil with organic matter before planting. Lavender performs best in neutral to slightly alkaline soils. Add lime to raise the soil pH to around 7.0 - we recommend performing a simple soil test for best results.
Spacing: Depending on the variety, space plants 1 to 3 feet apart.
Planting Time: In areas colder than Zone 6 (Zone 6-1), we recommend planting in spring or early summer. In areas warmer than zone 6 (7-10), we recommend planting in early fall so the roots can get established during the cool, moist winter weather.
How To Care For Lavender Plants
Growth Habit: Lavender grows into a round, bushy shrub in warmer climates. It's a lower-growing perennial in colder climates. In humid climates, allow space for adequate airflow to prevent fungus or powdery mildew. Look at the varieties you're growing to determine their mature size.
Staking: Lavender plants range from 1 to 3 feet tall and wide and do not require staking.
Watering: Water young plants well. Once established, lavender is drought tolerant and doesn't need frequent watering. Over-watering is a common cause of stress to lavender plants.
Fertilizing: When it come to fertilizer, less is more with Lavender - as with watering. You should not need to feed your lavender plants.
Mulching: Since lavender is drought tolerant, it shouldn't need mulch to conserve soil moisture, other than extreme cases. If you do mulch, use small sized bark or gravel, and be sure to leave several inches clear around the plant crown, or your Lavender may rot. Light-colored gravel or sand mulch can help with drainage and keeping the soil and plant warm.
Trimming and Pruning: Lavender flowers in summer. The flower stalks can be harvested and used fresh or dried. Even if you aren't harvesting lavender flowers to use, deadhead (cut off) spent blossoms after the flowers fade to spruce up the plant and stimulate a second flowering. Lavender is a woody plant. It produces its best and most fragrant foliage and flowers from young stems. Prune 2-year and older plants in spring, cutting the woody stems back by one-third. This will stimulate new growth, which produces better foliage and flowering.
