How to plant and grow Lavender

Lavender plants are a wonderful way to add scent, and color to your garden. The herb can be used for many different things such as tea, soap, creams, etc. And it is super easy to grow! All you need is a pot, a sunny spot, and some sandy soil. Keep reading and we’ll show you how to plant and grow lavender.

Planting Time:

Spring or early summer.

Blossoming Time:

Late spring to early summer.

Propagation:

Can be propagated by seed, cuttings, or division

Sun:

Full sun.

Temperature:

Ideally between 68°F – 86°F (20°C – 30°C). Can also tolerate cooler temperatures.

Soil:

Well-drained, sandy soil.

Watering:

Drought tolerant, water only when the soil is dry.

Fertilize:

Rarely needs fertilizing; if needed, use a very light fertilizer

Uses:

Lavender can be used in aromatherapy, the flowers can be used for culinary uses and cosmetics. It is non-toxic to humans and animals.

How to plant and grow Lavender in the Garden

1. Buy a packet of lavender seeds from a gardening store or online retailer.
2. Fill a seed tray or pot with fresh, well-draining potting mix.
3. Sow the seeds thinly across the surface of the mix and gently press them in.
4. Water lightly and place the tray or pot in a warm, sunny spot.
5. Keep the soil moist but not wet, and within a few weeks, you should see the first signs of growth.
6. When the seedlings are large enough to handle, transplant them into your garden bed.
7. Choose a spot in full sun for planting and dig holes that are twice as wide as the pots the seedlings are in.
8. Gently loosen the roots before planting and water thoroughly.
9. Lavender is a drought-tolerant plant once established, so only water it weekly during extended dry periods.
10. Once your plants are established, they will need very little care other than an occasional trimming to keep them looking neat and tidy.

In the following, I will cover each step in a little more detail.

Buy a packet of lavender seeds from a gardening store or online retailer.

Lavender seeds can be bought online, in garden centers, local nurseries, or even in supermarkets.  Depending on the buyer’s preferences concerning price, selection, quality, and convenience. 

It is easier to start with a young plant. These are the places where you can buy them: Some places where lavender can be bought are farmer’s markets, natural food stores, and online. The best place to buy lavender is probably at a farmer’s market because the lavender will be fresh and the price is likely to be cheaper than at a store.

Fill a seed tray or pot with fresh, well-draining potting mix.

The perfect potting mix for Lavender is one that is well-drained, sandy and has a slightly acidic pH. This will help to prevent the roots from rotting and will encourage the plant to produce more flowers. Some examples of good potting mixes for Lavender include: 

1 part perlite or coarse sand, 1 part loam, 1 part peat moss. 

This mix can be amended with a handful of bone meal or superphosphate per square yard prior to planting.

I personally always used normal soil for flowers from the garden center mixed with some compost and had the best results for my Lavender plants. I even tend to add stones and very dry or hard soil from my garden, because Lavender thrives in environments where it has to fight a little to find enough space for the roots.

Sow the seeds thinly across the surface of the mix and gently press them in.

Lavender seeds can be sown in early spring or fall. For best results, sow lavender seeds in a sunny location with well-drained soil. Lavender prefers neutral to slightly alkaline soil. To improve drainage, add sand or perlite to the planting area. Sow lavender seeds on the surface of the soil and lightly cover them with fine sand or vermiculite. Keep the seed bed moist until germination occurs. Lavender seeds usually take 30-60 days to germinate.

Water lightly and place the tray or pot in a warm, sunny spot.

The ideal spot for Lavender seedlings indoors is in a south-facing window. This will give them the most sunlight possible, which they need to grow.

Keep the soil moist but not wet, and within a few weeks, you should see the first signs of growth.

A freshly planted Lavender needs a lot of water because it is a very thirsty plant. It will need to be watered every day for the first week, and then every other day for the next two weeks. After that, you can water it once a week.

When the seedlings are large enough to handle, transplant them into your garden bed.

The ideal spot for Lavender in the garden is in a sunny, well-drained location. Lavender prefers soil that is on the drier side, so a raised bed or hillside would be a good option.

Choose a spot in full sun for planting and dig holes that are twice as wide as the pots the seedlings are in.

The soil in the garden should be prepared by tilling or spading to a depth of at least 8 inches. The soil should be loose and well-drained with a pH between 6.5 and 7.5. Add compost or other organic matter if needed to improve drainage. Lavender does not like wet feet so good drainage is essential. obstacles that might be encountered when preparing the soil include compaction from too much tilling, poor drainage due to clay soils, and lack of organic matter.

Gently loosen the roots before planting and water thoroughly.

To loosen lavender roots before planting them, gently tease the roots apart with your fingers and then loosen the soil around them. Be careful not to damage the roots.

This is important because it allows the roots to spread out evenly in the new planting area and encourages new growth.

Lavender is a drought-tolerant plant once established, so only water it weekly during extended dry periods.

Lavender plants are rather drought-tolerant and prefer low humidity. They only need to be watered when the soil is dry. They should be watered deeply, but not too frequently, to encourage deep root growth.

I personally only watered my Lavender plants in the garden if there was no rain for several weeks, otherwise, the rain was more than enough to water these plants.

Once your plants are established, they will need very little care other than an occasional trimming to keep them looking neat and tidy.

Lavender can be harvested in the summer, around late July or early August. It can also be harvested any other time, once the flowers blossom, but in late summer, the flowers are in full bloom and have the highest essential oil content which gives them a strong scent and taste. 

The Lavender should be cut early in the morning before the heat of the day has a chance to evaporate the oils from the flowers. It is important to use sharp pruning shears to avoid crushing the stems, which can damage the plants. After cutting, the Lavender should be immediately hung upside down in a dark, dry place to prevent it from wilting.

If you don’t want to harvest your Lavender, but still want to encourage new growth in spring, cut back the Lavender plant to about 6 inches above the ground. This will help promote new growth and prevent the plant from becoming too woody.

Step by Step plan on how to plant and grow Lavender in a planting pot

1. Buy a packet of lavender seeds from a garden center or online retailer.
2. Fill a planting pot with potting mix, and make sure there are drainage holes in the bottom.
3. Sow the seeds on the surface of the potting mix, and press them gently into the soil.
4. Water the soil lightly, and place the pot in a sunny spot.
5. Keep the soil moist, but not wet, and wait for the seeds to germinate. This can take up to 2 weeks.
6. Once the seedlings have emerged, thin them out so that only the strongest plants remain.
7. Continue to water regularly, and fertilize every few weeks with a balanced fertilizer.
8. When the plants are well-established, pinch back the tips of their stems to encourage bushier growth.
9. Harvest your lavender when the flowers are in full bloom, typically in late summer or early fall.

I will cover each step in a little more detail in the following.

Buy a packet of lavender seeds from a garden center or online retailer.

Lavender seeds can be bought online, in garden centers, and even sometimes in supermarkets.

Fill a planting pot with potting mix, and make sure there are drainage holes in the bottom.

The perfect pot for Lavender should be around 4 inches deep. The best material for a planting pot is clay because clay allows roots to breathe and keep the soil moist and evenly drained. Some drainage holes are also necessary to prevent the roots from rotting.

The perfect potting mix for Lavender would be well-drained, sandy soil with a pH of 6.5 to 7.5. This mix would provide the roots of the Lavender plant with the necessary drainage and nutrients to thrive. I personally always bought normal garden soil in the local garden store, mixed it with some compost, and my plants did a great job.

Sow the seeds on the surface of the potting mix, and press them gently into the soil.

To sow Lavender seeds, you can either mix the seeds with sand and then sow them on the surface of the soil, or simply sow the seeds on the surface as they are. Water gently and keep the soil moist until the seedlings appear.

Water the soil lightly, and place the pot in a sunny spot.

The perfect indoor location for lavender seedlings is a sunny spot with good ventilation.

Keep the soil moist, but not wet, and wait for the seeds to germinate. This can take up to 2 weeks.

Just like many other plants, Lavender seeds need moist but not soggy soil to germinate.

Once the seedlings have emerged, thin them out so that only the strongest plants remain.

Thinning out the seedlings of Lavender is an important step in ensuring that the plant will have enough room to grow and thrive. It is typically done when the seedlings are about 4-6 inches tall. To thin out the seedlings, simply snip off the weakest-looking seedlings at the base with scissors, being careful not to damage the roots of the remaining plants. This will allow the stronger seedlings to have more room to grow and develop.

Continue to water regularly, and fertilize every few weeks with a balanced fertilizer.

Fertilizer is not essential but can be helpful. I personally never used fertilizer on my Lavender plants, but it might be helpful if your plants are struggling or not growing as bushy as you wish them to.

The perfect fertilizer for Lavender that grows indoors is an all-purpose, slow-release fertilizer with a ratio of 10-10-10.

When the plants are well-established, pinch back the tips of their stems to encourage bushier growth.

To pinch back the tips of Lavender plants, use your fingers or pruning shears to remove the top 1-2 inches of growth. Be sure to make a clean cut just above a leaf node (the point where leaves are attached to the stem). Pinching back Lavender plants encourages them to branch out, resulting in fuller, bushier plants.

Harvest your lavender when the flowers are in full bloom, typically in late summer or early fall.

The best time to harvest Lavender is typically around mid-July to early August. The stems should be cut just above where the leaves meet the stem. Cut them at an angle so that more surface area is exposed for drying. After cutting, strip the lower leaves off of the stems and bundle the lavender together with twine or rubber bands. Hang the bundles upside down in a cool, dark, and dry place for two to three weeks until the lavender is completely dried out.

How to use Lavender

Lavender has beautiful flowers that contain essential oil, which has many different uses. 

The oil can be used as a natural remedy for anxiety, insomnia, and depression. It can also be used to soothe skin irritations and repel insects. It is also used in cosmetics and perfumes.

Lavender tea from the flowers is said to be helpful in treating stomachaches and indigestion and has a calming effect.

The flowers of the lavender plant can be added to salads or used as decoration on cakes and other desserts since they are edible and have a unique, but not too strong taste.

Lavender flowers can be dried and used in fragrant sacs. They have a great scent and can have a calming effect when put beside the bed. Lavender sacs can also be used in wardrobes to improve the smell and keep away insects such as moths.

Facts about Lavender

• Lavender is a plant that is used for its calming and relaxing properties.
• The name “lavender” comes from the Latin word “lavare”, which means “to wash”.
• Lavender has been used for centuries in perfume, soap, and other cosmetics.
• Lavender is said to be a natural mosquito repellent.
• Lavender oil can be used to treat anxiety, insomnia, and depression.