Growing Lavender
A Few Valuable Tips on Growing Lavender
Highly prized for its delicate fragrance in both its foliage and pretty blooms, growing lavender has been recorded almost since the beginning of time. Today, it can be found in commercial farms as well as in home gardens as many reap the benefits of this lovely, scented plant.
Few perennial gardens have overlooked the value of the plant, and growing lavender in both outside gardens as well as indoor containers has become quite popular. In the right outdoor conditions, lavender can grow into a nicely rounded bush that is as wide as it is tall; sometimes reaching 4 feet in height. Container plants are generally smaller; growing only as big as the container size allows. Soil should be well drained in either planting situation, especially in the plant’s early stages. After lavender has become established, it can take some periods of drought conditions. Full sun exposure is ideal for this perennial herb.
Little maintenance is required for a beautifully formed plant when growing lavender. Its woody stems can be pruned back if a smaller height is desired, but its normal growth habit is upright and bushy whether planted in outside gardens or in containers. In fact, many gardeners swear that neglecting the plant is the best maintenance; understandable when considering that, in the Mediterranean, growing lavender plant in hot, rocky regions is normal.
Growing lavender in the garden is a great attraction for both bees and ladybugs; both beneficial garden hosts. They are also an effective deterrent for garden pests, such as deer, slugs and rabbits; making these scented plants ideal for borders of vegetable gardens or around plants that are normally targets for these creatures.
Harvesting the blossoms after growing lavender also requires little work. Watch for the blossoms to just begin to open. Morning is the best time for harvesting, after the morning dew has dried. Using shears, cut the stems near the bottom of the foliage. About two inches of the stem will be needed to hang the lavender stems that have been trimmed of leaves near the cut end. Rubber bands are the best medium to use to bind the bottom of the stems together for hanging, as they will firmly keep the stems together throughout the process. The bundled stems should be hung upside down in an area that is dark and hot, like an attic, and remain there for about 15 days or until fully dried.
Lavender contains essential oils that have been used in perfumes, incense and even food flavorings. One of the reasons that growing lavender is so popular is that it retains its sweet aroma even when dried and becomes a vital part of sachets and potpourri mixtures.
Growing lavender may become an addiction once the fragrance of the purple blossoms and the graceful branches perfumes the air around your garden. Carrying on a heritage from ancient days, lavender continues to be a favorite of many.