Lavender is one of the most beloved herbs for gardens. With its aromatic foliage and gorgeous blooms, this Mediterranean plant adds beauty and fragrance wherever it’s planted. While lavender thrives in warm climates, it can also grow well in colder areas if given the proper conditions.
When incorporating lavender into garden beds and borders, there are some important factors to consider. Providing the right sunlight, soil drainage, air flow and care will help ensure your lavender remains healthy and abundant for years to come. In this article, I’ll share tips on how to successfully grow lavender in your garden beds for maximum enjoyment.
Choosing the Best Lavender Varieties
There are over 40 lavender species with hundreds of cultivars to select from. The most common types utilized in home gardens include
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English Lavender – This hardy lavender is popular for its beautiful purple flower spikes and strong sweet scent. It tolerates cold winters well. Recommended cultivars are ‘Hidcote’, ‘Munstead’ and ‘Jean Davis’.
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Spanish Lavender – Showy blooms resemble pinecones atop long stems It handles heat and humidity better than other varieties ‘Richard Gray’ and ‘Folgate’ are good choices,
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French Lavender – Features pretty toothed foliage and lighter fragrance. Grows well in zones 7-9. Try ‘Grosso’ or ‘Provence’.
When to Plant
For optimal growth plant lavender in spring after the threat of frost has passed. This gives the roots time to establish before summer heat arrives.
In zones 8-10, fall planting is also an option. Just mulch well for winter protection.
Ideal Spring Planting Dates:
- Zones 3-4: Mid to late May
- Zones 5-6: Mid April to mid May
- Zones 7-8: Early April
- Zones 9-10: February to March
Purchase young potted lavender plants or start from seed indoors. Move seedlings outdoors when they are 4-6 weeks old.
Choosing the Best Spot
Selecting the ideal growing location is key to success with lavender. It prefers:
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Full Sun – At least 6-8 hours of direct sun daily. Morning light is especially beneficial. Too much shade leads to weak, leggy growth.
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Well-drained Soil – Excellent drainage is absolutely critical. Lavender hates wet feet! Avoid low spots where water collects.
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Neutral to Alkaline Soil pH – Target a pH between 6.7-7.3. Lavender won’t thrive in acidic soils. Test and amend if needed.
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Good Air Circulation – Ample airflow prevents fungal issues like mildew. Space plants 1-3 feet apart depending on mature size.
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Convenience – Plant lavender where you can enjoy the scent and easily harvest. Near paths, seating and kitchen doors is ideal.
Preparing Soil
Lavender grows best in lean, sandy soils that drain rapidly. To prepare planting beds:
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Incorporate coarse sand or gravel – improves drainage
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Add compost – provides nutrients, retains a little moisture
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Mix in Espoma Organic Lavender Tone – specially formulated
Dig down 8-12 inches and blend amendments into the native soil. Building raised beds can also improve drainage.
Planting Instructions
Follow these simple steps when planting lavender:
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Dig a hole 2 times wider and equally as deep as the root ball.
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Place the plant in the hole with the base of stems level with the soil surface.
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Backfill the hole with your prepared soil blend. Firm lightly.
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Water thoroughly until moist but not soaked.
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Apply 2-3 inches of gravel mulch to conserve moisture and reduce weeds.
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Water new transplants regularly until established. Then only water when the top 1-2 inches become dry.
Ongoing Care
With proper maintenance, lavender plants can thrive for 15 years or more. Here are some care tips:
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Smart Watering – Allow soil to dry out between waterings. Too much moisture causes root rot.
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Annual Pruning – Cut back each plant by 1/3 after blooming to encourage bushy growth.
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Light Fertilization – Use an organic balanced fertilizer in spring. Lavender is adapted to lean soils.
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Winter Protection – Improve drainage and mulch well before winter arrives.
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Pest/Disease Monitoring – Watch for issues like root rot, woolly aphids, weevils and fusarium. Treat organically at first signs.
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Frequent Harvesting – Cut blooms often to promote more flowers. Harvest when buds first open.
Getting Creative with Lavender
Beyond beds and borders, there are lots of fun ways to incorporate lavender into your landscape:
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Create a stunning lavender hedge along a path or property line. Sculpt shapes if desired.
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Include it in pollinator gardens to draw bees, butterflies and hummingbirds.
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Use as a decorative edging for vegetable beds. It helps repel pests too.
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Craft decorative dried bundles, wreaths, bouquets and wands for home decor.
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Design a soothing meditation space with meandering lavender-lined paths.
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Fill window boxes, planter boxes and containers for porches, decks and patios.
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Tuck miniature varieties into rock gardens and succulent planters.
Growing Lavender in Colder Climates
Don’t let winter stop you from growing lavender! Just take these extra steps:
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Select hardy English cultivars like ‘Munstead’ and ‘Hidcote’.
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Plant in areas with maximum winter sun exposure.
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Improve drainage by building raised beds and incorporating sand.
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Mulch heavily each fall with gravel, straw or leaves.
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Cover with cloches, row covers or hoop houses when hard freezes hit.
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Prune back damaged stems in spring to remove dieback.
With proper care, gardeners even in zones 5 and 4 can have success with lavender. It may just take a season or two to become fully established.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
Even with ideal conditions, lavender may struggle with problems like:
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Foliage dying at base – Likely caused by overwatering. Improve drainage right away.
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Leggy, weak growth – Increase sunlight and prune back stems to stimulate new growth.
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Failure to bloom – Lavender needs full sun to flower well. Try light fertilization in spring.
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Leaf spots – Fungal diseases often follow wet weather. Improve air circulation and prune damaged areas.
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Pests – Treat aphids, mites, weevils, caterpillars organically with neem oil or insecticidal soap sprays.
Address any problems promptly and adjust care accordingly. Replace plants that fail to thrive in fall.
Harvesting and Enjoying Lavender
One of the best aspects of growing lavender is harvesting all those fragrant blooms and aromatic foliage. You can:
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Cut fresh stems for beautiful floral arrangements indoors.
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Hang bundled stems to dry for potpourri, sachets and crafts.
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Craft wreaths, bouquets and bundles to give as gifts.
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Add flowers and leaves to recipes for flavor and aroma.
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Create soothing bath products like bath salts and shower steamers.
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Make lavender water and refreshing lavender tea.
The Joy of Growing Lavender
I hope these tips have inspired you to incorporate lavender into your garden beds and borders this coming season. Its captivating beauty and soothing fragrance bring such joy and relaxation to outdoor spaces. With proper site preparation and care, you can have success growing lavender even in challenging climates.
Get creative with it beyond basic beds and borders. You’ll soon have abundant blossoms to harvest for arrangements, DIY projects, gifts and more. Happy and relaxing gardening!
Where to Plant Lavender
How many of us have planted some lavender directly in the ground in our landscape and diligently watered it every day, envisioning fields of lavender just outside our back door? When those plants turned gray, rotted, or just didnt grow at all, how many of us have then blamed our lack of a green thumb?
A dead lavender plant has nothing to do with the color of your thumb, and everything to do with the setup.
Lavender is native to the Mediterranean and the Middle East. Do you think of boggy swamps or day after day of rain when you think of these areas? Nope.
Its lots of sun and not a lot of water.
So, unless your climate and your native soil is similar to the Riviera (wouldnt that be nice!), you’re going to have to adapt your setup to more closely match that of lavenders hometown. I’ve personally found the most success with growing this herb in containers or raised garden beds that I can fill with well-drained soil from the beginning.
Lets look a bit closer at the three places you can grow lavender plants: in the ground, in a raised bed, and in a container.
How to Harvest and Dry Lavender
Lavender flowers get lots of attention, but the leaves also have an amazing fragrance when you rub them between your fingertips. They have a really strong flavor and can be used similarly to how youd use rosemary leaves in the kitchen. I also like the Nerdy Farm Wifes different uses for lavender leaves, including a little balm for itchy bug bites.
Lavender plants typically flower in the summer months. These flowers can be harvested and used fresh or dried.
Like with other flowering herbs, youll want to harvest frequently to encourage more flower production. Youll also start cutting first from the outermost branches and then work your way in. The older, outer stems tend to grow woody, while new growth comes from the middle of the plant.
The best time to harvest is early in the morning—this is when the oils in the leaves and flowers are most concentrated. Harvest stems when about half of the flower buds have opened up by cutting near the base of the stem.
- Gather your harvested stems into little bundles and tie them together with twine.
- Hang them upside down from an herb drying rack or a clothing line. The best place to dry your herbs is somewhere cool, dark, and dry.
- After 2 to 3 weeks, the flowers should be fully dried. Shake stems over a glass jar (preferably an amber-colored jar for max protection) to remove the flowers. Store in a cool, dark, dry place.
5 Tips to Grow Perfect Lavender
FAQ
What should not be planted next to lavender?
Avoid pairing lavender with types of plants that need shade, moisture, or rich, acidic soil. Shade-loving plants: Betz recommends avoiding placing shade-loving plants, like hosta, fern, astilbe, bleeding heart, and heuchera in the same spot as your lavender plants.
Is lavender good for your garden?
Like other plants in the mint family, lavender will repel bugs such as mosquitos, fleas, moths, and ticks. Not only is it great at repelling nuisance bugs, but lavender also attracts beneficial pollinators to its fragrant blooms. Adding lavender to your garden will attract butterflies, bees, and other helpful insects.
Does lavender do well in raised beds?
Lavender is a good plant to grow on raised garden beds. Lavender is a drought-tolerant, cold-tolerant perennial herb that needs good drainage and a sunny environment to grow.
Where should I put lavender in my garden?
Full sun all the way Lavender loves the sun–the more, the better! For optimal growth, plant your lavender in a spot that gets at least six to eight hours of sunlight per day. Lavender can tolerate partial shade or dappled sunlight for a few hours each day, especially in hot summer climates.