I find lavender to be an excellent perennial flower. These flowers are like magnets to bees and butterflies along with various other pollinators in the garden. This plant is a Mediterranean native; however, it is been loved, grown, and cultivated by many across the globe. You can grow these plants alongside the herb garden, in containers or flower beds and you will enjoy the fragrance every day. If you’re planning to grow lavender in the garden, then keep reading as we will discuss about growing them and preparing the soil for lavender.
Planting lavender – where and when
Planting time – locations that are colder, I suggest considering planting them in spring or even early summer. Areas that are warm, I suggest planting them in the early fall. This allows the roots of the plant to get well established during moist, cool winter weather.
Spacing – this depends on the kind of plant you choose, place them two to three feet apart.
Soil – this plant grows very well in soils that are moderately fertile. You do not need to add organic matter to the soil prior to planting. Lavender grows extremely well in slightly alkaline to neutral soils. You can increase the pH level of the soil by adding lime, but before you do so, I always suggest to get a soil test done.
Light – these plans require full sun along with soils that are well-drained in order to grow well. During the summer, afternoon shades will have them to thrive.
Planting lavender
- I always recommend to begin with plants that are healthy and also have roots that are well developed.
- You can now dig a hole that is twice the size of the root. If you are planning on planting numerous plants you may then, amend your soil for every hole.
- If you are planning to grow them in a container you will need to get a good soil mix that is well-draining. It should be a combination of soil and sand or gravel.
- Suppose you find the roots stuck to the sides of the pot; you may gently encourage the roots to leave the pot.
- Bond the lavender into the soil, putting the root in the hole dug. Fill in the rest of the mud and even out to the line of the soil. Be sure to press down around the plant
- Finally, you can water around the plant in order to remove any pockets and compress the soil. For a couple of weeks, we suggest just water the lavender. And as I mentioned earlier lavender does well with soils that drain quickly, as they do not like standing water that causes the roots to start rotting.
When we talk about lavender plants, fertilizers are less required along with watering. Avoid feeding your lavender plant fertilizer. Also, lavender plants are drought tolerant therefore they will not require mulch for soil moisture. Still, if you want to mulch, I do suggest that try considering gravel or small bark, leaving plenty of space around the lavender crown, or else it may pose a risk of rotting. Try and go in for sand, mulch or gravel that is light-colored, they drain very fast and also keeps the plant and soil warm.
Well, that’s all for now and I do hope you have got more clarity on how to prepare the soil for lavender. Thank you for stopping by.