Lavender – care & cutting

When you think of lavender, you immediately think of the lavender fields in Provence. Central European gardens will never look like this, but many lavender varieties still thrive here quite well. The plants do not need much care in the right location. Only the cut is a bit time-consuming, depending on how many plants you have. With good care, lavender can live 20 to 30 years. The plant has few demands and is quite easy to care for.

location

The right location ensures that all lavender varieties thrive. Maximum sun and a suitable substrate are important. If these are given, nothing stands in the way of a great lavender blossom.

• As much sun as possible, so full sun location!
• No waterlogging or damp soil!
• No high humidity!
• Dry location!
• If possible, plant sheltered from the wind!
• Lavender is ideal in front of a house wall or wall, which can store the heat.
• Slope inclination is practical because then water can run off easily.
• Install drainage if necessary!

plant substrate

Lavender likes it dry, stony, preferably rocky. He hates wet and humid air. Just like the right location, the appropriate substrate is important for the development of lavender. The two factors are crucial.

• Calcareous, if possible gritty or stony substrate
• In any case, use nutrient-poor soil!
• If you have to buy soil, you should choose herbal soil. This is mixed with sand and contains few nutrients.
• Substrate permeable!
• Be sure to loosen loamy soil!
• Do not mulch, as lavender requires dry, warm soil. Mulch retains too much moisture. Mold can form. Mulch acidifies the soil, which lavender doesn’t like either.
• It is good to mix in garden lime twice a year.
• No acidic soil!

plant

Planting or replanting lavender is not a problem.

• The ground must be well prepared. This includes removing all weeds!
• If the soil is too wet, be sure to lay drainage!
• Sufficient planting distance is important so that the plant can dry well in damp and wet conditions.
• If you want to plant potted lavender, it is best to do so before the shoots begin in March. This gives the plant a long time to take root properly before winter.

watering and fertilizing

Lavender does not like too much water. He comes from areas that are barren and where there is little rainfall. Lavender copes much better with drought than with moisture. Fertilizing is not the issue either. Better no fertilizer than too much of it.

• Watering only if the drought persists!
• When the plants are established, you only need to water very little.
• It is better to water in the morning, then the plants can dry off during the day.
• If you want to use lavender flowers for oil extraction, you must not water them during flowering, because high humidity reduces oil formation!
• Lavenders in pots need regular watering!
• However, the soil must not be wet, only moist!
• Fertilize once a year, in the spring, with manure, compost or potash fertilizer.
• Too much fertilizer damages the plants, they like barren soil!

Cut lavender

Lavender that is not cut becomes woody, takes on an abstract shape and blooms less. Therefore, a cut is absolutely recommended. One cuts mainly for the optics, to rejuvenate and so that the quality of the active ingredients is preserved.

• Pruning takes place after the last frost (late March/early April) and before the first budding (mid-July to early August)!
• In the spring you cut back one to two thirds, so you cut properly.
• Even in summer, cut away a third, sometimes even half!
• Important! Younger lavender needs to be cut shorter and older ones less hard!
• Important! Do not cut into the old wood! Lavender does not sprout from it again.
• Important! If lavender is cut too late in the summer, it often does not fully mature. Frostbite can occur in winter.

Overwinter lavender

Many lavender varieties are very hardy. They can be overwintered outdoors. If they’re in a somewhat sheltered location, they don’t even need to be covered. But there are also varieties that don’t stand a chance in the wild. They must be accommodated in the house. It is ideal if you make sure to choose the most winter-hardy varieties possible when buying!
One difficulty is that lavender evaporates a lot of water through the leaves when the temperature is below zero and the sun is shining. He cannot draw a substitute from the frozen earth. The plant can dry up or get dry damage. If you want to avoid this, you should cover the lavender with some brushwood.

• Real lavender (Angustifolia) is hardy.
• French lavender , spike lavender and lavender intermedia are sensitive to frost
• It is best to plant all non-hardy plants in a box or bucket!
• Overwinter it in the house, basement, garage, in any case frost-free and bright.
• If the tubs are wintered outside, they must be well packed, placed on styrofoam plates and placed in a protected place!
• Partial shade is best, on a warm house wall and under an overhanging roof so that it doesn’t get too wet.

propagation

Lavender is quite easy to propagate from cuttings, offshoots and seeds.

• Select seeds according to winter hardiness!
• Sow outdoors from March
• Take cuttings out of the mother plant from May, or use parts from the pruning right away! Do not use woody parts!
• Lower in March, press the twig to the ground, separate the leaves and cover the twig with soil.

diseases and pests

Pests rarely occur with lavender. She doesn’t like the essential oils of the plant. Diseases, on the other hand, can occur, especially when the plant is weakened, for example due to incorrect cultivation conditions. Too much moisture can lead to root rot and mold growth. Black spots on the twigs of lavender indicate a fungal disease, Phorma lavandula. So if you notice first brown and then black spots, remove affected branches. Otherwise nothing helps, the plant has to be disposed of.

Particularly beautiful lavender varieties

French lavender – not hardy

• ‘Kew Red®’ – New breed with red, feathery flower heads
• ‘Papillon’ – purple-pink flowers
• ‘Helmsdale’ – violet flowers

garden lavender

• ‘Hidcote Blue’ – dark purple flowers
• ‘Mailette’ – light purple small flowers, strong fragrance
• ‘Miss Kathrin’ – light pink flowers

Provence Lavender – not reliably hardy

• ‘Dutch’ – medium purple flowers, lower cultivar
• ‘Rosea’ – soft pink flowers, border plant
• ‘Abrialis’ – light purple flower

Conclusion
Lavender is a feast for the eyes in every garden. It is important to choose the right varieties from the start. This is often crucial for surviving the winter. Many varieties are sufficiently hardy, but many are not. Some varieties overwinter better frost-free and protected. There are now not only lavender-colored varieties, but also white and pink varieties. Together with roses, these three lavender colors make an incredible picture. Lavender does not need much care, only the cut has to be right. The right time and depth of cut are important.