If your local nursery doesn’t sell lavender, do a little online research to find out which varieties work well in your area. The most important factor will be the climate. If it gets cold or very wet where you live, you’ll want a hardier species like Mustead or Hidcote. If you live in a place with very mild winters and hot, dry summers, you’ll have more options available to you.
Look for a spot that’s sheltered, but not shaded. Lavender can blow over in high winds, so it’s a good idea to plant it near a wall or other large plants that don’t loom too high, but are large enough to block the wind.
You can improve soil drainage by tilling the soil to a depth of about six inches and mixing in some builder’s sand. This helps mimic the beachy natural conditions in which lavender plants thrive. You could also choose to grow lavender in a pot or a raised bed, which allows you to control the soil’s properties more carefully and tailor them to the lavender’s needs.
A little lime goes a long way. Add just 2 or 3 ounces per cubic foot of soil. If you’re using potting soil, check the label and buy soil with the correct pH.
If drainage is a concern, you can also mix in a handful of pebbles so the water drains through more easily.
Pruning encourages healthy new growth to emerge. The lavender shrub will get bigger and thicker as it ages, producing more flowers every season. The first season may not yield more than a bunch or two. By year three, you should have several bunches per season.
When you harvest flowers, avoid cutting into the woody part from which the shoots emerge. Cutting this part will damage the plant. Lavender stems may be kept in a vase filled with fresh water. To dry lavender, cut stalks before the flowers open, as soon as the buds turn purple. Tie a bunch using a rubber band and hang it upside down in a dark, dry place for about a week. The lavender flowers may be used in baking and savory recipes, for crafts, or to make essential oil.
