How to Plant and Harvest Lavender

Harvesting and drying lavender is simple – simply snip off the stems just before the flowers open and when you've gathered enough for your needs, tie the stems together and hang them up to dry somewhere sheltered.

Where do you cut lavender when harvesting?
How do you harvest lavender without killing the plant?
Where is it best to plant lavender?
How do you harvest and dry lavender?
Should lavender be cut back?
What happens if you don't prune lavender?
How do you harvest lavender and bees?
Does lavender spread in the garden?
Does lavender grow back every year?
Is Lavender easy to grow?
What can I plant next to lavender?

Where do you cut lavender when harvesting?

Removing the flowering stems from the bush promotes new growth in the plant's roots, keeps the plant looking tidy, and gives you bunches of fragrant, fresh lavender flowers. To enjoy dried stem bunches or dried buds for cooking, you want to cut the lavender when just a few of the buds on the stem have bloomed.

How do you harvest lavender without killing the plant?

As with harvesting, trim just above leaf nodes or side branches. Avoid cutting into the lowest bare woody growth. Take a peek around the base of the lavender plant: you'll see tough woody growth close to the ground that has no sprouts or leaf nodes, and more tender growth (green or light brown) above that.

Where is it best to plant lavender?

Light: Lavender needs full sun and well-drained soil to grow best. In hot summer climates, afternoon shade may help them thrive. Soil: Lavender grows best in low to moderately-fertile soils, so don't amend the soil with organic matter before planting. Lavender performs best in neutral to slightly alkaline soils.

How do you harvest and dry lavender?

Should lavender be cut back?

In general, you need to plan on pruning lavender at planting time and every year right after it flowers. When planting lavender, prune plants lightly, removing all growing tips. This encourages the plant to branch. Use this same technique every year as new growth starts to appear.

What happens if you don't prune lavender?

An annual pruning is an important step for long-lasting lavender (Lavandula spp. and hybrids) plants. Without it they grow a large, lanky, woody base that can split open — it looks bad and shortens the plant's lifespan.

How do you harvest lavender and bees?

Harvest the stems when about 40-50% or more of the plant contains buds that have flowered. The key to harvesting at the right time is when you hear lots of busy bees pollinating the open flowers! How do I harvest? Use a pair of sharp scissors and cut about an inch above the woody part of the plant.

Does lavender spread in the garden?

How much is it likely to spread? Lavender is a small shrub that usually grows 20 to 24 inches tall and wide. The height includes the flower stalks, so when not in bloom, the foliage may be only a foot tall. The plant does not spread as thyme, oregano, and other herbs tend to.

Does lavender grow back every year?

Lavender is a perennial herb that continues to grow each year. ... Lavender is a woody perennial, so it does continue to grow from year to year, but the stems remain upright through the winter in preparation for new spring growth. With proper care and pruning, lavender will survive in the garden for years to come.

Is Lavender easy to grow?

Growing lavender is easy and rewarding. Lavender can be grown in garden beds or in pots. To grow lavender successfully it needs well-drained soil and full sun. In arid climates lavender grows well as a perennial, but in humid climates it is often grown as an annual.

What can I plant next to lavender?

Herbs: Basil and oregano increase the vitality and growth of nearby lavender plants by repelling aphids and various species of flies. Brassicas: Edging cabbage and cauliflower patches with lavender is one way to repel harmful insects like moths, which like to lay their eggs on the underside of the leaves.