Have you considered growing lavender this growing season? If so, you are not alone. Thousands of people each year grow and harvest their own lavender. Below you will learn how to grow lavender in your garden. You will find out important facts about lavender, like how deep are lavender roots, and how fast lavender grows.
How Deep Are Lavender Roots?
When it comes to a root system, lavender is not known for growing deep. Lavender has a shallow root system which can make it vulnerable to erosion. The root system of the lavender plant is normally 8 to 10 inches in length.
How Fast Does Lavender Grow?
Lavender is a slow-growing herb that normally takes several months to establish from seed. To grow lavender to its mature state will take up to 200 days in some cases.
What Soil Type Does Lavender Like?
Lavender prefers soil that is a little on the acidic side. Well-drained soil with a PH of 6.7 to 7.3 will help lavender thrive. Before planting lavender in your garden, have the soil tested to see if it needs amending. Doing this will save you a lot of time and money.
What Are the Water Requirements for Lavender?
After planting lavender, you will need to water it twice a week until it has become established. Established lavender plants will need to be watered every other week until flower buds have formed. Once lavender starts to bud and flower, you will need to water it twice a week.
How Much Sun Should Lavender Get?
Lavender is a sun-loving plant that requires at least 6 hours of direct sunlight daily. Choose a sunny area of the garden to plant lavender, and it should reach its fullest potential. Growing lavender in too much shade however, may stunt the plant’s growth.
Does Lavender Require Fertilization?
Lavender doesn’t need much fertilizer to thrive. In fact, you should limit the amount of fertilizer you use. Too much fertilizer will harm your plants and may even kill them. It is recommended that you fertilize your plants once in the spring and once in the fall.
When Do You Harvest Lavender?
If you have fully matured lavender plants, you will need to harvest them. The best time to harvest this lovely herb is in the spring of the year.
Harvesting in the spring will give your lavender plants a chance to recover before the end of the growing season. This will ensure that you will have lavender to harvest the following spring.
Can Lavender Be Grown Indoors?
Because lavender is a sun-loving plant, it is difficult to grow indoors. So, in most cases, people plant lavender outside in a sunny area of the garden. If you would like to attempt to grow lavender inside, you may need to purchase a grow light. Grow lights may provide enough light for lavender to thrive indoors.
However, keep in mind that grow lights can be expensive to purchase and will cost you even more in electricity. When choosing grow lights make sure to pick ones that run on LED bulbs. These will cost less to operate.
What Pests Affect Lavender?
Lavender is one of the easiest plants to grow because most bugs avoid it. The aroma that lavender gives off is pleasant to humans, but pests seem to hate it. The only insects you should see around your lavender plants are bees and other pollinators. These bugs won’t harm lavender and will help them to pollinate.
What Is Lavender Used For?
After harvesting, this herb is used for a wide variety of things. Lavender flowers can be turned into an essential oil that many people use to aid in sleep.
When poured into a hot bath, lavender can relax you and help reduce stress. Lavender is a widely used herb that many people keep in their pantries.
How Deep Are Lavender Roots: Conclusion
As you can see, lavender is a fun herb to grow, and it has a lot of uses. If grown in the sun, lavender will thrive, and you will have plenty of flowers to harvest.
Remember that if you want to grow lavender indoors, you may need special grow lights. No matter how you grow lavender you will greatly benefit from this amazing plant.
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