Lavender is a perennial evergreen subshrub plant of the Lamiaceae family. The height is 60-90 cm. The root is woody. The lower shoots branch well. The leaves are small: 1 cm wide and 2.5-6 cm long, arranged oppositely. Lavender is notable for its spike-shaped inflorescences of white, pink, blue, lilac, lilac-violet colors. It blooms all summer, exuding a pleasant aroma. By September, the fruits ripen - small brown nuts.
Lavender is native to the Mediterranean. The plant is thermophilic. Lavender can overwinter in open ground only in regions with warm climates. In gardens it becomes a decoration alpine slides, rockeries, borders. In cold climates they are grown in flowerpots - at the first hint of cold, bring them indoors. Suitable for growing as a pot crop.
Lavender from seeds at home
Growing lavender from seeds is a longer process.
In warm climates, seeds can be sown before winter - they will undergo natural stratification and sprout in the spring. In the first year, the plant will build up its root mass, and flowering will occur the following season.
When to plant lavender seeds for seedlings
It is still preferable to plant lavender with seeds for seedlings: sow at the end of winter (February) in boxes or at the beginning of spring (March) for germination in a greenhouse outside. Pre-stratify the seeds: mix the seeds with sand, pour into a container, cover plastic film and keep in vegetable department refrigerator for a couple of months before sowing.
- The soil needs to be loose.
- Deepen the seeds a few millimeters, maintaining a distance of 1.5-2.5 cm.
- Moisten the crops with a spray bottle.
- Germinate at a temperature of 15-21 °C. Maintain moderate soil moisture.
- Shoots will appear in 2-4 weeks.
- Young plants will need 8 hours of daylight.
- When 2 true leaves appear, transplant into separate containers with a mixture of peat and perlite.
Grown plants along with a lump of earth. Fertilize the soil with granules of nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus. Carry out the next transplant when the growth reaches about 7.5 cm. Start hardening the seedlings - take them out into the fresh air for several hours.
Planting lavender seedlings in open ground
Plant in open ground with the establishment of real warmth without night frosts.
Selecting a location
For good growth and flowering should be selected right place. Perfect fit open area with bright solar lighting. It will take root in the shade, but lush flowering don't expect it. Root system lavender reacts painfully to high humidity soil - avoid wetlands, if the soil is close to groundwater, you should build an elevated flower bed.
How to plant
- Dig up the area, adding compost. If the soil is acidic, be sure to add agricultural lime or ash.
- Make the holes with a depth corresponding to the size of the root system.
- Handle the lavender while completely preserving the earthen clod.
- Keep an equal distance between bushes maximum height bush (80-120 cm depending on the type, variety).
- To make it look monolithic in the future, reduce this distance by half.
- Deepen the root collar by 5-7 cm. Water thoroughly.
Propagation of lavender by cuttings and layering
Most Popular vegetative propagation(cuttings, layering).
- Cuttings root quickly and easily. Do this in early spring or midsummer.
- You can root green and lignified cuttings with at least 2 internodes.
- Cut off the leaves from the bottom, treat with a rooting stimulator and plant the cutting in loose soil, deepening it a couple of centimeters, cover with a cut-off jar plastic bottle or film.
- Ventilate and moisten the soil regularly.
Start in the spring. Bend one of the lower shoots to the ground, fix it at the point of contact with the soil and sprinkle it with earth, the top should remain on the surface. Water. After about 3 months of active growth, the new plant is ready to be separated from the mother bush.
How to care for lavender in the garden
Watering and loosening the soil
Lavender as the top layer of soil dries. Overmoistening leads to yellowing of the shoots and rotting of the root system. Lavender will not die from drought, but the flowering will not be as luxurious.
For supporting optimal level humidity, mulch the soil around the bush with rotted leaves, compost, leave the base of the trunk uncovered.
It is important to regularly loosen the soil and remove weeds.
Top dressing
If there is mulch, you don’t need to fertilize - the compost and leaves will gradually decompose, feeding the plant.
At the beginning of the growing season, feed nitrogen fertilizers: Dissolve 2 tablespoons of fertilizer in 1 bucket of water and pour along the perimeter of the bushes.
When flowering begins, apply complex mineral fertilizer. Also 2 tablespoons of fertilizer per 10 liters of water.
Trimming
Pruning is not a mandatory procedure. After flowering, shorten the shoots by a couple of centimeters. Be careful in your actions: shortening the shoots to the level of the woody part can lead to the death of the bush.
Wintering
Lavender bushes wintering in open ground can tolerate temperatures as low as -25°C. You should build a shelter, but do not cover it with leaves, otherwise the bushes will begin to rot. Better cover it with spruce branches.
Diseases and pests
The plant is rarely exposed to diseases and pests.
Excess moisture may cause gray mold– remove damaged areas, treat with fungicide. Be sure to adjust the watering.
The aroma of the plant protects it from pests. There can be such a nuisance as pennies - they lay their larvae, covering them with a foam-like substance. This does no harm, but spoils the decorative effect. Just rinse them off with running water.
Types of lavender with photos and names
There are 45 species. They are classified into 2 groups:
English lavender
It has narrow leaf blades and elongated spike-shaped inflorescences. They winter hard in open ground.
French lavender
It has wider leaves and shorter inflorescences. Most often grown as a pot crop. Withstands temperatures down to -15°C.
Let's take a closer look at the popular types:
Real or English lavender, spikelet, narrow-leaved Lavandula angustifolia ‘Elizabeth’ photo
The bush is 1 m high and wide. There are subspecies 30 cm high. The inflorescences are spike-shaped. The most common type.
Broadleaf lavender Lavandula latifolia
There are 3 inflorescences on one stem and has the most vibrant aroma.
Dutch hybrid lavender or lavandin Lavandula intermedia
The result of crossing the two previous species. The bush can reach dimensions of 2 m (height and width). Inflorescences are curved.
Petiolate lavender Lavandula pedunculata
It has an unusual bloom of bright purple color.
Lavender dentate Lavandula dentate
It has soft green-silver leaves. Features larger flowers.
Benefits of lavender
In addition to decorating gardens, lavender is used for medicinal, perfumery, and culinary purposes.
Lavender water is included in many cosmetic products.
Lavender oil has an antiseptic effect and can be used to lubricate burns. Lavender syrup is used in the treatment of migraines. Infusions are used to treat diseases of the musculoskeletal system.
Brew lavender tea or take a bath with dried inflorescences - it calms you down and helps you cope with insomnia.
Lavender can cause allergic reactions.
In cooking, lavender is used as a spice for fish and meat; dry petals are added to sauces, salads, and flowers are used to decorate confectionery products. Lavender-flavored sugar is popular in European countries.
Lavender honey is very useful.
It is impossible to pass by the area where lavender grows. And it’s not even about the luxurious lilac bushes, but about the enchanting aroma that they spray throughout the surrounding area. And having frozen for a minute near this magic, you are already rushing home at full speed, inspired. You need to find out as soon as possible: how much capricious plant Is lavender difficult to plant and care for, what does it cause? After all, the fact that from now on it will be in your garden is a settled issue.
Description: varieties and varieties of lavender
Lavender - evergreen, enough unpretentious plant, widely used in cosmetology and medicine. The aroma of lavender has a calming effect and helps reduce headaches. But not only medicinal properties valued in lavender. It is widely used in perfumery and cosmetology. Lavender has not escaped cooking either, because this plant has a specific spicy taste. And in everyday life, dried lavender branches are used as reliable means from moths.
There are many varieties of lavender. Which one to plant in your garden - choose according to your taste
More than 25 types of lavender are known, but most of all in garden culture Several varieties are popular.
Lavender angustifolia(English). It is a bush no more than a meter in diameter. The leaves of this variety are medium-sized, narrow, gray-green. Blooms in June and July. The variety is unpretentious and tolerates low temperatures well.
Lavender latifolia(French). This variety of lavender is considered the ancestor decorative varieties. Differs from other wide varieties color scheme inflorescences, as well as a very strong and not always pleasant aroma.
Lavender hybrid(Dutch). This variety is considered the largest. Its bushes can grow up to two meters. It is a natural hybrid of narrow-leaved and broad-leaved varieties. Blooms in July. Its frost resistance is lower than that of narrow-leaved. Refers to industrial grades.
Dutch lavender has the most beautiful flowers
Lavender serrated. One of the most heat-loving varieties. Prefers to grow indoors rather than outdoors. It has soft silver leaves and inflorescences of large flowers in all shades of purple.
Planting a plant
You can propagate lavender different ways: cuttings, dividing the bush, layering, seeds. Lavender seeds can remain viable for many years if you follow the rule: store them in airtight containers.
Attention! Lavender seeds need to undergo pre-treatment - stratification. To do this, the seeds must be kept at a temperature of +5 °C for at least two months. Most often, for this purpose, the seeds are mixed into damp sand and placed in the refrigerator.
Lavender seeds can be sown directly in open ground, but certain requirements must be observed.
Lavender seeds
The best time to sow lavender in open ground is October. It is sown to a depth of no more than 4 mm, the soil needs to be slightly compacted. If the weather is dry, the seeds can be watered. In winter, the area sown with lavender should be covered with snow as much as possible.
You can sow seeds in open ground in the spring. To do this, first, in March, you need to put the seeds in the refrigerator for stratification, and in May sow them in open ground in a previously prepared place.
Advice. Choose a place for lavender that is dry and sunny area. This flower does not like waterlogging.
Lavender care
Lavender should only be watered when the soil dries out. Excessive moisture leads to root rot, but it is not recommended to overdry lavender.
In autumn and spring, shrubs need to be earthed up, and trimming lavender significantly extends the life of the plant. Small pruning can be done immediately after the lavender has faded, but more significant pruning should be done only at the end of autumn, leaving up to 4-5 new green shoots.
Pruning your bushes will not only give them more decorative look, but will also benefit the plant
If your lavender will winter in open ground, where the temperature drops below -25 degrees, take care of a warm shelter. To do this, it will be enough to trim the bushes before wintering and cover them with branches of coniferous trees.
Attention! You should not cover lavender with leaves, as is usually done to protect plants from freezing, as this may result in the plant rotting.
Fertilizer and feeding of lavender
At the beginning of flowering, lavender can be fed with a solution of Agricola-Fantasia fertilizer (it is diluted in the proportion of 2 tablespoons per 10 liters of water). The consumption of this solution is 3–4 liters per bush.
To make lavender bloom better, feed the plant mineral fertilizers
Instead of "Agricola" they also use a solution organic fertilizer"Rossa universal", dissolving 2 tbsp. spoons in 10 liters of water. And the third feeding option: 2 tbsp. l. Dilute nitrophoska and half a liter of liquid mullein in 10 liters of water. The consumption of the last two solutions is 10 liters per bush.
Plant propagation
Lavender is propagated by division, cuttings or layering.
Reproduction by division perhaps when there are already lavender bushes on the site. In summer, lavender produces a lot of new growth. This is something that can be rooted. To do this, you need to trim the plant and hill it up so that all the free space between the stems is tightly filled with soil. And by autumn the bush can be divided.
Dividing a lavender bush
Most suitable way for propagation of lavender grown in a home environment - propagation by cuttings. To do this, lignified annual shoots should be divided into cuttings no larger than 10 cm and rooted.
Reproduction of lavender by layering
Most easy way propagation, which is suitable even for novice gardeners - this propagation by layering. With this method, in the spring, 2–3 shoots are carefully bent back and placed in a groove 3–5 cm deep, secured, covered with earth and watered. These shoots need to be watered a little more abundantly in order for the formation of lateral roots to occur successfully. After a year, the shoots are already completely independent, and you can transplant them from the mother bush.
Diseases and pests
Monitor plant health and remove insects
From garden pests On lavender you can find the rainbow beetle eating the leaves. It must be collected from plants manually. But more often, lavender is susceptible to the dominance of pennies, which do not cause any damage to the plant, but rather spoil appearance, because they cover their larvae with a layer of white foam, which looks very much like saliva. Caring for lavender that has been attacked by pennies is very simple. It is enough to wash off the foam with a stream of water.
Lavender: combination with other plants
It is known that smells have a great influence on the human subconscious. Therefore, when growing flowers, it is important that the flowerbed not only pleases the eye, but also enchants with its aroma. When planting plants, it is important to take care not only that the appearance of the flowers complement each other, but also that floral scents didn't mix. This means that you will have to be more careful in choosing the flowers that you want to plant, otherwise you are unlikely to be able to relax or recharge your batteries in your garden.
Lavender looks very good next to plants of contrasting colors.
Lavender goes very well with sage and catnip. It also looks amazing next to yarrow and garden hydrangea, liatris, or surrounded by grown herbs and perennials.
Lavender in landscape design
Lavender, planting and caring for which is so simple that any novice gardener can handle it, is ideal for decorating an area. A significant advantage of lavender over other plants for landscape design is its bright and intense color in different shades, from soft pink to bright lilac. This makes it possible to accentuate the elegance of any corner of your garden.
Lavender in landscape design
Advice. Use decorative designs to highlight the originality of your flower garden.
There are several options for decorating your garden with these flowering shrubs.
- Perhaps the most well-known and widespread method is to plant lavender along paths and sidewalks. This design of your site makes it possible to visually limit and also create a clear division of the garden into zones.
- The second option is to plant the bushes in such a way that the lavender will grow in accordance with the order of the cells on chessboard. But this type of landing can only be performed on a completely horizontal surface.
- One more in an unusual way emphasize originality garden plot or flower garden is the formation of a “carpet” of these shrubs. If you decide to choose this option, you need to immediately decide on the height of the lavender and regularly cut it at this level in one plane. Such a carpet will not be like a soft grass carpet on which you can sit comfortably, but planting shrubs in this way will allow the lavender to brilliantly show its color.
Lavender is often planted along paths and fences.
Of course, lavender in landscape design is not as common as planting roses or all kinds of creepers, but this is precisely what will emphasize the uniqueness and originality decorative design your garden.
Growing lavender is an ideal way to highlight your garden or flower garden with color, shape, and also complement it with an elegant fragrance that will not leave anyone who passes by indifferent.
How to plant lavender correctly: video
Lavender in the garden: photo
The perennial ornamental crop is perfect for growing in home gardening conditions. Lavender is relatively unpretentious and tolerates soil and climatic conditions well in almost any region of our country.
IN middle lane in our country, as well as in Ukraine and Belarus, flower growers grow several species and the most unpretentious varieties of this ornamental crop. The description of the species will make it easy to decide on the choice of decorative crops.
Lavender angustifolia varieties "Provence", "Munstead" and "Hidcote"
Lavender angustifolia (L.angustifolia) or angustifolia is the most suitable form, which can be grown in almost any region of our country. Variety "Munstead" It is distinguished by compact and small bushes no more than 40 cm high. The flowers are a classic rich lavender color, perfect for decorating borders, paths or flower beds.
You can also grow an entire lavender field. Variety "Hidcote"- a flower widely used in the design of low hedges. This garden English lavender looks very decorative. The most famous varieties "Hidcote Blue" with bright violet-blue flowers and "Hidcote Giant", forming bushes up to 60 cm high.
Gallery: lavender (25 photos)
Growing lavender in the garden (video)
Lavender latifolia
Broadleaf lavender (L.latifolia) is a French variety considered the ancestor of all decorative varieties. The plant produces flowers with long bracts and is also characterized by different colors. Flowering occurs in May. The aroma is strong, but not too pleasant.
Broadleaf lavender (L.latifolia)
Lavender serrated
Toothed lavender (L.dentata) is very thermophilic, so most often grown as indoor plant, which blooms large flowers blue coloring. The foliage is silvery and soft.
Lavender serrated (L.dentata)
Lavender six hundredth
Woolly lavender (L.lanata) - perennial with a height of the above-ground part of up to one meter. The stem part is low, straight, branched. The foliage is covered with many dense hairs. Blooms profusely and for a long time. The decorative perennial is very afraid of rain, and is also capable of quickly dying if the soil is very waterlogged. Best to grow this type in spacious flower pots in areas with sufficient sunlight.
Woolly lavender (L.lanata)
Lavender hybrid
Hybrid lavender (Lavandula x intermedia) is very popular in our country and is a common hybrid of narrow-leaved and broad-leaved varieties. Such a blooming ornamental crop Perfect for decorating the local area.
It has narrow silvery leaves and long peduncles with large flowers, which quickly bend towards the soil under their own weight. It blooms somewhat later than the English one, approximately in mid-summer with white, dark purple and light purple flowers. The best varieties « Grosso", "Sawyers", "Arabian Night" And "Richard Gray".
Hybrid lavender (Lavandula x intermedia)
Lavender stehada
Stoechas lavender (L.stoechas) – perennial shrub up to 30 cm high and no more than a meter wide. The foliage is grayish in color, up to 40mm long. Pinkish-purple flowers, open from March to June.
Stoechas lavender (L.stoechas)
Technology and beautiful ways to plant lavender in open ground
For successful cultivation, it is necessary to correctly select and prepare the place and soil. The crop can be sown by seeds only in fairly warm regions. In most cases, it is recommended to prefer propagation to standard seedlings over growing from seeds, which should be planted in well-lit areas.
It is best to plant young bushes not in autumn, but in spring period, after the threat of overnight frost has passed. Autumn planting can only be carried out in the southern regions, one and a half months before the onset of frost. The planting site should have very good sunlight.
It is best to plant perennials on artificial earthen embankments with a drainage layer
You can't make flower beds in wetlands and when located too close to the groundwater surface. It is best to plant perennials on artificial earthen embankments with a drainage layer. The depth of the planting hole should be approximately a quarter of a meter with a distance between plants of 30-120 cm.
The culture goes very well with plants such as sage and catnip, hydrangea and yarrow. Almost any perennial with similar care requirements will be excellent partners. You can create flower beds based on several varieties with different flower colors, making smooth transitions from deep purple to soft pink.
How does lavender reproduce (video)
Properly caring for perennials is not difficult. It is important to regularly loosen the soil, remove weeds, water and trim. Wintering is not unimportant. In most regions, the crop overwinters under cover.
Watering and fertilizing
The plant is not only decorative, but also drought-resistant, so it does not need additional frequent watering. During particularly dry periods and when fertilizing is applied, irrigation measures must be carried out. Excess and stagnation of water are detrimental to crops. The first fertilizing is carried out with nitrogen-containing fertilizers at the beginning of the growing season, at the rate of a couple of tablespoons per bucket of warm water. The second fertilizing with mineral fertilizers should be carried out during the flowering period. Good result provides mulching with compost.
During particularly dry periods and when fertilizing, irrigation measures must be carried out
Loosening the soil and removing weeds
After irrigation activities, weeds are removed and the soil is loosened shallowly. To minimize the need for frequent such activities, it is advisable to mulch the soil with organic matter, which will maintain sufficient moisture and inhibit the growth of weeds.
Lavender pruning
The above-ground part must be trimmed correctly and in a timely manner. Directly at the height of mass flowering, the shoots are pruned with clean and sharp garden pruners, which will allow the formation of bushes with an attractive round shape. In spring, the apical part of the shoots is trimmed by about a couple of centimeters. Pruning also helps to rejuvenate the bushes. However, it must be remembered that too much pruning to woody shoots is detrimental to the plant.
Preparing lavender for winter
Before winter, you can replant the plants in flower pots, but in order not to replant the decorative perennial, a reliable shelter is organized. In warm climate zones, the crop tolerates the winter quite well. In regions with little snow or harsh winters, insulation is mandatory. It is necessary to trim the above-ground part of the bushes and lay spruce branches on top.
The aerial parts of lavender need to be trimmed correctly and in a timely manner.
Features of growing lavender in the Leningrad region and Moscow region
In the Moscow region and Leningrad region, as well as throughout the entire middle part of our country, there are some nuances of growing lavender. It is very difficult to care for “English”, “medicinal”, “spike” or narrow-leaved lavender in the middle zone, since the weather and climatic conditions are very far from optimal.
These varieties work best in the southern regions and Crimea. Great attention should be paid to organizing the regime of irrigation and fertilizing, as well as provide the decorative perennial with sufficient lighting. The use of high-quality winter shelter in the Leningrad region and Moscow region is also prerequisite successful cultivation.
Reproduction and transplantation of lavender in the country
The decorative perennial reproduces very easily and well by bush division. For this purpose, you need to choose the strongest and absolutely healthy bush from which summer period All top shoots are cut off. In the fall, you need to carefully dig up the lavender bush and carefully divide it into a couple of parts, with minimal damage to the root system. Delenki are planted on permanent place, watered and shaded from the scorching rays of the sun during the first week.
Lavender - these are whimsical subshrubs, shrubs, herbaceous plants, which belong to the Lamiaceae or Lamiaceae family. Comes from the word “lava”, which means “to wash”. Since in ancient times these plants were added to water when taking a bath. There is also a popular name. This is a “butterfly”.
Blooms for 2 months, from July to September. It has a pleasant, rather pungent aroma when flowering. The plant is native to the Canary Islands. Any type of this plant can be grown at home. Care is demanding and regular. The height of the bush is up to a meter. The stems are straight, thin and long. Stems are silvery. The leaves are very small and also silver in color.
Lavender blooms with small lilac flowers that alternately cover the stems. The flowers sit on short stalks and form inflorescences - spikelets. The root is densely fibrous, lignified, up to 4 meters long. The genus includes 45 species.
Lavender is often grown for design, as this plant from a distance it resembles a lilac carpet. It is extracted from lavender oil. IN natural conditions Lavender grows and spreads very quickly. Therefore, the bushes must be pruned once a year immediately after flowering.
Lavender - care:
Lighting:
Lavender thrives in very bright areas. Likes straight Sun rays. It can withstand partial shade, but in this case it will bloom less abundantly and for less time. The longer the day and the more sun it gets, the more strength Lavender will have.
Temperature:
Lavender is a cold-hardy plant. Can withstand frosts down to -10°C. The plant loves warmth. High temperature It tolerates it well, but during this period it requires abundant watering of the soil. In general, it is not whimsical to temperature conditions.
Watering:
The shrub is not very moisture-loving. Lavender is watered only in summer. Leaves are not sprayed. In winter, the plant is not watered.
Humidity:
The plant is capricious regarding humidity. The soil should be dry rather than wet. Dry air has a bad effect on it and is very wet soil. The plant is sprayed only indoors.
Feeding:
Fertilize Lavender with mineral fertilizers in small quantities. Usually, humus is introduced into the soil at the beginning of spring. The plant is also fertilized with urea.
Transfer:
The plant is not replanted, since Lavender does not tolerate this procedure well. The soil should be poor and not moisture resistant. It is better to take limestone soil. When planting, this soil is mixed with coarse, sifted sand in a 4:1 ratio.
Reproduction:
Propagated by seeds and cuttings. It is better to buy seeds. They are sown in open ground in mid-spring. The soil temperature should be above 10°C. Seeds are sown in the lung, poor soil. The cuttings are plucked at the end of summer and placed in containers with soil. In the spring, they are planted in the ground at a distance of more than two meters from each other.
Some features:
A very not capricious plant. There is no need to replant lavender. The plant does not like to be touched. Towards the end of flowering, the branches are pruned. Before winter, the crown of the plant is sprinkled with ash, bone meal, and then with compost. Although Lavender is a frost-resistant plant, it is recommended to cover it with spruce branches for the winter. Caring for Lavender includes: eliminating weeds, loosening the soil, watering, pruning, preparing for winter and applying fertilizers.
Lavender - diseases and pests:
There are few pests. Plants must be treated for weeds. Among the pests, root rot can be distinguished. It affects the plant when overwatered.
In the large Yasnotkovy family there are a lot of plants that have amazing decorative properties, an extraordinary aroma, and other beneficial properties. If a summer resident wants his area to be decorated with lavender, planting and caring for it in the open ground - key moment on the way to success.
A perennial essential oil crop up to 60 cm high with spike-shaped blue or purple inflorescences has become a symbol of Provence. Lavender is grown in the Mediterranean, and in Russia it is planted in Crimea and on the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus.
Can a heat-loving plant take root in the middle zone? How to tame a crop for a gardener in Siberia or the Urals?
Among the plants related to lavender, there are many that, as a result of growing on personal plots completely assimilated, becoming part of the native flora. And some of them are well-known wild plants. These are motherwort and oregano, thyme and catnip and lofant.
For the southern heat-loving beauty, the climatic conditions of our country are not always comfortable. Still, planting lavender in the ground is possible. The main thing is to choose the right place, time and follow the rules of care.
Timing for planting lavender in the ground
Of all the varieties of lavender, Lavandula angustifolia or narrow-leaved lavender is recognized as the most frost-resistant and unpretentious.
Under cover, it can survive frosts down to –35 °C, which is quite comparable with winter temperatures not only in the central part of the country, but even in the Urals or Siberia.
Lavender is propagated by seeds and vegetatively using parts of an adult bush, rooted cuttings or layering.
In the first case, like many other decorative perennials:
- at home, small seeds are sown for seedlings in early spring;
- when stable heat sets in, you can sow seeds in the beds;
- Lavender is planted in the ground in the fall to obtain plants for next year.
Vegetative propagation helps to bring flowering closer. In this case, seedlings with their own root system enter the soil in the second half of summer or autumn. Specific dates directly depend on climatic and weather conditions.
In the middle zone, planting lavender in open ground and caring for it are subject to rules common to all regions. Seeds should fall into warm soil when the sprouts are not threatened by spring frosts. And before that, in order to speed up germination, they are stratified in a refrigerator.
In the central part of Russia, such conditions for sowing develop by the second half of May. In regions to the north and east, the soil warms up even later. Unfortunately, our summer is short for lavender. Seedlings very often die without surviving the winter. Therefore, planting lavender in open ground in the Urals, for example, is preferable to seedlings obtained as a result of winter or early spring sowing, or seedlings obtained from an adult bush.
Planting lavender seedlings in the ground
At the end of February or March, when the stratification period is completed, the seeds are sown on the surface of a mixture of fertile garden soil and sand. It is useful to pre-sterilize the substrate and remove large inclusions.
Crops are sprinkled thin layer sand and put in a home greenhouse. Germination occurs in the light at a temperature of 17–22 °C. To maintain moisture, the soil is periodically sprayed warm water, and to avoid mold the container is ventilated. The first shoots should be a signal that the plants need additional. When the seedlings grow stronger, they are planted at a distance of 5 centimeters.
It is convenient to use before planting lavender in the ground. peat pots. The plants develop well in them, their roots are protected from rotting and do not suffer during transfer to the garden.
At the end of May, it is time to plant and care for lavender in the Moscow region. For plants, choose dry, ventilated and well-lit places, the soil of which has a pH level no higher than 6.5–7.5. The area is dug up with a bayonet, simultaneously adding soil loosening agent, humus and, if necessary, dolomite flour.
The seedlings are carefully transplanted, leaving at least 70–90 cm between plants free space, it will definitely come in handy for growing bushes. During planting, the tillering point is slightly deepened, then the soil is compacted and thoroughly watered.
Autumn sowing of lavender is practiced only in the southern regions, where the seeds do not freeze out, and fragile sprouts can immediately begin to grow without fear of the spring cold. After planting the seeds in the ground, the beds are watered, and with the first frosts they are covered generously with snow.
Planting lavender in the ground using cuttings, parts of a bush and layering
If there is a mature plant, Can:
- divide it, obtaining seedlings with growth points and a root system;
- obtain cuttings that, after rooting, can be easily planted in the ground;
- create conditions for the formation of stem layering.
The lavender bush intended for division is carefully earthed up before wintering, and the shoots are cut off at a height of 10 centimeters. In the spring, hilling is repeated, stimulating the formation of young shoots. The bush prepared in this way is dug up in the fall and divided into independent parts. Lavender is immediately planted in the ground; in the fall, the plant has time to acclimatize and prepare for winter.
In spring and summer, lavender shoots are used for cuttings. 8–10 cm sections of stems are planted in wet sand, deepened by 2–3 cm. In a greenhouse over the summer, the cuttings form roots. With further home care For lavender, it is planted in open ground in May or early June.
To obtain layering, selected strong shoots in the spring are bent to the ground and dug in, secured with a metal pin at a depth of several centimeters.
During the summer, the cuttings are looked after by weeding the soil nearby and watering the places where roots form. In autumn, such seedlings are separated from the mother bush and planted in a permanent place in the garden.
Caring for lavender after planting in open ground
Lavender is planted for its fragrant blue-purple inflorescences. But on young plants in the first year of life, all the buds are cut off without waiting for flowering. This will strengthen lavender plantings in open ground, and make caring for them easier and more effective. Throughout the life of the bushes, they must be weeded and watered.
Lavender is a hardy crop, but it needs moisture to bloom lushly. In hot weather, watering should become abundant and frequent.
Mature bushes form a thick, dense cushion on the soil surface. It is problematic to loosen the soil under them, but keeping the area around them clean is very important. A layer of peat mulch will help preserve moisture and airiness of the soil.
Spring-autumn hilling helps maintain the density of the crown. It stimulates the formation of young shoots, which gradually replace aging branches. Pruning plants serves the same purpose. It is carried out after flowering and during it. For bushes aged 7–10 years, anti-aging pruning is recommended. During work, all shoots are shortened to 5 cm in length. 
To fertilize lavender, mixtures with a predominance of potassium are used, which stimulates the formation of buds. Apply in spring in moderate quantities.
Southern crops, including lavender, are at risk of freezing in Russian conditions. To prevent this from happening, the bushes are covered with spruce branches before frosts, non-woven material or other air-permeable, “breathable” types of protection, and then generously sprinkled with fallen snow.
Video about amazing lavender
