Lavender comes in different colors and sizes, making it a perfect plant for nearly every garden. The types of lavender available on the market are many, and each one boasts its own unique attributes. What are the Different Types of Lavender? So we suggest a liberal planting of this versatile herb so you'll have plenty of blooms to go around. There are so many ways to enjoy lavender, you'll be hard pressed to choose just one application. The fragrance of these closed blooms is more intense and will last longer in infusions, extractions and distillations. When using flowers in lavender oil, harvest in spring or early summer before the buds open. When dried, lavender buds can be added to other herbs, dried fruits and fragrant flowers to create amazing potpourri mixes. Once you have gathered your stems, tie them together and hang the bundles in a warm area away from sunlight. This is when the lavender flowers will fall off more easily. But the best time is when buds have formed, but not yet opened. Because lavender can be harvested while in bloom, it's a simple task to snip stems after the flowers fade a bit. Harvesting and drying lavender seeds for use in potpourris, sachets, and even added to bath water, is easy and done right, will allow you to cut and come again throughout the growing season. Now you know how to grow lavender from seeds-it's just that easy! How to harvest lavender? Place the tray or pots in a warm spot and the seeds will germinate in roughly 15-20 days. When sowing, it is best to barely cover the seeds with potting medium as they need light to properly germinate. And though growing outdoors is preferable, if you want to start with seeds, it is advisable to learn how to grow lavender indoors, too.īy using a seed-starting kit or bio-dome, it is simply a matter of sowing the lavender seeds in late winter. We suggest a large pot (12-16" containers work well) with an inch or two of gravel at the bottom and planting in a quality potting mix. Many gardeners have learned how to grow lavender in a pot so they can move the pots around to get the best sun and adequate shelter, if needed. Lavender is quite tolerant of adverse weather conditions such as drought, heat and wind. Other than that, very little needs to be done. The plants need a full sun to part shade site, and they thrive in afternoon sun. Still, a watchful eye on your pets is still a good idea. Your dog or cat would have to ingest quite large amounts of lavender in order for this to become a problem. Many gardeners ask, "is lavender safe for cats and dogs?" Though lavender plants do contain small amounts of a toxic compound called linalool, it is found in such small concentrations that toxicity is rarely an issue. The signature fragrance is known to have a calming effect and is often used as a sleep aid. The blooms are actually clusters of small, seedlike florets that have a subtle lavender color. Once your Lavender plant grows and blooms, you will have ample flowers at hand to use in lavender essential oil, potpourri, sachets and even baking, if the plants were grown without sprays. These amazing plants produce flowers from midsummer to fall. "When does lavender bloom?" is an easier question to answer. In fact, in many areas, November is an ideal fall choice because the plants are able to acclimate to the cold without the danger of a hard freeze before they go dormant for the winter. In most parts of the country, spring and fall plantings are safe bets. When to plant lavender depends largely on your hardiness zone. Growing lavender is super easy and provides plenty of flowers to enjoy in the garden, as well as in the home.
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