Spike lavender loves well-draining soil.
Drainage, drainage, drainage!
- Increase drainage with clay pebbles.
- Plant the spike lavender atop a mound.
- In pots, make sure water drains away quickly.
- Trap excess water with water crystals which won’t lead to root rot.
Is Spike lavender a perennial?
Spike Lavender is categorized as a perennial flowering herb.
How do you care for a potted lavender plant?
Place your container grown lavender plants somewhere they receive full sun (at least eight hours per day) and water them sparingly. Allow the soil to dry out between waterings, but don’t let it get so dry that the plant wilts. Lavender likes heat, and many varieties won’t survive a cold winter.
Should I cut back my lavender plant?
Prune for healthier lavender plants
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.
What to do with lavender after it has flowered?
When these shoots have finished flowering, you should consistently prune back to the bushy, leafed part of the plant. Most hobby gardeners follow a one-third-two-third rule when pruning Lavender. This stipulates you prune back the plants by a third in the summer and two thirds in the spring.
How do you propagate spike lavender?
To propagate by stem cutting, first prepare a container with well draining, sandy soil. Then harvest a 2-3 inch healthy growth from a well-established lavender plant (2-3 years old). Place the newly cut stems into the moist, sandy soil approximately 1 inch deep and 3-4 inches apart. Keep the soil moist.
Is lavender a shrub or perennial?
perennial herb
Lavender is a perennial herb in many areas – that is, perennial if it gets really good drainage. Growing in a pot is an ideal way to provide good drainage. However, if the potting mix is extremely fertile, the plant may grow leaves and stems rather than flowering.
Is lavender a good indoor plant?
Although lavender loves heat, indoors you’ll have better success, especially in winter, when you locate it away from hot or cold air drafts. In winter, consider growing lavender indoors in a room that’s cooler than the rest of the house. Aim to keep roots alive through winter, but not to push heavy new growth.
How long does potted lavender last?
It should be noted that they are not as cold hardy as English lavenders and the pots should be taken indoors for Winter protection as they can die in a heavy frost. English lavender also can live for up to 15 years or more with good care whereas French Lavenders often die after 5 years even with optimal conditions.
Why is my potted lavender dying?
If you have lavender in pots dying it may be because the plant is over or underwatered, the soil is inconsistent with the plant’s needs, the plant is too little, getting too much sunlight, or the plant may need to be fertilized. Again, cold temperatures may affect potted lavender.
What month should you cut back lavender?
Pruning hardy lavenders
Hardy lavenders are best pruned after they have finished flowering in late August or September. Traditional advice used to be that you should never cut into the old wood.
Can I cut lavender back to the ground?
Never cut them back, hoping to stimulate new growth. The plant cannot produce new growth from the woody parts. When you’re pruning woody lavender plants, it’s also a good idea not to prune all of the plant at the same time. Instead, work slowly, trimming back each branch, but never cutting into the brown wood.
What does a lavender plant look like in the winter?
Examine the branches of lavender during the winter to determine if the plants have gone dormant. Dormant plants will turn brown along the branches, while non-dormant lavender foliage will remain green and may boast their characteristic purple flowers.
Will lavender rebloom if cut back?
If it’s pruned lightly just after its first flowering, it will likely flower again in late summer. After this second flowering, a full pruning—typically in late August—will prepare it for winter and encourage more blooms in spring.
How do you get lavender to bloom again?
How Increase Lavender Blooms (7 Methods)
- Full sun- Most Important Factor for Increasing Blooms.
- Prune in the Spring to Stimulate Blooms.
- Low to Medium Fertility Soil and … Avoid Fertilizer to Increase blooms.
- Water Infrequently.
- Use a White Mulch.
- Deadhead the Blooms Regularly.
How do you make lavender bushy?
Prune lavender plants in the spring when you notice new growth. Remove one-third to one-half of each outer stem with sharp pruning shears. Do not cut the inner, woody stems of the lavender plant. Pruning this way shapes the plant and encourages new growth where the blooms are produced.
Should I propagate lavender in water or soil?
Can you propagate lavender in water? Lavender can be propagated using water. However, because lavender is susceptible to root rot, it can be tricky and we have found that soil propagation is the best method for our needs.
Where do you cut lavender to propagate?
Cut hardwood stems just below a bump that indicates a leaf node. Remove all of the leaves from the lower 2 inches (5 cm.) of the stem and then gently scrape the skin off the bottom portion of the stem on one side with a knife. Set the cutting aside while you prepare the container.
How often should lavender be watered?
How to Care for Lavender. Water once or twice a week after planting until plants are established. Water mature plants every two to three weeks until buds form, then once or twice weekly until harvest. (Yellowing leaves are often a sign of overwatering.)
Does lavender keep bugs away?
Lavender has a pleasant scent that comes from the essential oils in the leaves of the plant, but the bugs hate it. Hang some dried lavender in your closet and you won’t have to worry about moths eating your clothes.
How long do lavender plants live?
When sited correctly and pruned judiciously, lavenders should live for five to seven years. Although lavender is fairly drought tolerant, adequate moisture is required throughout the growing season. Most critical are the weeks after planting to ensure that soil around the rootball does not dry out.