The Green Thumbers has loads of Perennial Lavender out in the nursery and it is STUNNING!
The Green Thumbers has loads of Perennial Lavender out in the nursery and it is STUNNING!
Known for its strong, fresh scent and aromatic uses, Lavender is a very beautiful and easy-to-grow plant! Every garden needs at least one! Lavender is a great choice for adding interesting
texture, color, and scent to your garden!
A few basic requirements must be followed to ensure it stays healthy and overwinters. Lavender needs full sun at least 8 hours each day, and it loves well-drained soil.
Lavender has a beautiful shrub structure, growing up to two feet high and wide. It has silvery, jagged foliage and bluish-purple flowers, both of which contain scented oil glands. Bees and other pollinators are attracted to the scent and to the high levels of nectar in the flowers.
Timely pruning helps lavender stay compact and well-kept, and it increases flower production. Prune it once in the spring when the new growth appears by pruning off dead stems down to the first set of green leaves. Lavender can also be pruned after it flowers to help keep it compact and it will possibly bloom a second time! Prune off one-third to one-half of the plant. When pruning, do not cut down to the leafless wood… it will not regrow.
Newly planted lavender should be watered regularly the first year. Once established, lavender is drought- tolerant and should only be watered when the soil dries out. Added fertilizer is not necessary when growing lavender; this can cause excessive foliage growth and a decline in flower blooms.
Dried lavender flowers can be used in a variety of ways including cutting for beautiful fragrant flowers in a vase, or for drying! For optimum quality and scent, cut flower stalks when the blooms are about to open. Cut flower stalks can be laid flat or hung in a cool, dry place to dehydrate.
