Lavender Flowers

Lavender: Info & Care

June 30, 2022
Sue Adams

How to grow:
• Good drainage is important; plants won’t tolerate standing in wet soil
• Plant in full sun (at least 6 hours of direct sunlight)
• Best grown in a raised bed, slope or rock garden

Pruning:
• Prune in the spring or fall after danger of a hard frost, shaping the plant into a mound
• Take off about 1/3 of the growth — this will encourage new growth and keep your lavender looking good

Harvesting Lavender:
• Cut lavender on a dry day, when the flowers are no longer wet with dew
Cut when the flower spike is in full color and the first bud is starting to open Color fades as the lavender dries, so the spike will have better color if cut at the bud stage. Blue lavenders hold their colors best when dried.
For a bouquet or long stems for a craft, cut down to near the bottom of the plant, being careful not to cut off flower buds that will mature for a later harvest.
For most culinary purposes, or if you want only the buds, cut down to the first leaf

Drying Lavender:
Air Drying is Best – see Drying Instructions for Herbs

Using Lavender:
• Fresh arrangement
• Cooking
• Wreaths
• Sachets
• Potpourri
• Skin care