How to plant lavender

The lavandula is a whole genus of plants that includes about 60 species and belongs to the Lamiaceae family . It is a perennial shrub and a very popular aromatic plant both for its pleasant smell, used in all kinds of products and perfumes, and for its characteristic violet or lilac color. If you also like this plant and want to have it at home, it will be good for you to learn how to plant and care for it.

If you want to learn how to plant lavender step by step in your own home, join us in this article where you will see an easy guide full of tips.

When to plant lavender

The ideal season to plant lavender depends on the local climate

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• If you live in a warm or mild climate area, the best time to sow or plant lavender is in the fall.
• If, on the other hand, you live in a colder climate, it is better to sow or plant in early spring, once the frosts have passed.

Depending on the climate in which you live, one variety of this plant may be better for you than another, as well as it may be that some you like much more than another due to its characteristics. 

How to plant potted lavender

Lavender can be planted both outdoors and indoors, as it is a very undemanding plant that can adapt to almost all types of conditions. If you have it indoors, follow these steps to plant potted lavender from seed:

1. Get a healthy lavender plant and a pot . You do not need a pot or container that is too deep, with about 30 cm is enough.
2. Prepare the substrate and, for this, keep in mind that lavender is not excessively demanding when it comes to soil nutrients, but it is very important that it has a texture as loose as possible to provide very good drainage. You can make yourself a mixture with equal parts worm humus , peat and coconut fiber , to which you can add some perlite. This substrate mixture is rich in nutrients that although lavender does not need it, it will appreciate and, in addition, it provides a loose, airy soil with great drainage.
3. The night before sowing the seeds, water the substrate to moisten it.
4. Sow the lavender seeds in the morning. Bury them approximately 1 cm deep and, if you put several of them in the same pot, respect about 3 cm of separation between them.
5. Keep the container in a warm location, with a stable temperature of around 20 ºC , and water them every morning with measure, trying never to flood the substrate.
6. When the seeds germinate, 15 to 40 days later, move the container to a place where the seedlings or small plants receive direct sunlight, although of moderate intensity. Later, once the plants have grown, you can leave them in their container or transplant them to different containers or even outside.

If instead of doing it from seeds you get a small plant, you will simply have to transplant it to another somewhat larger pot. 

How to plant lavender in soil

It is not highly recommended to sow lavender directly outside. Instead, it is preferable to sow them indoors, using the method described above, and transplant the lavender outdoors when the seedlings already have several sets of leaves and are more developed. Therefore, here we explain the steps to plant lavender in the ground when you already have a small or large plant, not from seeds.

1. Prepare the soil , make sure to stir it well and break up the clods to loosen the soil as much as possible. See if the land drains properly when it rains or you water, if it does, it is suitable for planting lavender, but if it does not, look for another location.
2. Once the soil is loosened , make a hole in the soil deep enough to house the bulk of the plant roots.
3. Place the lavender plant in the hole, taking care to root well.
4. Cover the hole and the base of the plant with soil again. You can add some sand to this soil to improve the texture of the soil.
5. Water abundantly , using fertilizer in the first of the waterings after transplanting and in the following waterings only water.

Lavender care – a basic guide

These are the basic care that lavender needs :

• Light: lavender is quite demanding in this regard, and requires a large amount of sun to develop properly. Locate it where it receives at least six hours of direct light daily, although if you are in a very hot climate or with a very intense sun, protect it from this in the worst hours.
• Climate: this plant has the ability to withstand frost and cold winters, despite the fact that it is native to mild warm climates.
• Location: One of the most important points to consider when choosing the location for lavenders is that these plants need aeration and space. The seeds should not grow stacked on top of each other or on other plants in the immediate surroundings.
• Irrigation: this is a very rustic plant that has the ability to withstand long droughts. However, in the warm months when the plant is in the growing season, it will need to be watered moderately. It is especially important to water by wetting the earth, avoiding overly moistening the aerial parts of the plant, especially branches and flowers, or we can favor the appearance of fungi. In warm months, water about once a week.
• Fertilizer: overdoing the lavender fertilizer can cause the flowers to lose their pleasant scent. It is enough to apply some organic fertilizer in the growing months.
• Pruning: before or after the flowering season, it is advisable to carry out an annual pruning of lavender. This should not be too aggressive, without reducing the plant to less than half its size.