Climate
The two basic requirements for successful lavender growing are:
-
full sun
-
good drainage
Lavender is in general a very hardy plant and will tolerate neglect, but for optimum results it will flourish if these two requirements are met.
L. angustifolia
(English lavender) and L. x intermedia (lavandin) are reasonably tolerant
of cold temperatures, winds, rain and snow providing they have good drainage.
L. stoechas (Spanish lavender) is less tolerant of harsh conditions but will
withstand wet or damp weather and lower temperatures in winter providing the
ground is well drained.
French lavender (Dentata dentate) is less tolerant of frosts than dentata
candicans but neither will survive harsh frosts. They are best grown against
a sunny wall in climates that experience mild to medium frosts.
The easiest lavenders to grow in hotter areas are the French (dentata), Spanish
(stoechas) and hybrids (Goodwin Creek Gray, heterophylla and allardii). These
are also some of the best lavenders for containers and all but the Spanish
will bloom nearly year round if given enough warmth and sunlight.
If your lavender
plants are damaged by frost (young spikes blacken), remove dead spikes by
lightly pruning to allow new spikes to form and promote flowering slightly
later in the season. Frost can also cause damage to other parts of the plant,
resulting in the browning of stems and leaves. If not too severely affected,
the plant will recover to produce new growth in these areas, although it may
not return to its normal robust state until summer.
Frost tender plants, such as those in the pterostoechas group, need to be
either repropagated over the winter or grown in pots so they can be moved
into a sheltered position such as conservatory, glasshouse or verandah when
autumn arrives.
Humidity
In
humid climates, lavenders can develop fungal and bacterial infections.
The key is to provide good drainage and good air circulation.
For better air circulation, one solution is to plant lavenders in containers.
Another solution is to space your plants well apart and keep them weed free
so the air can circulate around the plants.
Mulching with a couple of inches of coarse sand or grit around the base of
the plants will help promote drainage and avoid moisture build-up.
| Climate | Soil Requirements | Watering | Pruning |
| Fertilizing | Growing in containers | Planting | Using in landscaping |