Is Lavender Easy to Grow?

Growing in the Ground

• Lavender plants grow wild in many places, which is a good indicator that it is not difficult to grow in a garden. Lavender does best with six to eight hours of full, warm sun a day. These plants are very drought and heat tolerant, but do not recover well from being allowed to dry out. They need a light soil to avoid their roots rotting, and do best with an alkaline soil that can be achieved by mixing crushed oyster shells in before planting.

Planting in Pots

• Lavender is more difficult to grow in pots, but does well with enough attention. As with planting in the ground, use a light, alkaline soil. Potted plants dry out more quickly than those planted in the ground, so you'll need to check the soil moisture daily. Plants in pots deplete the nutrients from their soil quickly as well, so your lavender will need to be re-potted annually. Mix a time-release fertilizer into the soil when re-potting. The advantage to growing lavender in pots is that you can bring it in on very wet or cold days to protect the plants from root rot and freezing.

Annual or Perennial

• Lavender may be grown as an annual or perennial plant depending on your climate and how much work you want to put into your crop. In hot, dry climates, these plants over winter well. They should be pruned annually either in early spring or when you harvest. To avoid branches becoming woody, cut back 3- to 4-foot branches by one foot. In climates with cold, wet winters, your lavender will act as an annual if left in the ground. You may dig up the plants and pot them inside over the winter if you would like to make them perennial. Potted lavender plants act as perennials as long as you keep them in a sunny spot and keep them sufficiently watered.

Harvesting Lavender

• Lavender is a herbal workhorse. It has culinary and medicinal uses, as well as being used in beauty products and to scent your home. To harvest lavender, cut flower spikes just as the blossoms start to show color. Strip the blossoms from the spike and allow them to dry in a cool, shaded space. Store the dried blossoms in an airtight container.