How to Grow Lavender Plants in the North

Prepare the soil in the area you plan to plant your English lavender as soon as the last frost of spring and the soil is workable. Lavender thrives in well draining, sandy type soil. Use a garden fork to loosen and break up the soil of the planting area. If your soil is clay based or compact, spread 2 to 3 inches of clean contractor's sand or pea gravel over the soil surface. With a shovel, blend the sand or pea gravel into the soil to a depth of 8 to 10 inches.

Add garden lime or crushed oyster shells to your soil, particularly if your soil has a low pH (high acidity). Contact your local agricultural extension office to find out about the pH value of your soil and direction on the amount of lime needed to elevate your pH value. Lavender prefers a pH of between 6.4 to 8.3. You may also add 1/2 shovel full of well-rotted manure to your soil when adding the lime. Lavender does not require rich soil and actually prefers to grow in poor soil.

Plant your lavender plant by digging a hole that is as deep as the pot the lavender is in, and as wide as the root ball. Form a cone in the bottom of the hole, then spread the roots over and down the cone. Fill the hole with your amended soil. Pat the soil down when finished to eliminate air pockets and ensure good contact between roots and soil. Water your lavender after planting.

Water your lavender only when natural rains have been absent and the soil has dried several inches down. Lavender likes growing in dry conditions and if over watered, or grown it too moist of soil, may develop root rot and die.

Prune off any frost-damaged stem ends with hand pruners. Frost and freeze damage on lavender stems or foliage will not harm the plant. Pruning off the damage will spur your lavender to produce new growth and rejuvenate the plant.