Caring for lavender: tips for ideal care

Even if lavender is quite frugal, it needs a little care from time to time. Here you can find out what needs to be considered when cutting, fertilizing and watering.

All species of the genus Lavandula originally come from the Mediterranean region. lavender meanwhile, however, it also feels at home in more northern countries and can be found in many domestic gardens. However, an adequate supply of nutrients and water is vital for your lavender bush. However, regular pruning and forest protection measures are also of great importance for magnificent growth. Below we have summarized the most important aspects of lavender care for you. General information on the topic lavender can also be found here in our overview article.

The Mediterranean lavender prefers warm and sunny locations with calcareous, permeable soil. During the

True lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) is extremely robust and easy to care for French lavender (Lavandula stoechas) and the spike lavender (Lavandula latifolia) special protective measures at least over the winter. Your lavender will thank you for the right location and good care with lush growth and rich flowering. More information about Care of the French lavender can be found in our special article.

Cut lavender

Regular pruning keeps your lavender in shape, promotes plant health and counteracts long-term bareness of older lavender bushes. It is best to trim your lavender twice a year. Already with the first sprouting in spring, the lavender can be pruned back (by one to two thirds).

After flowering (mid-July), a slight pruning promotes bushy growth. Young plants can be cut more (up to half) than older ones (about a third). If the lavender is cut too late in the summer, the lavender cannot ripen in time. The last cut should therefore be made at the beginning of August at the latest. If frostbite still occurs in winter, you can remove the dead parts of the plant in late spring.

A precise guide to the right one Cut of lavender you'll find here.

watering lavender

Lavender can obtain water very well from its long taproot, but waterlogging affects it and can promote the development of root rot. In the garden bed, you only have to water lavender during long dry periods in summer. In winter, watering may only be carried out if the soil is frost-free and permeable.

Potted lavender should be watered more regularly. It is best to ensure optimal pot drainage when planting. A drainage hole at the bottom allows excess irrigation water to drain away. Everything that matters watering lavender else arrives, we explain to you here as well.

Fertilize and lime lavender

You can already work some fertilizer or compost into the soil when planting. In the following years, an annual basic fertilization at the beginning of the growth phase (March/April) is sufficient. It is best to use organic long-term fertilizers like ours Plantura organic universal fertilizer, because this decomposes slowly and provides your lavender with sufficient nutrients over the long term.

In pot cultivation, a second fertilization at the beginning of summer (end of June / beginning of July) optimally supports your lavender. Lime-poor soils - such as sandy soils - can be cleaned in spring with a handful of commercially available garden lime be improved. But you shouldn't just whitewash straight away. Make sure that you actually have real lavender in your garden. Finally, there are close relatives - such as the French lavender - for whose growth calcareous soils are rather disadvantageous.

An exact Fertilizer guide for lavender and more detailed information on liming can be found in our special article.

Caring for lavender in the pot

While the robust real lavender can be cultivated in the bed all year round, many frost-sensitive species have to move to a pot by autumn at the latest. It should be noted that lavender forms a very large network of roots when cultivated in a pot, which requires a lot of space. A sufficiently large planter is therefore a must. In addition, the lavender in this form of cultivation makes somewhat greater demands on care due to the small pot volume. Regular pruning, suitable overwintering and annual repotting are crucial for rich flowering.

Repot lavender

When cultivating in planters, make sure to transplant your lavender into a larger pot if necessary. The new pot should be about 10 cm larger than the root ball of the plant. The introduction of a drainage layer also avoids waterlogging. You should also replace the old soil with fresh substrate so that your lavender has enough nutrients available again.

What to do when repotting and cultivating potted lavender should be observed in general, we explain to you in our special article.

Cultivate the lavender tree

The designation as "tree" or "perennial" is actually nonsense in connection with lavender. Botanically, lavender is a subshrub. Older lavender naturally lignifies with age and can even form a trunk if trained appropriately. The care of the lavender as a standard differs only slightly with regard to the procedure of a lavender in the form of a bush.

There are actually only major differences when cutting the lavender tree. So that you can enjoy your lavender tree for a long time, you should cut it regularly so that the Standard not overgrown and, in the worst case, will return to its natural, bushy growth habit falls behind. All you have to do is trim the crown. In spring (March/April), when no more frost is to be expected, you can cut back one to two thirds of the new shoots. Make sure to keep the shape of the crown as round as possible. You can then make a second cut after flowering (mid-July) to stimulate a second flowering.

More information on the topic Lavender Tree you'll find here.

Overwinter lavender

The Mediterranean lavender is only partially used to the low temperatures in our latitudes. While hardy lavender varieties - such as real lavender - can be planted in the garden bed without any problems, frost-sensitive variants are better cultivated in pots.

Those species that are overwintered outdoors, however, absolutely need a wind-protected location. A layer of brushwood, leaves or mulch offers you protection from precipitation and cold as well as from too much sunlight. A cover made of garden fleece or coconut mats, which serves as thermal insulation, also protects against permafrost (below -15 °C).

You should bring potted plants into the house before the first frost and place them in a dry, unheated room (cellar, garage or conservatory). If you do not have enough space inside, the parking space in the garden should always be frost-free and partially shaded. To protect against ground frost, you can place the pot on an insulating mat, polystyrene or wood. If the temperature drops below zero for a long time, the bucket can also be covered with straw mats as thermal insulation.

A precise guide for the successful Overwintering your lavender you'll find here.