Harvesting lavender »When is the best time?

Harvest lavender before it really blooms

What counts as a lavender bunch is what fits comfortably in your closed fist. Lavender should be harvested before it has reached its full bloom. You can tell when the harvest is right when the flowers in the middle of the panicles have already opened while other buds are still closed. This is usually the case between mid-July and early August. Lavender blossoms are best cut in the midday sun, as any morning moisture will have evaporated by then. Damp leaves in particular can cause the lavender to go moldy instead of drying out.

Lavender is pruned during harvest

When you harvest the lavender, you will need it afterwards no longer to be pruned - after all, it is one and the same process. However, you should not cut the inflorescences later than the beginning of August, because after that the lavender needs its strength for that Getting through the winter. Lavender that is cut in summer often develops a second bloom, for which reason in our latitudes Lavender, however, does not have time from August - the cut surfaces of the removed shoots then simply freeze path.

Harvest lavender properly

When harvesting the lavender, follow these steps:

• First, take a close look at your lavender plant. Where is the bush already lignified, where do the green shoots begin?
• Use a sharp knife or scissors to cut the stems just above the woody part so that you shorten the lavender by about a third.
• The lavender is cut straight away so that it has an even shape.
• The pruning is important so that new flowers can form.
• Not more cropped Woody lavender over the years and forms fewer and fewer flowers.

Dry lavender

Tie the to dry Lavender in clusters together and connect them firmly with a rubber. Finally, hang the bunches upside down in a warm, dry and most importantly dark place - an attic or a Garden shed(€ 39.99 at Amazon *) are ideal. Alternatively, you can spread the stems out on grids - it is only important that the air can circulate well. The sun exposure must not be high, otherwise the sensitive essential oils will evaporate. Leave the stem on to dry. The flowers are well dry as soon as they can be easily peeled off.

Tips & Tricks

Not just the flowers, too the delicate lavender leaves can be used for seasoning numerous, especially more hearty, use dishes. If possible, only use the very young leaves, because the older ones have a rather unpleasant, soapy aroma.

IJA