Used for centuries as a perfume, aromatherapy, flavoring, and more, lavender is one of the most beloved plants across the world. Technically a perennial flowering herb, lavender, also known by its botanical name lavendula, is a common flower seen in gardens, homes, and beauty products from early spring through mid-summer.

Lavender is a relatively low-maintenance plant that loves exposure to the sun. This is why in most places, lavender is unable to grow in the Fall and Winter seasons. Lavender can bloom for anywhere from 6 to 12 weeks depending on its region and can become around 20 to 24 inches tall when fully grown.

Lavender Care

When it comes to caring for lavender, always plant your outdoor lavender bushes in the sun. The soil should be well-draining, and if it is not, you should place plants into raised beds in a sunny part of the yard.

You can add organic matter such as organic fertilizers to increase the speed of growth, especially if planting in naturally heavy soil. This will help the water to drain on the rare occasion that you water your lavender.

Along with occasional watering, lavender plants should be pruned once per year right after blooming. This will prevent the drastic fall of dried lavender petals and help avoid a big composting mess at the end of the season.

Water

Lavender should be watered only once or twice per week. You must do this until the lavender plants are established, have thick roots, and are acclimated to their surroundings.

Once the lavender is comfortable and growing, the mature lavender plants can be watered every 2 to 4 weeks until it is time for harvest. If watering lavender in a colder area or attempting to grow through the winter, the lavender must be covered with extra winterizing materials and methods so that the water does not freeze and kill the plants.

Temperature and Humidity

The best temperature for lavender to grow in is anywhere from 60 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit day temperatures and 45 degrees to 50 degrees Fahrenheit night temperatures. This makes lavender is the perfect plant to grow in a generally mild climate such as the Pacific Northwest, where the summers are typically cool and the nights become somewhat mild.

When it comes to humidity, most lavender types cannot tolerate highly wet air. It is best to keep your lavender in a covered area that keeps out humidity if living somewhere with particularly moist warmer seasons.

Soil

Low to moderately low-fertile soil is the most effective soil type in which to plant lavender. While lavender does like composted and fertilized soil after it has acclimated when first planting lavender, it is best to avoid altering the existing soil with organic compound substances since it does best in naturally alkaline soil pH levels.

Fertilizer

Fertilizing your lavender can make it grow taller, stronger, and even smell more fragrant. To maintain a potent lavender plant, consider using a low-nitrogen fertilizer. These fertilizer types are to encourage blooming without altering the root consistency. You can also use all-purpose 7-9-5 or 15-15-15 fertilizer, but make sure to do so only during the mid to late summer months.