Growing lavender is a great addition to any rose garden!
Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or a newcomer, growing lavender is a rewarding experience that your roses will thank you for.
This hardy perennial thrives in a variety of climates, making it an accessible choice for many.
In this article, we’ll go in-depth on how to grow lavender as a companion plant to your roses.
The Benefits Of Growing Lavender
Growing lavender can be a rewarding and practical addition to your garden or landscape, offering several benefits:
- Aesthetics: Lavender plants are visually appealing, adding beauty and a pop of color to gardens, landscapes, and indoor spaces.
- Scent: The delightful fragrance of lavender can create a pleasant and calming ambiance in your home or garden.
- Low Maintenance: Lavender is relatively easy to grow and requires minimal maintenance compared to other plants, making it an ideal option for both experienced and novice gardeners.
- Drought Tolerance: Lavender is well-adapted to dry climates and requires less water than many other plants, making it a sustainable and eco-friendly choice for water-conscious gardeners.
- Attracts Pollinators: Lavender attracts bees, butterflies, and other beneficial pollinators, contributing to a healthy and vibrant ecosystem in your garden.
- Versatility: Lavender can be used in various ways, including for culinary purposes, as a fragrant addition to potpourri or sachets, or for making essential oils, providing a multi-functional option for home gardeners.
- Medicinal Uses: Having a readily available supply of fresh lavender can enable you to create homemade remedies, teas, or natural skincare products, taking advantage of its therapeutic properties.
- Repels Pests: Lavender’s strong scent acts as a natural deterrent for pests, helping to keep unwanted insects and pests away from other plants in your garden. If you are growing roses lavender is one of the best rose companion plants. It is not just a fragrant companion but a reliable guardian, creating an enchanting, pest-resistant haven for your beloved roses.
- Longevity: Lavender plants are known for their longevity, making them a sustainable addition to your garden that can provide beauty and benefits for several years with proper care.
- Culinary Uses: Certain varieties of lavender can be used in cooking, adding a unique and fragrant flavor to various dishes, desserts, and beverages, expanding the culinary possibilities in your kitchen.
By growing lavender, you can enjoy these benefits while also contributing to a sustainable and eco-friendly garden or landscape.
How To Choose Lavender
Lavender comes in lots of types.
Some common ones include English, Spanish (Stoechas), French (Dentata), Arabian (Subnuda), Indian (Chaetoctachys), and Pterostoechas.
Each type has its own specialties and looks.
Picking the “best” kind of lavender depends on your climate, what you want to do with it, and your own taste.
If you’re into cooking or DIY beauty stuff, go for English lavender.
Want it for your garden’s looks? Try Spanish lavender or French lavender.
How To Grow Lavender
Sun
Lavender requires roughly 10 hours of direct sunlight each day.
Soils
One of the many benefits of lavender is that it is capable of thriving in a wide range of soils.
The only soils that lavender will not tolerate are poorly draining soils and highly acidic soils.
The ideal soil for optimum growing conditions is slightly alkaline (6.4 to 8.2 pH) soil that is amended moderately with organic matter (compost, manure, leaf mould).
Additionally, the texture of the soil should be loose with ample drainage and airflow.
Fertilizers
While your lavender plants can survive on their own without the use of fertilizer, there is no denying that adding fertilizer will enhance the life and longevity of your plants.
We suggest feeding your lavender plants early in the springtime.
Opt for a slow-release fertilizer such as pellets, manure, or blood and bone meal.
Watering/Drainage
Please keep in mind that lavender is more tolerant of dry conditions than they are of wet conditions.
It is best to err on the side of caution and under-water your lavender plants.
This only further reinforces the importance of selecting well-draining soil to house your lavender plants.
A well-draining soil will help protect the lavender from dying unexpectedly during a period of heavy rainfall.
Commercially grown lavender is often grown in areas with sloping ground to encourage drainage and prevent the pooling of excess water.
If possible, try to consider this when deciding where to plant your lavender.
How To Take Care Of Lavender
Weed Control
Controlling weeds around lavender can be a tricky endeavor due to the physicality of the lavender plant.
Lavender has a very shallow root system, so physically plucking weeds can cause too much damage to the roots.
Additionally, chemical solutions can often pose dangers to the life of the plant.
Commercial gardeners suppress weeds using a weed mat or plastic sheets around the plant.
However, plastic sheets are not recommended for casual gardening because they heavily restrict air and water circulation.
If you live in a cooler climate, then a mulch made from sand would make an excellent cover to suppress weeds.
You may also opt for a thin layer of coarse mulch on top of the newspaper.
Both methods will help preserve the water and airflow in the soil while also discouraging weeds.
Pests And Diseases
Fortunately, lavender plants attract very few pests.
However, you may encounter some issues with caterpillars. In this situation, you can easily control them with a garlic or pyrethrum spray.
Fungal diseases pose a problem in areas that are privy to humidity, heavy rainfall, and warm temperatures.
More specifically, root rot is a common occurrence in these places.
This can be prevented with well-draining soil and monitoring of soil moisture.
Pruning
Pruning your lavender plants is highly encouraged.
A good burning regimen will promote new, healthy branch growth as well as flowering.
Lavender that is pruned tends to live a longer life than plants that are not.
The ideal time to prune your lavender plants is early in the spring, between the last frost date and the beginning of new growth.
Prune the plant back by a third (at most by half).
Do take care not to prune too much, as lavender plants do not respond to heavy pruning.
Growing Lavender From Seed
Growing lavender from seed is possible, but it can be quite slow. What we mean by saying quite slow is that it will take roughly between one and two months just to have some germination.
Lavender seeds have a very irregular rate of germination.
Certain lavender varieties are grown by seed for commercial sale.
If you would like to try growing lavender by seed, here are some tips to increase your success:
- Purchase good quality seeds. These will have a higher likelihood of germinating.
- Timing is everything. It is important to sow your seeds when the soil and air temperature are warm enough to germinate
- Do not sow the seeds too deep in the soil. Instead, sprinkle the seeds onto the surface and lightly dust them with soil.
- Avoid sowing seeds too densely. If you are sowing seeds too densely, germinating seedlings may struggle for space and nutrients, leading to increased pest and disease risks.
- Use good quality soil. Ensure the soil in your garden bed is well-prepared, or opt for a high-quality seed-raising mix when using containers.
- Water the seeds. Provide sufficient moisture for seed germination, but be cautious not to overwater.
Growing Lavender From Cuttings
Growing lavender from cuttings is the most common method of propagation and will give you the highest chance of success.
Take a branch cutting from a section of the plant that is new, green, and thick.
The cutting should be between 3 to 8 centimeters in length and the buds should not have opened yet.
- Trim the cutting by removing the leaves on the lower half of the cutting.
- Soak the cuttings in a solution of sodium hypochlorite to disinfect the cut end.
- Hormone rooting powder is optional; the cutting will sprout without the use of it.
- Plant the cutting into a pot filled with propagation mix. The mix should be firmed to keep the cutting securely in place and then watered deeply.
- Place the pot in a location that is bright and warm, while also avoiding direct sun exposure and frosts. Some growers prefer the use of a greenhouse or a cold frame for this.
- Mist the cutting several times a day. It takes around three to four weeks for the cuttings to root.
- When it comes time to transplant the cutting into a larger pot, pinch off the tip to encourage branching.
- In six to eight weeks, they will be mature enough to be placed in their permanent location during the warmer months.
Growing Lavender In Pots
Growing lavender in pots is a practical and versatile method of cultivating lavender.
There are many benefits that come with growing lavender in a container, though there are some slight differences in how to care for this plant.
Here are some important tips to keep in mind:
- Select the perfect pot
The first step in successfully growing lavender in pots is selecting the perfect pot to house your plant.
Ideally, you should have a pot that is large enough to accommodate the future growth of your lavender plant without it being too big.
A 12 to 16-inch pot is perfect for new lavender plants.
Additionally, make sure there are multiple drainage holes at the bottom to allow excess water to escape. - Use a well-draining soil
Well-draining soil is all the more important in container gardening as soil compaction is more likely to occur in pots.
To avoid this, make sure your lavender’s soil is amended with chunky, well-draining materials such as perlite, vermiculite, or sand.
This prevents the soil from becoming too heavy and will promote moisture and airflow in the container. - Stay vigilant for dehydration and deficiency signs
Both water and nutrients deplete much faster in a container than they do in the ground.
It is important to keep a more watchful eye over signs of dehydration and nutrient deficiency. - Keep your lavender away from cold weather
One of the benefits of a potted lavender plant is the ability to move it into a safe location when the weather becomes too cold.
Bring your potted lavender into the home during the harsh winter months to protect them.
During the winter, lavender will become dormant and require very little water and no fertilizer at all.
Wait until the soil is completely dry and the lavender is just barely wilting before rehydrating your plant. Even then, a light watering is all that it needs.
Related post: How To Make Potting Soil (A Step-By-Step Guide)
Growing Lavender Indoors
Caring for lavender plants indoors doesn’t have to be exclusive to winter.
You can keep lively lavender plants all through the year in the comfort of your own home.
Indoor lavender plants should be placed in a bright, sunny location of the home.
It is ideal for it to receive at least three to four hours of direct sun per day.
If you cannot sustain this amount of sunlight, you can supplement it with an LED grow light.
Rotate the pot around every week in order to maintain the plant’s upright growth habit.
Allowing it to stay in one position for long periods of time can result in a lopsided plant.
Part of the conveniences of growing a plant indoors is the ability to have greater control over air temperature.
Lavender will grow best in a location that is between 60° and 70° F.
Avoid locations with extreme heat or extreme cold (next to a furnace, air conditioning vent, or a drafty window).
When watering your indoor lavender plant, give it a thorough watering.
A good rule of thumb is to wait until the soil is almost dry before rehydrating your plant.
Conclusion: Is Growing Lavender Easy?
In conclusion, growing lavender is as beneficial as it is satisfying.
Remember to provide your lavender plants with well-drained soil, and ensure ample sunlight and watering techniques.
Additionally, regular pruning and maintenance will help keep your lavender plants healthy and vibrant for many years to come.
So go ahead and plant lavender in your garden, your roses will thank you!
