Lavender officinalis

Lavandula officinalis

Lavender originally comes from the western Mediterranean. It belongs to the mint family (Lamiaceae). It is a perennial plant described as a woody subshrub. Lavender flowers have a blue-violet color. The plant blooms from July to August. Its flowers attract bees. The leaves are aromatic and their length is approximately 5 centimeters, depending on the variety.

Lavender is grown for the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries. The flowers are used as part of herbal blends. The flowers contain a large amount of essential oils, and significantly less tannins and bitter substances, which have beneficial effects on our entire nervous system. It is also well known that when placed in a wardrobe, it is an excellent repellent for clothes moths.

There are many varieties of lavender, as well as many color variations. Some are suitable for growing in containers, others for growing in the garden thanks to their frost resistance. The greatest advantage of lavender, however, is that it repels harmful insects, such as aphids, mosquitoes and moths. In the garden, it is suitable to grow it under roses, for example. It complements beautifully with irises, roses, baby's breath, sage, rosemary, ornamental grasses and other plants.

How to Grow Lavender

• Plants need plenty of sunlight and tolerate direct sun. We water young lavender regularly; moderate watering benefits older plants. However, plants also thrive without regular watering. Plants need to be pruned. We first trim plants in spring, and a second time after flowering (i.e., early August). Do not cut into the wood! Lavender also needs to be properly winterized. At temperatures around -10 degrees Celsius, it is necessary to cover the plants with straw or conifer branches.

• We sow seeds in spring, ideally in February and March. We maintain seedlings at a temperature of around 20°C. We transplant grown seedlings to an open bed after hardening off. In May and June, we plant mature plants at a spacing of 45 x 60 cm.

• It requires light, dry, well-drained and calcium-rich soil. Finely sandy soils are suitable. It does not tolerate waterlogged soils.

• We can apply fertilizers with dolomite and calcium fertilizers. If we don't fertilize the plants, they will manage on their own.

• Fungal diseases occasionally appear, causing the entire plant to die. They are characterized by a white coating on the plant. We treat them with fungicides. Lavender does not suffer from pests.

• We harvest lavender from July to August, always just before flowering or at its very beginning. After harvesting, it is necessary to dry the plants thoroughly.