Lavender - how to grow this wonderful plant at home. Lavender care at home in autumn

In the article we discuss lavender at home, what types of plants to use for planting, how to properly prepare the soil and care for the plant. You will learn how to apply essential oil in medicinal purposes and harvest lavender.

Lavender can be grown not only on personal plot but also at home

Before you grow lavender at home, you need to know which species are suitable for room conditions.. For this, narrow-leaved and broad-leaved lavender are suitable. Narrow-leaved is also called English, and broad-leaved - Mediterranean.

Lavender requires abundant watering, adequate lighting and good drainage.

Room lavender is used as a sedative nervous system improving the quality of sleep. Medicinal decoctions are prepared from the stems and flowers.

Growing lavender from seeds

The good growth of lavender at home is due to the preparation of a suitable substrate, the choice of a container for planting the desired volume and the provision quality care. If these requirements are met, by the end of summer you can collect bountiful harvest.

Soil preparation

Growing lavender at home, start by choosing a container or pot. Regardless of how the plant will be grown - by dividing cuttings or using seeds - use dishes with a capacity of at least 2 liters. To grow lavender at home in a pot, pebbles and gravel are laid on the bottom. The substrate is prepared from a sand-peat mixture taken in a ratio of 1:1. Add 1 part perlite and crushed shells from 2 eggs.

Landing

Care and cultivation of lavender at home is not a hassle if the seeds have been stratified. To do this, the seeds are mixed with sawdust or sand and placed in the refrigerator for 30 days. Hardening improves germination rates and makes the plant more adaptable to temperature changes. In alkaline soil, they give an excellent harvest.

Seeds are planted in the substrate to a depth of about 3 mm. The container is covered with a film and placed in a cool, well-lit place. Out of 15-20 seeds, only one can sprout, so the seeds are hardened and planted in large numbers. When there are more than six pairs of leaves on the sprout, its top is pinched off, this is necessary so that the lavender bushes better.

Care

The plant should be in sunlight for at least 10 hours a day. If the pots are on the windowsill, then the heat from the battery makes the air dry and hot - this negatively affects the growth of lavender. Therefore, next to the heating devices, water containers or air conditioners are placed, which have a humidification function.

Lavender care at home begins with daily watering of the plant. The soil must not dry out. You have to make sure that it is always slightly damp. Water the plant once a day in the early morning or in the evening. The first 3-4 weeks, 2 g of fertilizer are added to 1 liter of water.

But you can’t pour lavender with water either - its roots rot. Before growing lavender at home, 2-3 small holes are made in the bottom of the pot or container and the container is placed on a pallet - this ensures the timely outflow of excess water and moistening of the lower layers of the soil as it dries.

Planting and caring for lavender at home does not mean that the plant should always be on the windowsill. IN spring time he is taken out for a few minutes to the balcony and brought home again. Gradually, the time of these “walks” is increased to several hours.

Care for lavender in a pot at home includes the choice of its location. The plant does not like drafts and cold winds, but it grows well on the south side of the dwelling. If there are many sprouts, and they are crowded into a dense mass, then they should be divided into identical piles. To do this, the lower parts of the plant are slightly pushed apart and mark the boundaries, pouring soil into the formed recesses.

Lavender “falls asleep” at home in winter, so it must be removed from sunny side in the cool part of the room. At this time, it does not grow and is watered much less frequently - as the soil dries.

Lavender at home grows well only in loose, light soil. In black soil and clay soil she will die.

Growing lavender from cuttings

Plant lavender from seeds or cuttings.

At proper cultivation lavender at home in a pot, it becomes lush and fills the rooms with a pleasant aroma. The place in the pot is limited, so the roots over time braid the entire lump of soil and dry quickly. The plant requires a timely transplant into a container bigger size. If there is a need for propagation of lavender, a cutting method is used.

Use propagation by cuttings during the period autumn pruning plants when it is prepared for winter "hibernation". To do this, choose annual shoots already covered with bark. Make the lower sections of the cuttings closer to the kidneys - this will avoid further decay of the plant in the soil. For propagation, use branches in middle zone bush.

The cuttings are 7-10 cm long. They are lowered into a moistened sand-peat mixture and covered with foil or film. Water them as the substrate dries, while spraying the ground part of the plant. In the daytime, free the stalk for 1-2 hours from protective coating and let the plant “breathe”.

How to grow lavender in a pot at home by layering? In this case, the cuttings are formed from the shoots of the plant, which are pressed to the ground with a load. When they sprout roots, the cuttings are cut off and planted separately.

Diseases and pests

Caring for lavender at home includes pest control, which can cause the plant to die without producing a crop. The main enemies of the plant - gray rot and pennies. In the first case, the leaves appear dark spots. They move to healthy areas of lavender and quickly destroy the plant. The main way to deal with them is the timely removal of the affected areas.

Pennitsy gnaw leaves, forming large holes in them. Insects lay larvae, covering them with a substance similar to foamy saliva. Thus, they protect offspring from the attack of other pests. The foam can be washed off with a stream of water, and the pennies themselves must be collected by hand. When treated with toxic substances, you risk destroying lavender.

For more information about planting lavender, see the video:

Harvesting

Proper cultivation of lavender in a pot at the end summer period give a bountiful harvest. The cups of the plant are used to prepare medicinal decoctions - they contain the most a large number of useful substances. Wait for the moment when the plant wilts, and the area of ​​​​dried petals will be approximately ⅔ of the total number of flowers.

For storage for the winter, collect the plant in small bunches. Tie them with a thick thread and hang them in a dry, ventilated room (pantry, roof). When the lavender dries, place it in canvas bags or chop and pour into glass containers. In this form, the plant retains beneficial features until the next harvest.

What to remember?

1. Can you grow lavender at home? Successful breeding of a plant depends on proper care of it and on what types of lavender you use. For indoor conditions, narrow-leaved and broad-leaved species are suitable.
2. How to care for lavender at home depending on the season? In the summer, water it every day, and in the winter - as the soil dries.
3. If you are growing lavender from seed, use stratification.
4. The calyx of the plant contains the largest amount of lavender oil.
5. Use lavender to treat nervous disorders, depression and insomnia.

For many, lavender is an essential oil known for its soothing properties and ability to reduce headache or get rid of it altogether. However, lavender is primarily a delicate, lovely plant that requires special care. Like all living things, she needs warmth and attention.

Lavender is a pleasant-smelling plant that grows in the warm Canary Islands. It is in great demand not only in cosmetology, but is also used in medicine for the manufacture of a variety of soothing drugs, as well as in interior decor.

There are about 25 types of lavender in the world. Here are a few of them:

• broad-leaved;
• hybrid;
• serrated;
• stahadskaya;
• English;
• woolly;
• and others.

But the most popular type is English lavender, or, as it is popularly called, narrow-leaved. It is distinguished by its strong, pronounced fresh aroma.

A bush of English lavender usually has about a meter in height and the same amount in volume. The leaves are oblong, small, pleasant gray-green color. The inflorescences of this fragile flower are large. They are placed on long stems.

Since this variety of flower is adapted to low temperatures, it is quite easy to care for, it is quite easy to grow it at home, as a result of which it can often be found as a simple house plant.

Gallery: lavender (25 photos)

How to grow lavender at home

If you want to start lavender at home, then most often it is grown in pots. There are two ways to grow this plant:

First of all, they need to be kept in a cool temperature (about 5 degrees). To do this, lavender seeds are mixed with clean sifted sand, poured into a container, covered with a simple bag and sent to the bottom shelf of the refrigerator for several months. Since it takes a lot of time, and the ideal time for sowing is summer, then winter or autumn is an excellent option for purchasing seeds. Then it remains only to pour the seeds into the ground and wait.

You should not expect flowers to appear in the first months after planting, most often they appear a year later, and sometimes even two years after germination. Since growing lavender from seeds is not so difficult, you can safely start experimenting.

Care and growing conditions

It is worth understanding what is necessary for proper care and planting.

To plant lavender in a pot, we need earth mixed with humus in a ratio of 3: 2 and one part of sand. Further, for the airiness of the soil, all this needs to be sifted. At the end, it would be nice to pour from a watering can filled with a weak solution of potassium permanganate. Then you can pour out the seeds and finally sprinkle a small amount sand.

The pot is best covered plastic bag or film, then put in a warm, bright place. Periodically, you need to lift the film so that the plant is ventilated.

Temperature also plays an important role. The temperature in the room should not be lower than +15 C and not higher than +22 C.

Another way that deserves attention is growing in the garden, in the country or simply in the flower beds. Since lavender can be planted in combination with any flowers, here it can play the role of a chic background and emphasize the dignity of other plants no less chic. It will look harmoniously with large red and white roses, and the mixture of their scents will not leave anyone indifferent.

However, in order to achieve such a result, you need to put a lot of effort into caring for her. Here are a few simple rules care, following which you can grow a chic plant at home, in the country or in a flower bed:

The big advantage of this plant is that it does not need to be fed and grows and blooms calmly in poor soils.

Preparing for winter

Not many people know how to properly prepare this delicate plant for cold winter. First of all, the preparation implies that the lavender needs to be covered with something to protect it from the cold. And after three months, she will be able to prepare for lush and fragrant flowering.

Contrary to all the legends that go around about this flower, lavender is a fairly cold-resistant plant and can survive temperatures down to -25C.

It is worth noting that the most terrible sometimes is not a harsh winter, but early spring, because due to temperature changes and frosts, melted snow turns into a thin crust of ice, which blocks the access of oxygen to lavender plantings.

So that the lavender bush does not freeze in winter, there are several rules for how to do this:

The fulfillment of these points will ensure a comfortable wintering for lavender, and in the southern regions this plant can easily do without additional “huts” in winter.

If you are growing french lavender, then it is worth knowing that she needs a warmer environment. She is much more capricious and thermophilic than her relative, English lavender. Therefore, for the winter, such a bush should be tightly wrapped with hay or straw, and covered with spruce, brushwood or ferns on top.

From the foregoing, we can conclude that growing lavender from seeds at home is not such a difficult task. The most important thing is to monitor the lighting and control the watering of the plant.

Many growers consider lavender a real treasure. Growing it is a pleasure, and the aroma that hovers on garden plot, enchants from the first minutes. In addition, the flower is widely used in home cosmetology. Lavender from seeds room conditions grows just as well as open ground. What features of its cultivation do you need to know?

Brief description of culture

Lavender - unique fragrant plant that can be grown at home

The plant is an evergreen shrub with a spherical crown, which is formed from branches. Lavender belongs to the mint family. Her home is South part Europe, the territory of eastern and northern Africa, the Canary Islands and India. The height of the culture varies from 30 centimeters to 2 meters, depending on the species. Inflorescences resemble a faltering spikelet. Petals can have a variety of colors. There is lavender with blue, lilac, burgundy, lilac, dark purple, pink and white flowers. The leaves are linear with curved ends. The root consists of many branches that can go deep into the soil by 4 meters.

Today, 25 species of this culture are known. For home growing fit the following:

• Lavender angustifolia. The plant has gray-green narrow leaves and long inflorescences of white, blue, pink or purple color, is resistant to low temperatures. Flowering begins in June and ends in July.
• Lavender broadleaf. The culture got its name due to the shape of the leaves. Flowers can be pink, lilac, purple or burgundy. This species does not apply to frost-resistant plants. The flowering period lasts from May to July.
• Serrated lavender. This variety is different small size and frost resistance. Flowers are purple in color. The leaves have a silvery color and are also characterized by jagged edges. Flowering time begins in July and ends in autumn.

Growing lavender at home

To get a healthy plant, several factors must be considered when planting. Let's consider them in detail.

Location selection

Culture grows well in partial shade

Lavender loves good lighting And Fresh air, that's why the best place for her there will be a window sill on the east or west side. The culture should receive light for 8-10 hours every day. If the room in which the lavender is located is dark, a fluorescent lamp is installed for the plant. The room must be well ventilated.

In warm weather, the flower can be moved to the loggia or balcony. But it is not worth leaving it in a new place for a long time. The plant should be trained gradually. On the first day, it is enough to take it out for an hour, on the second - for two. So the duration of the stay of the culture on the balcony increases to a full day.

Important! If lavender is placed near heating appliances, a jar filled with water is placed next to it. This helps to normalize the level of humidity.

Soil preparation for seeds

Lavender loves alkaline soil

Plant growers do not recommend using ordinary soil for growing lavender, because this way the flower does not receive enough oxygen. When watering, compressed soil suffocates root system. The most suitable for lavender is a soil mixture with an alkaline environment. To prepare it, sand and peat are combined in equal proportions, and then a little eggshell is added.

You can use a soil consisting of sand, humus and leaf ground. The components are mixed in the following proportions: 1:2:3. Broad-leaved lavender is extremely hardy and can grow in slightly acidic soil, but it is better to give preference to an alkaline environment.

Important! The soil needs to be loosened, this will improve air circulation.

Landing instructions

The seeds of this crop require processing that accelerates growth, for which they are placed in the refrigerator for one month. So planting material gets into natural conditions. After extraction, the seeds are mixed with river sand, sprinkled with water and in this state are placed back in the refrigerator, where they are for another month.

The landing process itself is as follows:

1. For lavender, take a pot or container with a diameter of 30 centimeters and a volume of 1.5 liters.

Preparing a container for planting

2. A layer of drainage is poured on the bottom, which helps to remove excess moisture. For this, expanded clay, bark or walnut shells are used.

3. The holes in the bottom of the container must remain open. This allows air to enter and helps to avoid excessive moisture. Stagnation of liquid in a pot adversely affects the plant.

4. Seeds are placed in the ground for 3 millimeters and sprinkled thin layer soil.

5. To prevent them from drying out, the container is covered polyethylene film and placed in a well-lit room where the temperature level is between 15°C-18°C.

6. Seedlings appear after 1-1.5 months. If this does not happen, the seedlings are placed for another 3 weeks in the refrigerator.

7. When sprouts are shown, the plastic cover is removed from the pot, and the flowers are transplanted into separate containers.

Sprouted lavender should be transplanted into separate containers

plant care

In order for lavender to remain healthy and to please with beautiful and fragrant flowers, it should be properly looked after.

Watering

In the first month of plant life, it is watered twice a day: in the morning and evening. The soil must be constantly moistened. From the second month, watering is reduced to once a day. Excessive moisture is detrimental to lavender. Only settled water at room temperature is used.

Fertilizer

The first 10 weeks, lavender is fed at intervals of 1 time in 2 weeks. Then the soil is fertilized only during flowering. To do this, you can use the Agricola-Fantasy solution, which is prepared in the proportion: 2 tablespoons of the substance per 10 liters of water. One lavender bush will need 1 liter of liquid. As alternative fit such organic compounds, as "Rossa universal" and "Potassium humate". The preparation of the nutrient mixture takes place with exact proportions: 2 tablespoons of "Rossa" and 1 tablespoon of "Humate" are dissolved in 10 liters of water.

At the beginning of the growing season, the plant is fed nitrogen fertilizers, which provide the growth of green mass. These include ammonium nitrate, urea, ammonium sulfate. But from the second half of July, these funds are recommended to be excluded. Nitrogen prolongs the growing season, and if you continue to use it, the plant will not prepare for winter.

Lavender does not like over watering.

Important! You can put a layer of compost under the shrub - then the culture will not need additional nutrients.

pruning

Pruning is carried out from the second year of the culture's life and is carried out after the flowering stage in order to prepare the plant for wintering: dried lavender stems are removed, as well as the upper part of the bush. The cut should slightly exceed the initial level of leaf growth. This procedure allows you to give the shrub an aesthetic appearance.

With the onset of spring, lavender is cut again. It is impossible to shorten it to a stiff stem - this will lead to the death of the plant. Be sure to leave 4-5 green shoots.

Transfer

The plant does not tolerate such a procedure very well, so lavender is transplanted only with earthy clod. Most right time That's what spring is for. The flower can be transplanted in the fall, if you have time before the dormant period. The process itself has the following features:

1. A pot with a diameter of 15-30 centimeters is selected, depending on the size of the bush.
2. At its bottom, drainage from expanded clay or small stones is poured.
3. Then the container is filled with soil mixture. At the same time, its level should not reach the edge of the pot by 1-1.5 centimeters.
4. The flower is placed in the ground by 2 centimeters, after which it is regularly watered.

Preparing for winter

This period is a time of rest for lavender. In addition to pruning, the following activities are carried out to prepare the plant for wintering:

1. The frequency of watering is reduced to 1 time per week.
2. The container with the flower moves to a cool room. Sometimes lavender blooms winter period, but this negatively affects her health.
3. The growths are removed.

Help keep culture healthy proper care

Possible diseases

Lavender health problems are not common, but some difficulties may arise due to improper care. Consider the most common diseases of lavender:

• Abundant watering leads to yellowing of the shoots and rotting of the root system. In this situation, the amount of water must be reduced.
• The shrub is attacked by leafhoppers. It is a pest that feeds on plant leaves. The bush should be sprayed twice with a 40% concentration phosphamide emulsion.
• Lavender can be threatened by septoria. A suspension of copper oxychloride helps to get rid of this disease: 3-4 grams of the powder are diluted in a liter of water, the flower is sprayed with this composition 2 times with an interval of 15 days.

Important! Lavender more easily tolerates a lack of moisture than its excess.

Question of reproduction

In room conditions, the culture is propagated by seeds and cuttings. In open ground, sprouts can be obtained using layering:

1. The branch of the plant is laid horizontally.
2. It is covered with soil, and a load is placed on top.
3. A few months later, when the culture takes root, the new bush is separated from the mother and planted separately.

The cutting method has the following features:

1. For the procedure, annual shoots are used. Stems 10 centimeters long are cut with a knife, and then moistened in a solution of 0.5% fungicide.

We prepare the cuttings

2. The pot is filled with soil from peat and sand, then recesses of 2.5 centimeters in size are made.

3. Cuttings are placed in the holes and covered with soil.

Planting cuttings in pots

4. The container is covered with polyethylene with ventilation holes.

We wrap in polyethylene until rooting

5. After rooting, the film is removed.

As you can see, growing lavender at home is not difficult at all, even if you are doing it for the first time. Culture must be provided nutrients, water regularly, properly prepare for winter, and fight diseases if they occur. Then you can enjoy more than one year abundant flowering lavender.

More often, herbs are grown not only in the garden, but also in their own window sill in a pot. Among the herbs, there was an extremely beautiful lavender (Lavandula).

Lavender is a low plant 50-80 cm tall, which, depending on the variety, has blue, pink, pink-purple, white or purple flowers, inflorescences, collected in spikes at the top of the peduncle. (Lavandula stoechas) looks different, the ears have large petals that resemble wings.

Application

The flowers of the plant develop in June, the plant can bloom continuously until October. The bush has many decorative and practical qualities. Plants planted in groups in a flower bed or in a pot become an effective element of various plant compositions, and can successfully grow alone. Lavender is a great herb. It has a rather intense taste and aroma, used in moderation, it can perfectly diversify the taste of Mediterranean dishes, grilled dishes, various sweet bakery products. Perfectly recommended in the form of tea.

The medicinal properties of lavender have long been known. It has properties similar to lemon balm, which means it calms, relieves stress and depression, and helps to fall asleep. Lavender has disinfectant properties, suitable for rinsing the mouth and throat. Fragrant potpourri (compositions of dry, fragrant petals and flowers) or aromatic sachets, moth repellents are made from dried flowers. Dried flowers can be used as an element of winter composition.

Growing in the garden

In our climate zone outdoors in winter can survive lavender angustifolia(Lavandula angustifolia), other species are too tender, it is recommended to grow in containers or pots (Lavandula stoechas - Lavender Stahad, Lavandula dentata - lavender jagged). In order for the shrub to grow well, look decorative, a sunny and fertile place, with calcareous and light soil, is required. The plant absolutely does not tolerate shade, withstands a short-term shortage of water, but not overflow. It is good if the place for growing is protected from the wind. Cold gusts have a bad effect on the condition of the bushes. In winter, outdoor lavender should be covered. True, narrow-leaved lavender tolerates low temperatures quite well, but a severe winter can do much harm. In autumn, after flowering, we cut the bushes slightly, in the spring it is already stronger, reducing the plant by ½ height. Pruning stimulates the growth of new shoots and thickening of the bush.

reproduction

Lavender propagates from seeds, the seeds are sown after harvesting directly into the ground. If you grow a shrub at home, you need to stimulate germination artificially by stratifying seeds when low temperatures. Plants grown with this method may vary appearance from parents. To avoid this, more difficult option, reproduction apical cuttings, cuttings are cut in spring or summer.

Growing in a pot

It looks a little different, growing lavender in pots at home. Of course, potted lavender needs sun and warmth and should be watered somewhat more frequently than outdoor shrubs. Place good drainage at the bottom of the container. After flowering, lightly cut the bushes and transfer to a cool and bright room. The temperature during wintering should not fall below 0 ° C (does not apply lavender angustifolia, in a pot tolerates frost worse than in open ground), do not rise higher than 5-10 ° C. The plant does not always survive during this period, if the shrub managed to survive, in the spring it is necessary to put it outside, cut it even lower than in the fall and water it regularly. It must be borne in mind that after 5-6 years, the plant begins to look bad and the shrub must be radically rejuvenated or replaced with new specimens.

Growing lavender at home in a pot or garden, we will not be disappointed. In a few years, the shrub will bloom beautifully, and give valuable raw materials for the kitchen or living room.

Lavender (lat. Lavandula)- a representative of the genus of plants of the family Lamiaceae (Lamiaceae or Labiatae). The name comes from the Greek. "Lava", which means "to wash", this is due to the fact that in Ancient Greece lavender was added to baths. Botanists distinguish about 47 varieties this plant. Lavender is native to the Mediterranean. Since lavender has not only a pleasant smell, but also certain medicinal properties, people fell in love with the plant and adapted lavender to life at home, or rather, began growing lavender flowers in pots and flower beds.

Growing lavender at home involves choosing an appropriate place, preparing seeds, and stratifying them. An important feature growing lavender at home is the possibility of applying organic fertilizers.

Growing lavender at home is much easier if you are the proud owner of a summer cottage where lavender can be grown indoors. industrial scale experiment with varieties. At home, everything seems easier, since you can pick up a special container, experiment with the use of drainage. And most importantly: at home, you have the opportunity to plant lavender in a sunny place where it will not need additional growth enhancers.

Many people think that potted lavender is a very whimsical plant and causes a lot of trouble, but this is a myth. It is quite possible to grow lavender from seeds in a pot on your windowsill: the plant itself is unpretentious. On average window sills and flower beds, we can most often find 2 types of lavender: broad-leaved And narrow-leaved. Both of these species germinate and bloom beautifully. We will talk in more detail about the main subtleties and secrets of lavender, about the rules of planting and care in this article.

Did you know? If you live in the North, or closer to the North, then narrow-leaved lavender is your best bet as it is more winter hardy.

In which pot to grow lavender, we select the sizes

The roots of mature plants require a lot of space in order to be able to nourish the flowers and leaves. In order to properly care for and plant lavender, you should first choose the right pot or container, because even if your flower spends spring, summer and early autumn in the open field, you still want to remove it for the winter (which is not at all necessary, you can just cover the lavender from the wind) in the right and comfortable "shelter". This plant, from the very embryo, loves large pots and containers.

Important! Even if you are only going to plant lavender, choose medium-sized forms for this.

In order for lavender to receive proper care and planting, you should remember one pattern - how smaller pot, topics less space for nutrition and growth, the smaller the flowers. The container (pot) should be at least 2 liters in volume and about 30 cm in diameter. The pot should have enough holes to drain water, but gravel or drainage should not “close” these holes when planting.

How to choose a place for lavender

Many people believe that lavender is not meant for indoor living, but this is a myth. Yes, lavender requires some special care, but all plants require care! So, the main factor in the quality of your flower will be a place for its "life". Here, the opinions of botanists differ: some believe that lavender feels best in the open field, others - in apartment conditions.

In any case, the best shelter for lavender will be a sunny, wind-sheltered place. If you leave the flower outside for the winter, you can cover it. special attention the soil in which lavender is planted also requires: it is best to use a mixture of peat and sand and remember that the soil must be alkaline.

Did you know? It is better not to plant lavender on the windowsill, where there is a battery, as this will dry it out.

Lavender requires proper care and planting, which is carried out comprehensively throughout the growth and development of the plant. We have already mentioned the need for constant access of sunlight to the leaves and flowers of the plant, so it is best to place the lavender pot on the south side. In the summer, lavender is taken out to “walk” on the balcony. But walks should start from an hour, because if you leave the plant in the open air for a long time, it can fade from an excess of oxygen.

Lavender is very thermophilic, but does not like dryness. For winter, it is better to put lavender on the windowsill on the south side (if possible), but a temperature of 10-15 degrees will be optimal. But temperature regime, lighting and place of growth - not all. In order for lavender to receive proper care and planting, it is also necessary to regularly feed the plant, cut cuttings, replant the flower from time to time and loosen the ground. It is also important to remember about humidifying the air, if you do not have a humidifier, you can use a regular spray bottle and spray the plant with clean water.

Important! If your flower does not have enough light, then for the winter period you can provide it additional lighting, including a fluorescent lamp next to it.

top dressing

The main thing to remember about lavender is - the plant does not tolerate organic and nitrogen fertilizers. The necessary preparations for the growth and development of the plant are those that have potassium as the main component in their composition. The first time (8-10 weeks) after sowing seeds / planting a seedling, you need to fertilize the plant once a week liquid fertilizers, based on the calculation of 2 g (1 plug) of fertilizer per liter of water. An effective fertilizer will be crushed eggshell, which will maintain the balance of alkali in the soil. If your lavender grows in open ground, then it should be fertilized at the beginning of flowering with the same fertilizers (for example, Agricola) and after flowering (any mineral fertilizer) with the calculation of 3 liters per 1 bush.

Features of watering in winter and summer

Lavender only needs to be watered during the dry season, but don't think you need to water your lavender once a week. Of course, the flower will rot from too much watering, but the soil for indoor lavender should always be moist. Water for irrigation should be filtered or settled. If your plant is still young, then you need to water it twice a day: in the morning and in the evening.

Important! You need to water not only the roots, but also upper part plants, so many flower growers recommend making a “rain” for a flower: once a week, take the plant outside (put the pots in the bath) and water the whole plant with a watering can, a thin stream of water. But in this case, you need to be extremely careful not to damage the leaves or color.

On the summer cottages lavender care also depends on correct pruning plants, because if you cut the plant incorrectly, then there will be nothing to care for. Lavender pruning is best done in 3 stages: summer (the most important), autumn and spring pruning.

Let's start with summer pruning. In order to cut the lavender, we need gloves and ordinary garden shears. First of all, we cut off those branches that have small sprouts on the sides. We cut to these sprouts, then they will grow into a flower. If the branches of your plant have a tendency to bend, then you need to cut such a branch to the lowest sprout. We also carefully check the plant for the presence of completely dry branches, which also need to be cut. Usually such branches appear due to weather conditions or the age of the plant.

Did you know?Summer pruning allows you to collect the product, namely flowers and leaves, which are most useful during this period.

During the autumn pruning of lavender, the main task is to cut off all the flowers from the "falling" branches - cut to the bend. You can cut the lavender very short, you can not really, the time of the “rise” of the kidneys in the spring depends on it.

Spring lavender pruning is best done in late March (weather permitting). spring pruning more like cleaning, as it is aimed at removing dry branches, broken, rotten. Pruning in the spring is also carried out in order to "model" the shape of the plant.

How to plant lavender at home, plant propagation

A frequently asked question: how to plant lavender at home is as easy as shelling pears! All you need: a seedling, a cutting, seeds, lavender cuttings, soil (container), fertilizer, a shovel, a baking powder for the earth and a little basic knowledge and skills.

With the help of air outlets

Lavender Propagation Method air layers best used in cool weather when soil moisture is highest. When using this method, you do not need to prepare cuttings or buy seeds, you just need to select the oldest branch (but living) on ​​an adult plant, cut a flower from it, dig a small hole and bend this branch there, sprinkle it with earth on top, water it every two days and fertilize a little 5-7 days after planting. This method sometimes works without your help: if you look under a bush of a mature flower, you will find a few sprouts there, as a result of self-seeding lavender.

Lavender cuttings

Many inexperienced flower growers immediately take up planting lavender flowers using seedlings. Most make mistakes, because you need to know not only how to plant a lavender seedling, but also how to get it right. For cuttings, you need to take only young, but already lignified annual shoots from a healthy bush. It is necessary to cut off the color from the handle (although it is advisable to choose shoots that have not yet bloomed) and strip the lower leaves by 3-4 centimeters.

For cuttings, we need a medium-sized pot, clay shards, soil (a mixture of turf, leaf and sand in equal amounts) and dry sand. We lay out the shards at the bottom of the pot, then we lay out moistened sand (for better drainage), then the earth, we tamp. At 1.5 cm, we lay another layer of wet sand on top of the ground. Next, we take the finished cutting, process it with growth stimulants and insert it into the ground with the cleaned side.