With all the wonderful weather we’ve been having recently and, most importantly, the lack of rain, a number of people have been asking us how they should be watering their lavender plants.
Essentially lavender is a drought-tolerant plant and once well established in the garden shouldn’t need watering. For example on the farm, we don’t water our mature lavender bushes at all – and some of them have reached 24 years old! But what should you do with younger plants and also what about watering lavender plants that are grown in pots or indoors?
How to water outdoor planted lavender
Lavender originated from the Mediterranean so thus thrives in hot, sunny and fairly dry climates. Therefore the best thing to do with your lavender plants is to simulate these conditions as closely as possible. We believe that’s why the fantastic climate here on Jersey produces such amazing lavender! One of the biggest problems with lavender is actually over-watering which can lead to root rot.
So we recommend that you water younger plants no more than 3 times a week (even in the height of summer) until they are well established and healthy. Once it has reached this stage then it should be able to happily look after itself without extra watering. It is also important to ensure that your lavender is planted in free-draining soil. If yours don’t then make sure that you dig in lots of organic matter and grit prior to planting.
How to water lavender in pots or containers
As with all plants living in pots or containers you need to take a little more care with the watering. The smaller amounts of soil in these, and the fact that it is above ground, means that they can easily over-dry which can damage your plants.
So we recommend that when you first plant an immature lavender into a container, give it a small amount of water every day to give it a good kick start. This can then be reduced to approximately 3 times a week once the plant is established. However again it is of tantamount importance to ensure that your pot or container is really free draining. A mixture of 2 parts compost and 1 part sand or grit should provide lavender with the drainage it requires.
How to water indoor lavender
Lavender can make a wonderful indoor plant, providing your house with gorgeous fragrance throughout the year. Smaller species such as the decorative French Lavender’s are probably some of the most suitable for growing indoors as they won’t get too large.
Again, though it is important to try and simulate lavender’s natural growing conditions as much as possible, so a sunny windowsill in a pot with lots of drainages is a must. It is also important not to overwater your indoor lavender. From Spring to Autumn you should water lavender no more than 3 times a week, allowing the soil to dry out slightly between waterings. Over winter your lavender will only need watering when the soil seems particularly dry, and remember to never let your lavender stand in water.
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