Lavender planting and care at home in the open field

It is impossible to walk past the area where lavender grows. And the point is not even in the luxurious lilac bushes, but in the enchanting aroma that they spray around the neighborhood. And for a minute, frozen near this magic, you are already rushing home at full speed, elated. You need to find out as soon as possible: how capricious lavender plant is, are planting and care difficult, what is it sick of? After all, the fact that from now on it will be in your garden is a question that has already been resolved.

Description: varieties and varieties of lavender

Lavender is an evergreen, rather unpretentious plant widely used in cosmetology and medicine. The scent of lavender has a calming effect and helps relieve headaches. But not only medicinal properties are appreciated in lavender. It is widely used in perfumery and cosmetology. Lavender and cooking did not pass by, because this plant has a specific spicy taste. And in everyday life, dried lavender sprigs are used as a reliable remedy for moths.

There are many varieties of lavender. Which one to plant in your garden - choose according to your taste

More than 25 types of lavender are known, but several varieties are most popular in the garden culture.

Narrow-leaved lavender (English). It is a bush no more than a meter in diameter. The leaves of this variety are medium-sized, narrow, gray-green. Blooms in June and July. The variety is unpretentious and tolerates low temperatures well.

Lavender broadleaf (French). This lavender variety is considered the ancestor of the decorative varieties. It differs from other varieties in a wide color range of inflorescences, as well as a very strong and not always pleasant aroma.

Hybrid lavender (Dutch). This variety is considered the largest. Its bushes can grow up to two meters. It is a natural hybrid of narrow-leaved and broad-leaved varieties. Blooms in July. Its frost resistance is lower than that of narrow-leaved. Refers to industrial grades.

Dutch lavender has the most beautiful flowers

Lavender toothed. One of the most thermophilic varieties. Prefers to grow indoors rather than outdoors. It is the owner of soft silvery leaves and inflorescences of large flowers in all shades of purple.

Planting a plant

Lavender can be propagated in different ways: cuttings, dividing the bush, layering, seeds. Lavender seeds can survive for many years if you follow the rule: store them in sealed containers.

Attention! Lavender seeds need to undergo preliminary processing - stratification. For this, the seeds must be kept at a temperature of +5 ° C for at least two months. Most often, for this purpose, the seeds are mixed into wet sand and placed in a refrigerator.

Lavender seeds can be sown directly outdoors, but certain requirements must be followed.

Lavender seeds

The best time to plant lavender outdoors is October. It is sown to a depth of no more than 4 mm, the soil must be slightly compacted. If the weather is dry, then the seeds can be watered. In winter, the area sown with lavender should be covered with snow as much as possible.

In open ground, you can sow seeds in the spring. To do this, first, in March, you need to remove the seeds in the refrigerator for stratification, and in May sow in open ground in a previously prepared place.

Advice. Choose a place for lavender in a dry and sunny area. This flower does not like waterlogging.

Lavender care

Water the lavender only when the soil is dry. Excessive moisture leads to root decay, but it is not recommended to dry out lavender either.

In autumn and spring, shrubs need to be hilled, and cutting lavender significantly extends the life of the plant. A small pruning can be done immediately after the lavender has faded, but a more significant shortening should be done only at the end of autumn, leaving up to 4-5 new green shoots.

Prune the bushes - this will not only give them a more decorative look, but also benefit the plant.

If your lavender will be hibernating outdoors where temperatures drop below -25 degrees, provide a warm shelter. To do this, it will be enough to cut the bushes before wintering and cover them with branches of coniferous trees.

Attention! Covering lavender with foliage, as is usually done to protect plants from freezing, should not be, this may result in plant decay.

Fertilizing and feeding lavender

In spring, it is recommended to feed lavender with nitrogen fertilizers. To do this, you need to dilute 1 tbsp. l. urea or 2 tbsp. l. "Sodium humate" for 10 liters of water. The consumption of such a solution for 1 bush should be no more than 5 - 6 liters.

At the beginning of flowering, lavender can be fed with a fertilizer solution "Agricola-Fantasy" (it is diluted in a proportion of 2 tablespoons per 10 liters of water). The consumption of this solution is 3-4 liters per one bush.

To make lavender bloom better - feed the plant with mineral fertilizers

Instead of Agricola, a solution of organic fertilizer Rossa Universal is also used, dissolving 2 tbsp. spoons in 10 liters of water. And the third option for feeding: 2 tbsp. l. dilute nitrophosphate and half a liter of liquid mullein in 10 liters of water. The consumption of the last two solutions is 10 liters per bush.

Plant propagation

Lavender is propagated by division, cuttings or layering.

Reproduction by division perhaps when there are already lavender bushes on the site. In summer, lavender produces a lot of young growth. It is something that can be rooted. To do this, you need to cut the plant and huddle in such a way that all the free space between the stems is densely filled with earth. And by the fall, the bush can be divided.

Dividing the lavender bush

The most suitable way to propagate home-grown lavender is propagation by cuttings... To do this, lignified annual shoots should be divided into cuttings no more than 10 cm and rooted.

Propagation of lavender by layering

The easiest breeding method, which is suitable even for novice gardeners, is reproduction by layering... With this method, in the spring, 2-3 shoots are carefully folded back and placed in a groove 3-5 cm deep, fixed, sprinkled with earth and watered.These shoots need to be watered a little more abundantly in order for the formation of lateral roots to occur successfully. After a year, the shoots are already completely independent, and you can plant them from the mother bush.

Diseases and pests

Lavender is not very susceptible to diseases, and parasites attack it infrequently, but this does not mean that nothing like this can happen. Of the diseases, gray rot is most common. Caring for a diseased plant consists in cutting off the damaged parts. The cut off parts must be burned.

Monitor plant health and remove insects

Of the garden pests on lavender, you can find the rainbow beetle eating leaves. You need to collect it from plants by hand. But more often lavender is prone to the dominance of pennies, which do not cause any damage to the plant, but spoil the appearance pretty much, because they cover their larvae with a layer of white foam, which looks very much like saliva. Caring for lavender that has been attacked by pennies is very simple. It is enough to rinse off the foam with a stream of water.

Lavender: Combination with other plants

It is known that smells have a great influence on a person's subconsciousness. Therefore, when growing flowers, it is important that the flowerbed is not only pleasing to the eye, but also enchants with its aroma. When planting plants, it is important to take care not only that the appearance of the flowers complements each other, but also that the floral aromas do not mix. This means that you will have to carefully consider the selection of flowers that you want to plant, otherwise you will hardly be able to rest or recharge in your garden.

Lavender looks very good next to plants with contrasting colors.

Lavender goes very well with sage and catnip. She also looks amazing next to yarrow and garden hydrangea, liatrix, or surrounded by grown herbs and perennials.

Lavender in landscape design

Lavender, planting and caring for which is so easy that any budding gardener can handle it, is ideal for decorating the area. A significant advantage of lavender among other landscaping plants gives a bright and intense color in different shades, from pale pink to bright lilac. This makes it possible to accentuate the grace of any corner of your garden.

Lavender in landscape design

Advice. Use decorative designs to highlight the originality of your flower garden.

There are several options for decorating your garden with these flowering shrubs.

1. Perhaps the most well-known and common way is to plant lavender along paths and sidewalks. This design of your site makes it possible to visually limit, as well as create a clear division of the garden into zones.
2. The second option is to plant the bushes in such a way that the lavender will grow in accordance with the order of the cells on the chessboard. But this type of landing will only work on a completely horizontal surface.
3. Another unusual way to emphasize the originality of a garden plot or flower garden is to form a "carpet" of these shrubs. If you decide to choose this option, you need to immediately determine the height of the lavender and regularly cut it at this level in the same plane. Such a carpet will not become a semblance of a soft grassy one on which you can comfortably sit, but planting shrubs in this way will allow lavender to brilliantly show its color.

Lavender is often planted along paths and fences.

Of course, lavender in landscape design is not as common as planting roses or all kinds of loaches, but this is what will emphasize the uniqueness and originality of the decorative design of your garden.

Growing lavender is the perfect way to highlight your garden or flower garden with color, shape, and an elegant scent that will impress everyone who walks by.

How to plant lavender correctly: video

Lavender in the garden: photo

Lavender is a perennial evergreen semi-shrub plant of the Lamiaceae family. The height is 60-90 cm. The root is woody. The lower shoots branch well. The leaves are small: 1 cm wide and 2.5-6 cm long, located opposite. Lavender is notable for spike-shaped inflorescences of white, pink, blue, lilac, lilac-purple color. It blooms all summer long, exuding a pleasant aroma. By September, the fruits ripen - small brown nuts.

Lavender is native to the Mediterranean. The plant is thermophilic. Lavender is only able to winter outdoors in warm climates. In gardens, it becomes an adornment of alpine slides, rockeries, borders. In cold climates, they are grown in flowerpots - at the first hint of cold, move them indoors. Suitable for growing as a pot crop.

Homemade lavender from seeds

Photo lavender seeds

Growing lavender from seeds is a longer process.

In warm climates, seeds can be sown before winter - they will undergo natural stratification and sprout in spring. In the first year, the plant will grow its root mass, and flowering will come in the next season.

When to plant lavender seeds for seedlings

It is still preferable to plant lavender with seeds for seedlings: sow in late winter (February) in boxes or in early spring (March) for germination in a greenhouse on the street. Stratify the seeds beforehand: Mix seeds with sand, pour into a container, cover with plastic wrap and keep in the vegetable section of the refrigerator for a couple of months until sowing.

• The soil needs to be loose.
• Deepen the seeds by a few millimeters, keeping a distance of 1.5-2.5 cm.
• Moisten crops with a spray bottle.
• Germinate at 15-21 ° C. Maintain moderate soil moisture.

Lavender from seeds photo shoots

• Seedlings will appear in 2-4 weeks.
• Young plants will need 8 hours of daylight hours.
• With the appearance of 2 true leaves, transplant them into separate containers with a mixture of peat and perlite.

Transfer the grown plants together with an earthen lump. Fertilize the soil with granules of nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus. Carry out the next transplant with a growth of about 7.5 cm. Start hardening the seedlings - take them out for several hours in fresh air.

Planting lavender seedlings outdoors

How to plant lavender in the ground photo

Planting in open ground with the establishment of real heat without night frosts.

Seat selection

Find the right spot for good growth and flowering. An open area with bright sunlight is ideal. It will take root in the shade, but do not expect lush flowering. The root system of lavender reacts painfully to high soil moisture - avoid swampy areas, if the groundwater is close, you should build an elevated flower bed.

How to plant

• Dig up the area by adding compost. If the soil is acidic, be sure to add agricultural lime or ash.
• Make the holes corresponding to the size of the root system.
• Transfer lavender with full earthen coma.
• Keep a distance between the bushes equal to the maximum height of the bush (80-120 cm, depending on the species, variety).
• To make the landing look monolithic in the future, reduce this distance by half.
• Deepen the root collar by 5-7 cm. Water abundantly.

Propagation of lavender by cuttings and layering

How to plant lavender cuttings photo

The most popular is vegetative propagation (by cuttings, layering).

• Cuttings root quickly and easily. Do this in early spring or mid-summer.
• Green and lignified cuttings with at least 2 internodes can be rooted.
• Cut the leaves from the bottom, treat with a rooting stimulator and plant the cutting in loose soil, deepening a couple of centimeters, cover with a jar, cut with a plastic bottle or film.
• Air regularly, moisten the soil.

Rooted lavender cuttings ready for planting photo

Start reproduction by layering in the spring. Bend one of the lower shoots to the ground, fix it in place of contact with the soil and sprinkle it with earth, the top should remain on the surface. Water. After about 3 months of active growth, the new plant is ready to separate from the mother bush.

How to care for lavender in the garden

Watering and loosening the soil

Water the lavender as the topsoil dries. Waterlogging leads to yellowing of the shoots and rotting of the root system. Drought will not kill lavender, but bloom will not be as luxurious.

To maintain the optimum moisture level, cover the soil around the bush with decayed foliage, compost, and leave the base of the trunk uncovered.

It is important to regularly loosen the soil, remove weeds.

Top dressing

In the presence of mulch, top dressing can be omitted - the compost and leaves will gradually decompose, feeding the plant.

At the beginning of the growing season, feed with nitrogen fertilizers: dissolve 2 tablespoons of fertilizers in 1 bucket of water and pour around the perimeter of the bushes.

When flowering begins, feed with a complex mineral fertilizer. Also 2 tablespoons of fertilizer per 10 liters of water.

Pruning

Cropping is optional. After flowering, shorten the shoots a couple of centimeters. Be careful in your actions: shortening the shoots to the level of the lignified part can lead to the death of the bush.

Wintering

Lavender bushes overwintering outdoors can withstand temperatures as low as -25 ° C. A shelter should be built, but do not cover with leaves, otherwise the bushes will begin to rot. Better cover with spruce branches.

Diseases and pests

The plant is rarely exposed to diseases and pests.

From an excess of moisture, gray rot may appear - remove the damaged areas, treat with a fungicide. Be sure to adjust your watering.

The scent of the plant protects it from pests. Such a nuisance as pennies is possible - they lay their larvae, covering them with a substance similar to foam. It does not harm, but spoils the decorative effect. Just rinse them off with a jet of water.

Types of lavender with photos and names

There are 45 types. They are classified into 2 groups:

English lavender

English lavender photo

It has narrow leaf plates, elongated spike-shaped inflorescences. They winter hard in the open field.

French lavender

Lavender French French Lavender photo

Has wider leaves and shortened inflorescences. Most often grown as a pot crop. Withstands temperature drop down to -15 ° С.

Let's consider in more detail the popular types:

Lavender real or English, spikelet, narrow-leaved Lavandula angustifolia

Lavender real or English, spikelet, narrow-leaved Lavandula angustifolia ‘Elizabeth’ photo

The bush is 1 m high and wide. There are subspecies 30 cm high. The inflorescences are spicate. The most common type.

Broad-leaved lavender Lavandula latifolia

Lavender broadleaf Lavandula latifolia photo

On one stem there are 3 inflorescences, it has the brightest aroma.

Lavender Dutch hybrid or lavender Lavandula intermedia

Lavender Dutch hybrid or lavandin Lavandula intermedia grosso photo

The result of crossing the two previous species. The bush can reach dimensions of 2 m (height and width). The inflorescences are curved.

Pedunculate lavender Lavandula pedunculata

Pedunculate lavender Lavandula pedunculata photo

Has an unusual bright purple bloom.

Lavender toothed Lavandula dentate

Lavender toothed Lavandula dentate photo

It has soft leaves of a green-silver color. Differs in larger flowers.

Benefits of lavender

In addition to decorating gardens, lavender is used for medicinal, perfumery, and culinary purposes.

Lavender water is found in many cosmetics.

Lavender oil has an antiseptic effect and can be used to lubricate burns.Lavender syrup is used to treat migraines. Infusions are used to treat diseases of the musculoskeletal system.

Brew lavender tea or take a bath with dried buds - it soothes, helps to cope with insomnia.

Lavender can cause allergic reactions.

In cooking, lavender is used as a spice for fish, meat, dry petals are added to sauces, salads, and confectionery is decorated with flowers. Sugar with a lavender aroma is popular in European countries.

Lavender honey is very useful.

Lavender belongs to the category of plants that do not so much attract the eyes as intoxicate the head with their heady scent. This is not to say that its flowering is as gorgeous as that of lilies or roses.

Nevertheless, gardeners find square meters for this interesting plant on their plots, it is very harmoniously combined in it unique sophistication with steppe simplicity. In addition, planting lavender and taking care of this plant in the open field does not cause any particular difficulties.

Choosing a site for planting

The plant is not too spoiled, but for successful cultivation, you need to know what kind of soil lavender loves, and provide it with the necessary conditions.

Illumination. Lavender will feel most comfortable outdoors. She needs a lot of light, so for planting they choose a place well-lit by the sun. In the shade, it will also grow, but it is unlikely that it will be possible to observe abundant and prolonged flowering. In a shady place, the flowers are dull and less fragrant. Soil moisture. Lavender roots are very sensitive to high soil moisture levels. With a strong excess of moisture, the roots will rot, and the plant will gradually wither, and as a result, it may die. This is especially true for narrow-leaved varieties; in an excessively wet area, they immediately begin to hurt.

Therefore, you should not plant the plant in areas of swampy or with a close occurrence of groundwater.

If there are no such places or opportunities, then before planting lavender in open ground, it is better to build some kind of artificial earthen embankment or lower soil moisture due to good drainage layers.

Soil structure. As for the structure and acidity of the soil, here the plant is less demanding and prefers a neutral soil reaction. This can be achieved during the formation of a site for planting lavender: it is dug up and wood ash or lime is added (they most effectively deoxidize the soil).

Lavender grows best in fertile, loose and light soil.

The porous structure can be ensured by adding compost. In addition to being a good baking powder, it also fills the earth with micronutrients.

Breeding options and landing dates

Lavender is propagated by all known methods - seeds, cuttings, layering and division of an adult bush.

Growing from seeds: technology and complexities of the process

Growing lavender from seeds is difficult. Gardeners resort to this method when there is no possibility of acquiring a young healthy plant for planting.

In this case, a stratification procedure is required. Before planting seeds, they are exposed to low temperatures. To do this, the seeds are poured into some kind of container or box, mixed with sand, covered with a bag and placed in the refrigerator at the very bottom (shelf for vegetables).

They are kept in the refrigerator for at least 1.5 months. This will increase the immunity of the plant, it will better tolerate sudden changes in temperature and wintering.

Artificial stratification is carried out in the fall (second and third decade of November), then by the middle of winter it is already possible to plant seeds in pots or containers. The process of growing seedlings from seeds looks like this:

1. Prepare the soil and plant seeds in it.
2. The top of the box is covered with glass or foil, removed to a dark place for 7-10 days.
3. Periodically, the seedlings are watered (it is categorically impossible to fill it).
4. As soon as shoots appear, the container is transferred to a warm and bright place (the room temperature should be from 15 to 22 ° C). Here the seedlings will develop and grow stronger until spring.
5. In the middle of spring, when the soil has already warmed up enough and warm weather sets in, the sprouts are transferred to a permanent place in the garden.

A method of natural stratification is also used - in the last decade of September, seeds are sown immediately in the open field. During the wintering period, the plant will acquire the necessary immunity. But this option is suitable only for the southern regions, in the middle lane, the autumn planting of seeds will lead to their death.

When propagated by seeds, lavender will not bloom in the first year; it must first develop the root system and increase the leaf mass.

Planting by cuttings

The simplest and most effective way to propagate lavender is by cuttings. There is nothing difficult here even for an inexperienced gardener:

• choose a healthy lignified annual shoot and cut it off with a sharp knife;
• divide this shoot into several cuttings;
• in containers prepare the soil necessary for the plant;
• deepen the cuttings into the soil by 2-3 cm;
• create a greenhouse effect by tightening the top with a film or covering it with a plastic (glass) jar;
• further care consists in periodic watering.

The cuttings take root rather quickly, after which they are transplanted to the chosen place.

Disembarkation by layering

Another simple method is to root a branch of the plant.

In the first half of June, a healthy and strong shoot from an adult plant is not cut, but bent to the ground. A special hole is formed under it, where the layering is carefully laid and sprinkled with earth. The tip of the shoot is not placed in the hole and is not sprinkled; it must remain on the surface. So that the branch does not break out of the hole, you can fix it with a wire or place a small weight on top. It is imperative to water the cuttings regularly, and after a couple of months it should form its root system. Now it can be carefully cut off from the mother bush and transplanted to a new place.

By dividing the bush

An adult perennial plant grows over the years with abundant young shoots, and then the lavender can be propagated by dividing the bush. The process is not complicated:

1. Choose a bush that is strong and healthy.
2. At the beginning of summer, all upper shoots are pruned. This is necessary in order for the root system to gain strength.
3. Then the bush is spud so that there is earth between the shoots.
4. All summer lavender should be in this state, and in the fall it is dug up and divided into several parts. This should be done with the utmost care so as not to damage the roots.
5. Divided bushes are planted in new places.

Outdoor care

Planting lavender and caring for it in the open field does not belong to the category of particularly difficult, however, certain rules must be followed.

Watering

Since in nature, lavender mainly grows in mountainous regions, where there is more rainfall, it is used to constant moisture. Here is such an interesting plant - too moist soil does not suit it, while it loves regular watering. It is important to find a middle ground, observe the measure and water the land as soon as it is noticeable that it dries up.

Excessive moisture leads to decay of the root system and yellowing of the green part, and insufficient watering will result in a reduction in the duration of flowering.

In the spring, late summer and autumn, lavender is watered once every 7-10 days. In the hot summer months, the frequency of irrigation is increased up to 2-3 times a week.

Loosening and hilling

This plant, like many others, needs a regular supply of oxygen to the root system, so weed removal, loosening of the soil and hilling are required. When the soil is oxygenated and loose, lavender thrives and produces abundant beautiful flowers.

It is important to know that the root system of lavender does not go deep into the ground.When loosening the soil, you do not need to be too zealous with the tool, so as not to hook the root and not to destroy the plant.

Top dressing

Lavender reacts very well to feeding. Any universal complex of mineral fertilizers, which is sold in specialized stores, is bred according to the instructions and the soil is spilled around the bushes. This is done during the period when flowering is just beginning. In the same way, nitrogen fertilizer is diluted and added, but it is necessary for the plant at the very beginning of the growing season. Nitrogen is indispensable for growth, as it is responsible for the development of green mass and prolongs the growing season. It is for this reason that it cannot be used in July-August - under the influence of fertilization, lavender will not have time to prepare for winter. If you mulch the soil around the lavender bushes with a thick layer of compost, then you can not use fertilizers. Under the influence of external factors, the mulch decomposes and supplies the plant with nutrients.

Pruning

Trimming the lavender is optional, but you can't do without it to form a pretty, lush bush.

The first pruning is done immediately, as soon as the inflorescences wither, the shoots are cut by 2 cm. A more radical shortening is done closer to the end of the warm season, but also without fanaticism (no more than 5 cm).

You can not cut the shoots to the lignified part, otherwise the plant may die.

Due to such a simple event, it will turn out to give the flower bed a more well-groomed look, because lavender itself grows in chaotic bushes.

Disease and pest control

With its rich aroma, lavender repels most harmful insects, it is quite resistant to diseases. But the inspection of the plant should still be carried out regularly.

Garden pests are not afraid of the lavender smell of leafhoppers and rainbow beetles, which climb onto the plant and devour the foliage. They are harvested by hand, but if insects appear again and again, for prevention, you will need to collect and burn all plant debris and layers of old mulch under the bush. With prolonged rains or abundant excessive watering, the shrub can be affected by gray rot. Having found such a problem, first of all, it is necessary to adjust the irrigation regime. The damaged part of the plant is cut off and burned. If the rot damage is already too serious, then the lavender bush is dug up, carefully examined, all rotten parts are removed and transplanted to another place.

Preparation for winter and features of wintering in different regions

If the plant remains on the site in winter, you need to take care of its shelter. And although many argue that lavender survives frosts normally, it is better not to risk it, especially in those regions where the temperature in winter drops below -25 ° C.

In the Urals and Siberia, this procedure is mandatory. On the eve of the onset of cold weather, the plant is cut and covered using agrofibre, burlap, sawdust, and straw. The best option is coniferous branches (such a shelter retains both enough heat and ventilation). To be on the safe side, lavender needs to build a similar shelter on garden plots in the regions of central Russia, in the Moscow region. There is no such need in the southern regions.

Important tip: “What you shouldn't do is cover the lavender with foliage. In this case, the lack of air circulation often provokes rotting of the plant. "

If lavender was grown not in a flower bed, but in decorative flowerpots, then on the eve of the onset of cold weather they are brought into houses, placed in a cool place and significantly reduced watering.

Now, knowing all the subtleties, starting from what kind of soil lavender needs and ending with the methods of its reproduction, even a beginner in the summer cottage business can easily grow a wonderful plant in the plots. Lavender will not only decorate the country landscape with bright saturated colors and aroma, its beneficial properties will come in handy in home medicine and cosmetology.

Agree, it is impossible to walk past the courtyard where lavender blooms.We are not talking about purple bushes, but about the floral scent that soars in the territory of the site. Stunned by everything you saw, you rush home with only one thought. Now you are asking questions: how much lavender is capricious, how difficult is it to plant, how and what does it hurt? After all, now it is not even discussed that this plant will grow in your garden.

Lavender: species

Lavender bush

Lavender is an evergreen shrub that is popular in the fields of cosmetology and alternative medicine. The scent of lavender has a positive effect on the central nervous system, reduces and relieves headaches.

Lavender tea

However, medicinal properties are not all that makes lavender so valuable. It is widely used in perfumery and cosmetology. Cooking is no exception: lavender has a special spicy flavor.

At the moment, mankind has developed more than 25 varieties of lavender shrubs, but only a couple of varieties are used in garden plots.

Narrow-leaved lavender

Narrow-leaved lavender (English) - unpretentious shrub. It tolerates low temperatures without problems. Blooms in mid-summer. The leaves are small, narrow, gray-green in color. The bush is small in size: up to half a meter in radius.

Broadleaf lavender

Broadleaf lavender (French) - one of the first ornamental subspecies of lavender shrub. Its distinctive feature is undoubtedly a wide range of flowers of its buds and a pungent smell.

Hybrid lavender

Hybrid lavender (Dutch) is a large type of lavender. In height, the bush can grow up to 2 meters. Natural mixture of narrow-leaved and French species of this shrub. It tolerates temperature changes worse than English lavender.

Jagged lavender

Lavender toothed - a variety of lavender with soft silver leaves and large flowers of a wide spectrum of violet. This species grows better in indoor conditions than in the fresh air, in open soil.

How to plant?

Outdoor care and cultivation of lavender can be done in the following ways:

• Planting seeds;
• Layers from an existing bush;
• Cuttings;
• By division.

Lavender (and any other) seeds retain the ability to sprout even many years after they are harvested, if you keep the vessel in which the seeds are stored sealed.

Keep in mind that lavender seeds need to be stratified first: let them sit for more than 2 months in a room with a temperature of about five degrees above zero. To achieve this temperature, the seeds are often kneaded with wet sand and the consistency is placed in the refrigerator.

If necessary, seeds can be sown immediately, but first, read a number of recommendations:

Lavender seeds

The best time of the year to plant lavender is mid-fall. The depth of planting seeds is no more than 4 mm, then trample the soil. If at the time of planting the relative humidity of the air is low, water the seeds with water. In the winter season, the lavender-covered squares should be covered with snow.

Planting seeds

Spring is in second place in terms of conditions for sowing lavender. Here it is necessary to prepare for the entire spring season and plant only in early June: in early March, stratify the seeds, and in late May - early June, sow the previously prepared area.

Do not choose a shady spot that is too humid for planting lavender. The lavender bush does not tolerate moisture saturation. Experienced gardeners recommend preparing a dry, sunny place for seedlings.

Caring for lavender outdoors

Watering lavender

Watering the bush is carried out only when the earth is completely dry. Excessive moisture promises root rot, however, excessive drought should also not be allowed.

In the spring and autumn seasons, you should spud the lavender bush. Shrub trimming can significantly extend the lifespan of lavender.Small pruning of the shrub is allowed immediately after the beginning of flowering of the bush, and it is recommended to do serious pruning closer to autumn and leave 4-6 young green shoots.

Trimming the lavender bush

For many, where in winter the air temperature reaches 25 degrees Celsius below zero, lavender remains to winter in open soil. The first step is to prepare the lavender for the cold: trim the bush and cover it with several branches of any coniferous tree.

Fertilizer, groundbait

In March, fertilize lavender with nitrogen fertilizers. Recommended mixture: 1 tbsp. spoon of urea (you can use 2 tablespoons of sodium humate) to 10 liters of water. For each lavender bush, use up to 6 liters of the resulting liquid.

As soon as the bush begins to bloom, slowly feed the bush with a solution of Argikola fertilizer: two tablespoons to 10 liters of water. For each bush, spend up to 4 liters of the resulting liquid.

There are several solutions of other fertilizers that can be mixed instead of "Argikola":

• Org. fertilizer "Rossa universal", 2-3 tbsp. spoons of which are diluted in 10,000 ml. water. It is consumed for each bush - 10,000 ml. mixtures.
• Nitrophoska (2 tablespoons) and liquid mullein (500 ml), mixed in 10,000 ml. water. It is consumed for each bush - 10,000 ml. mixtures.

Plant propagation

Reproduction of lavender by division

In garden conditions, our plant reproduces by division, cuttings, layering.

• In the hot season, lavender forms escapes... These are exactly what we will use to increase the number of lavender bushes available. We will sprinkle and trim the bush so that it is possible to pour soil into the gap between the stems.

• Propagation by cuttings ideal for those who are fond of growing and further caring for lavender not outdoors, but indoors. It is necessary to cut annual shoots lengthwise into ten-centimeter sticks and plant them in the soil

• Reproduction by layering - the simplest breeding method, ideal for all novice gardeners. In this case, in the spring, a couple of twigs are gently folded back and placed in previously dug pockets up to 4-6 cm deep, fixed, covered with soil from above and watered.

Branch shoots need to be watered more so that they will surely give lateral roots. After a year, the layering can be planted from the main shrub, because now they are completely independent plants.

Diseases and parasites

Gray rot

Lavender does not get sick so often and it does not attract parasites, but this does not give a 100% guarantee that disease shrubs and insects will not be touched. The main disease that haunts lavender is gray rot. In this disease, the damaged parts of the shrub should be cut off and disposed of.

Rainbow beetle

Parasites that destroy the garden species of lavender include the rainbow bug. He gnaws at the leaves of the bush. The only solution to this problem is collecting beetles by hand.

Despite the scale of damage to lavender from the rainbow beetle, it can be "surpassed" by pennies, or rather their dominance. Pennies do not cause any damage to the plant, however, they greatly spoil the appearance with their coating of larvae. Here the solution to the problem is quite trivial: just wash off the white coating with a gentle stream of water.

How lavender behaves with other plants

It has been proven that smells seriously affect the human body and its subconscious. It is for this reason, when planting flowers, that the flower bed should both externally please and smell fragrant.

When planting lavender bushes interspersed with other plants, you don't need to worry too much about the appearance of the bouquet. It is better to pay attention to whether the aromas of the plants are mixed. If "no" - great! If they mix, then you will have to revise the resulting "mixes" and plant incompatible plants from each other. Observing all these conditions, you can easily and relax.

Lavender with mint

A mixture of lavender and sage is a great option.Also, a great addition will be a mix of herbs.

Lavender in landscape design

Ideal for decorating a garden, lavender can be handled by any budding gardener, as caring for and planting lavender is so easy.

Lavender garden

The main difference between lavender and its siblings is its bright and rich colors, which range from pink to purple. Using this distinction of lavender wisely, you can distinguish your garden from thousands of others or focus on a specific area.

Don't ignore the decoration. It competently emphasizes the individuality of the garden area.

There are a couple of successful ways to decorate a garden with lavender:

1. The most common and popular way is to plant lavender in parallel with the paths.... Such decorative elements will allow you to visually outline the boundaries of your site and clearly divide the site into a garden and other areas.

2. Planting shrubs in a checkerboard pattern... However, this method can only be used on absolutely horizontally level ground.

3. Perhaps one of the most unusual ways to highlight your garden plot or flower bed. Its meaning lies in the formation of a "carpet" of lavender bushes... Using this method of decorating a garden plot, immediately determine for yourself the height of the lavender bush and tune in to cut the "carpet" to this length. Yes, such a "carpet" will not be as soft as grassy, ​​but it gives lavender the opportunity to perfectly manifest its light.

Care and planting of lavender in the Moscow region: pitfalls

Due to its climatic and peculiarities (in particular, because of the weather), in the Moscow region, unfortunately, you can grow one single type of lavender - narrow-leaved.

Narrow-leaved lavender

In this region, lavender is used abundantly as an indispensable element in garden decoration. In particular, for drawing up flower beds and flower beds. Also, lavender is popular with families where aromatherapy is practiced. In addition to all of the above, the flowers of this shrub are loved to be used as a medicine.

Lavender grown from a seed is much more resistant to external influences than other ways. In the Moscow region, lavender shrubs are planted in open soil in June. The subsequent care of the shrub remains unchanged.

Shrub care consists of the following components:

• Irrigation;
• Fertilizing the soil;
• Pruning;
• Preparation for wintering and wintering itself;
• Digging up the soil;
• Weed, disease and pest control.

Care and planting of lavender in the Urals

Leaving and planting lavender in the Urals is not easy, but, as they say, "Nothing is impossible if you try!" It is only necessary to take into account the complex features of this region.

The main specific factor of the territory of the Urals is the frequent damping off of plants. To prevent this, Ural growers advise to provide moderate irrigation without any stagnation of moisture.

Lavender growing in vases

In the Urals, the cultivation of lavender in vases is practiced. The main advantage is mobility: when cold weather sets in, lavender can be moved from the fresh air to the room in a few minutes. The bush is prepared for wintering by moving it to a cool place and reducing irrigation to a minimum.

The most popular way of propagation of lavender in the Urals is by seed. Using the rest of the methods, you will not achieve good results. Also, the plant does not tolerate transplants.

Dried twigs should be cut off. This will increase the life of the shrub.

Care and planting of lavender in Siberia

Here, the main criterion when choosing a lavender variety is frost resistance. Only narrow-leaved lavender has this characteristic.

The main task in the care and planting of lavender in Siberia is to observe all the traditional courtship, which was mentioned earlier.

Shelter for the winter

Lavender loves warmth, so it's worth getting ready for wintering thoroughly.In Siberia, this stage should be carried out, as they say, conscientiously.

Due to the strong and sharp changes in temperature in Siberia, in addition to the usual shelter with branches of coniferous trees, it is necessary to cover lavender bushes with burlap or agrofibre.

Due to the severe frost, the bushes should be pruned in the spring. First, completely dry stems are cut, the next are damaged ones. In autumn, before severe frosts, it is strongly discouraged to prune plants due to the protection of numerous plant stems from freezing.

Otherwise, everything is the same as in other regions.

Care and planting of lavender in the Leningrad region

In the Leningrad Region, gardeners practice the cultivation of narrow-leaved lavender (mainly for medicinal purposes). Care and planting of lavender in the Leningrad region does not differ in any way from the cultivation of lavender in the Moscow region. The climate there and there is moderate and gentle.

The seeds are planted in open soil in the tenths of March, immediately after the end of the frost, as it begins to warm. Seedlings are transplanted into the soil only at the beginning of June.

Sowing lavender before winter frosts is highly discouraged. The reason is simple: the seeds may simply not sprout in extreme cold conditions.

Conclusion

Agree, not many people use lavender to decorate their garden. Various roses and loaches are popular here, but it is lavender that will highlight your garden plot.

If you set out to fill your garden with an enchanting scent, but also not to lose sight of its appearance, lavender is the perfect assistant in solving this problem.