Lavender planting and care outdoors in the kuban

Foreword

Lavender is a perennial evergreen shrub from the Yaroslavl family. This thermophilic plant is widespread throughout the world. In its natural state, it grows in the Canary Islands, India, Africa and southern Europe. In the middle lane, planting and caring for lavender outdoors is a laborious task, but this plant is popular with many gardeners.

Features of growing lavender

Lavender fields can be seen not only in France

This plant prefers the southern regions, although many varieties have been bred for open ground in the middle zone and the Urals. In climates with harsh winters, lavender is often grown in flowerpots and containers. Some varieties are used as annuals.

Lavender blooms in lilac or blue flowers with an exquisite scent. Its flowering time depends on the species. In the middle lane, the plant blooms for two months - from July to August. In the south, some species can have two phases of flowering: first in spring, then, after a break, at the end of summer.

What climate is suitable for

The cultivated species are divided into two groups: English and French lavender. They have different winter hardiness.

French lavender is a gentle, thermophilic plant that cannot stand the cold. It originated from the southern regions of Europe and is considered a symbol of Provence.

It is grown in soil in the Crimea and in the south of the Krasnodar Territory, and in colder climates it is cultivated as a pot culture. At frosts below –15 ° C, the plant dies.

The diameter of the pot should be at least 30 cm, as the lavender roots need space

English lavender is quite unpretentious and has good winter hardiness. It is grown in the open field of the middle lane. It tolerates temperatures down to –25 ° C, but where winters are harsh or with little snow, shrubs need shelter.

This type of lavender is widespread in the Kuban. Domestic breeders based on it have developed varieties intended for cultivation in many regions of Russia.

Role in landscaping

Graceful lavender bushes can decorate any area. The plant is versatile and great for any composition. Some of the options:

• Lavender is a mountain plant that blends seamlessly into rocky landscapes. It is often used to decorate alpine slides and rockeries.

  When planting lavender in a rock garden, take into account the height of nearby plants

• Low-growing species are often grown in containers and flowerpots. They decorate balconies, terraces, gazebos. Bushes in hanging pots not only decorate the exterior of the house, but also repel insects.

  You need to put pots with lavender in lighted areas, the plant needs long-term sunlight

• Lavender is great for single lawn plantings. In mixborders, it forms spectacular combinations with bright orange, yellow, white and dark purple flowers and herbs. It is often planted together with sage, poppy, sedum.

  Lavender paths are a typical feature of the English garden

• Overgrown lavender is a good border for the site and flower garden. It will decorate even the most unsightly metal mesh. In the south, lavender forms a fragrant hedgerow that not only limits the site but also repels insects. In the middle lane, there are varieties up to 60 cm in height, which are also planted along fences and near the walls of buildings.

  Care should be taken not to overgrow the lavender curbs.

• Lavender is often used as a planting material to strengthen the slopes. It is planted along with juniper, rhododendron, lilac and many other plants.

  You can also use different types of ivy to strengthen the slopes.

• Fragrant lavender bushes will be a wonderful decoration for a garden path. It is necessary to ensure that they have the same height, and cut them in time.
• The plant is often planted with roses, especially with varieties that have large and bright buds. They form ideal combinations not only in color, but also in smell.

  Lavender and roses - traditionally bright and fragrant tandem

• Lavender can be used to decorate flower beds with herbs. It is planted with mint, thyme, sage, oregano and other aromatic herbs.
• Fragrant bushes are used not only in flower beds, but also in the garden. Their smell is an excellent repellent that many pests cannot tolerate.

Popular varieties

In total, there are about 37 types of lavender in the world. Only two of them are used as cultural ones: French and English.

French

French lavender has wide leaves and lush buds with a distinct aroma. Flowers have a wide range of shades: white, pink, lilac, burgundy. French lavender blooms twice: in April or early May and mid-August.

French lavender is a wonderful honey plant - its nectar attracts bees

English

English Lavender (Narrow-leaved, or Medicinal, or Angustifolia) is a plant with silvery-green leaves and small bluish-lilac flowers. It gives many shoots with a whitish edge, which is why it acquires a bluish tint. The bushes bloom in July and bloom for about two months.

The plant is of great industrial value - it is used to obtain essential oils and medicines

Dutch

Hybrid Dutch lavender, derived from English, is very popular with gardeners. This is a plant with large peduncles, reaching two meters in height. It blooms in July. Dutch lavender has less winter hardiness than English lavender.

Most Popular Hybrid Lavender Varieties: Alba, Arabian Knight, Sawyers, Grosso, Richard Gray

Jagged lavender with carved leaves and large fragrant flowers is widely known. It is used as a houseplant.

In the open field, this thermophilic shrub grows only in the Crimea and the Mediterranean.

Planting methods

Lavender on the site is grown in three ways: seeds, cuttings and layering. It reproduces easily vegetatively and gives a lot of young growth for reproduction. But if you want to plant a new variety, then you can try growing a plant from seeds - it's not that difficult.

Sowing seeds

Growing lavender from seeds has its advantages: their price is low - much lower than that of seedlings or cuttings.With proper seed treatment, plants grown from them acquire good immunity.

Lavender seeds retain the ability to germinate for a long time

Seeds must be stratified before planting. This procedure improves their germination and increases the resistance of future seedlings to diseases and cold weather. Stratification is done in two ways:

• Natural. Seeds are planted in the fall in the ground. During the winter, they will be exposed to low temperatures, their germination and adaptability will increase. This method is not suitable for the middle zone - the seeds may die from frost. If the climate is quite warm, then sowing is done in October. The seeds are planted at a depth of 4 mm and compacted. If the land is dry, then irrigate. In winter, the planting site is covered with snow.
• Artificial. The seeds are placed in a container with wet sand and mixed, put it in the lower drawer of the refrigerator for one and a half to two months. Seeds are planted on seedlings in the second half of February - early March, so stratification is carried out from late December - early January.

Light soil must be prepared for seedlings. Three parts of garden or forest soil are mixed with one part of sand. If the soil is not fertile enough, humus is added to it. You can also buy ready-made seedling soil from a flower shop. Landing is done as follows:

1. Seeds are rarely planted in a container, since the roots of lavender immediately begin to grow;
2. They are not buried - they are only sprinkled on top with a thin layer of sifted earth;
3. Moisten the soil;
4. The container with seeds is covered with glass or tightened with plastic wrap, then placed in a warm, bright place.

Seeds germinate for a long time. In two weeks, single shoots will appear, and mass shoots will appear in a month. After their appearance, the shelter is removed from the seedlings. When two true leaves appear at the seedlings, they are dived into separate pots or cups. In order for the seedlings to grow strong and healthy, they need proper care:

• The containers must be drained to prevent water stagnation. For this, there must be holes in the bottoms. Additionally, a small layer of pebbles is placed there.
• You need to water the seedlings at the root, for which you can use a medical syringe.
• If the soil is compacted, then it is loosened with a toothpick.
• For proper development, plants need ten hours of daylight. If there is not enough light, they make a backlight.
• If it is warm enough in April, then the seedling boxes can be placed in the greenhouse.

Seedlings are transplanted into open ground 60 days after germination. In the middle lane, planting is carried out at the end of June, when the soil warms up enough.

Lavender seeds can also be planted directly into the soil. Planting is carried out in May, when the threat of frost has passed.

Plant propagation

This is the fastest and most effective way to propagate lavender. Cuttings are carried out in the same way as in other plant species:

Cuttings from last year's shoots must be pre-soaked before planting in a root formation stimulator

1. An annual shoot is cut with a sharp knife.
2. Cut into cuttings 8-10 cm long.
3. They are planted in light soil, rooting 2-3 cm.
4. Cover with a small greenhouse on top.

The soil must be constantly moist. After three to six weeks, the cuttings will develop roots, after which they can be transplanted to a permanent place.

Reproduction by layering

It happens quickly and easily. To obtain layering at the beginning of summer, the lower shoot is bent to the ground and placed in a previously prepared groove. To keep it in place, it is fixed with wire and sprinkled with earth. The shoot is regularly watered with water. After two months, he will develop roots, after which he is separated from the bush and transplanted to a permanent place.

Landing in the ground

For children, the smell of lavender helps with increased excitability and sleep problems

In order for the bushes to grow lush, they need to be planted rarely.50-60 cm are left between ordinary seedlings, about 100 cm between tall ones. Lavender prefers light, air-permeable soils. The earth must have a slight alkaline reaction, for which you can add some ash or lime to it.

Before planting, the earth is dug up and the roots of the plants are removed. The seedling is placed in a prepared hole, the roots are straightened and covered with earth so that the root collar is deepened by 4–6 cm. The plant is watered abundantly. Lavender blooms in its second year after planting.

The plant has some features to consider when choosing a planting site:

• This is a light-loving shrub that is planted in sunny places. Young plants are shaded so that they are not burnt by the sun.
• Lavender loves moisture. In dry summers, it needs to be watered frequently. It is better not to plant the plant where it is difficult to organize watering.
• Lavender is a good honey plant that attracts bees. It should not be planted near places where children play. Also, don't plant lavender under your bedroom windows. The strong odor and essential oils it releases can cause headaches, allergies, and disrupt sleep.
• The plant does not like stagnant moisture, so there must be good drainage at the planting site. It can be organized from broken bricks.

Care in the garden from the moment of planting in the open ground

Post-planting lavender care takes place from early spring to late fall. She will thank you for the care with abundant flowering.

Care during growth and flowering

After the end of winter (before the start of sap flow), the plants are pruned. They are given a rounded shape and frozen twigs are removed. The bushes are pruned as follows:

• remove old dried shoots that can cause plant diseases;
• the height of the bush is reduced by 1/3. You can't cut it anymore, otherwise it may die.

  Pruning needs to be done every year

Lavender loves fertilizers. She quickly assimilates them, which has a beneficial effect on growth and flowering. In the spring, the intensive growth of the shrub begins - nitrogen fertilizer is applied under it. In the summer, when the buds develop and flowering begins, the plants are fed with potassium-phosphorus fertilizers. Top dressing is carried out several times during the summer with an interval of half a month.

During the entire warm period, the bushes are regularly loosened and weeded. This is especially important for young plants, since otherwise their roots will lack oxygen, and weeds will drown them out. To facilitate maintenance, the soil around the plants is mulched, for which tree bark or special mixtures are used.

Lavender is a moisture-loving plant, but it should be watered in moderation. Watering is done only when the soil dries up. In hot dry seasons, the bushes are watered 1-2 times a week. In the off-season, watering can be reduced to once every 14 days. Moisture is especially needed for young seedlings, they need to be watered more often.

Preparing for winter

Usually the plant is cut off before wintering, but this has its opponents.

How lavender will cope with the winter depends on its placement on the site. Plants should be protected from the wind by other plantings. The landing site should not be close to groundwater.

Pruning plants for the winter is a controversial issue. Sprawling bushes trap snow and form a good shelter. On the other hand, long shoots can freeze and break when the wind blows. Therefore, it is up to the owner of the site to decide whether autumn pruning is needed.

English lavender tolerates winter well. In regions with a warm climate, it should not be covered. If in winter the temperature drops below -25 ° C or there is little snow, then the bushes freeze. The hardest of all the plant tolerates not winter frosts, but spring thaw with subsequent frosts, when ice forms on the soil. Air does not reach the roots, and the plant can rot. To prevent this, the bushes are covered as follows:

• branches are tied to prevent snow from getting inside;
• the soil around the bush is mulched abundantly;
• the bushes are covered with pine or spruce branches.

A layer of fallen leaves is not suitable for shelter - the bushes under it begin to rot.

French lavender does not endure the winter well. She needs to be covered especially carefully. Each plant is spud and wrapped in straw. A shelter is erected above the bushes from a thick layer of spruce branches and brushwood. In winter, lavender must sometimes be visited to check if the shelter has been blown away by the wind.

Plants in pots are never allowed to winter outdoors. It is also undesirable to bring them into a warm apartment. The pots can be put for the winter in a glassed-in veranda, in a greenhouse or in an insulated loggia. If you still carry lavender into your apartment for the winter, then in the spring you need to cut off all winter shoots.

Video: preparing lavender for winter

Growing problems

Lavender can be susceptible to fungal infections. The cause of their occurrence may be improper care, an abundance of weeds, and adverse weather conditions. Possible problems and solutions:

• In a cold, humid summer with sharp changes in temperature, the inflorescences and stems of the plant sometimes begin to turn brown and become covered with a grayish coating. This gray mold is a known fungal disease. To eliminate it, preventive measures are taken: diseased shoots are cut and destroyed. Row spacing should be thoroughly weeded.
• Sometimes lavender cuttings, as well as mature plants, begin to wilt. A white or pink coating forms on their root collar. These are signs of defeat by fusarium wilt. To prevent disease, plants and soil are treated with chemicals. Old bushes need to be rejuvenated regularly.
• On young shoots of plants, yellowish spots sometimes appear, which later become gray. Shoots dry quickly and curl, covered with black dots. These are signs of stem phomaosis. In order to prevent its spread, the affected shoots are destroyed. Plants are treated with Bordeaux liquid and other preparations.

Provide the plant with light, otherwise it will definitely wither and look bad.

Lavender is also attacked by pests. Sometimes, in hot weather, the leaves and stems of the plant begin to wither, whitish cobwebs appear on them. These are signs of spider mite damage. The pest drinks the juices of the plant, which is why the young shoots die. To combat it, lavender is sprayed with soapy water, and special agents are used - acaricides and insectoacaricides.

Often, the bushes are attacked by pennies, which lay eggs on stems and leaves. They cover their masonry with foam. To destroy them, the bushes are washed with a strong stream of water.

A rainbow beetle sometimes appears on French lavender bushes. This pest eats leaves and young shoots. It is collected by hand and destroyed.

Features of cultivation in different regions

In the Moscow region, lavender is unlikely to take root in areas with clay soil

Planting and caring for lavender in the Moscow region, the Leningrad region and in the Urals are successful, mainly English varieties are grown in the open field.

In the Moscow region and the Moscow region, it is better to use seedlings for breeding. Plants grown from it are more resistant to temperature extremes and diseases. Seedlings are planted in the ground in early June. On clay soils, lavender develops poorly - it prefers loams with an alkaline or neutral reaction. In autumn, the bushes are cut to a lignified part and covered with spruce branches for the winter. You cannot close them tightly - due to mild winters and frequent thaws, plants often rot. Shelters should be made breathable.

In the Leningrad Region, you cannot plant seeds before winter - they will freeze out. The soils in this region are acidic and poor in humus, so they have to be improved. Plants are best planted in higher elevations, as it can be very humid in the lower areas.

The climate of the Urals is very different in different regions.In the mild natural conditions of the Southern Urals, lavender is much easier to grow than in the north. Cold-resistant varieties are used for the northern regions. Lavender seeds must be stratified before planting. Adaptation of seedlings is necessary in the northern regions. It is planted in open ground in June, and seeds in May. During the growing season, it is necessary to make additional feeding of plants: in the spring - with organic fertilizers, in the summer - with potash or universal fertilizers. Spring pruning is necessary to form bushes and remove dead branches. Faded peduncles are cut off in autumn. For the winter, the soil is abundantly mulched and the bushes are covered with spruce branches.

It is also possible to grow frost-resistant lavender varieties in Siberia. Seeds must be stratified before planting, the seedlings are hardened. For the winter, the plants are covered with brushwood and spruce branches.

Useful Growing Reviews

Lavender is a southern plant and cultivating it in cold climates requires work and patience. But if you properly care for it, cut and cover it for the winter, you will get healthy and strong bushes. They will delight you with abundant flowering.

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The delicate aroma of lavender, enchanting and unique, envelops itself, relaxing and calming, and as if transports to a magical land where worries and sorrows do not exist. But the planting of lavender in open ground is carried out by the owners of summer cottages not only for the sake of the magical smell of the plant. When its seemingly modest fluffy bushes are covered with bright lilac flowers, turning a modest border into a magnificent living carpet, it is impossible to look away from this beauty. Growing lavender in the garden will not be difficult, but caring for it will still require some skill.

Choosing a place for a shrub

The basis for the full development of a plant in the open field, high decorativeness of its bushes, lush and long flowering is the correct planting. Lavender is photophilous, so it is better to place it in the country in open areas that receive the maximum amount of sunlight during the day. It can actively grow in the shade, but this will have a bad effect on its flowering. A warm climate is preferable for a shrub, it does not tolerate cold well. In the northern regions, it is better to plant it not in open ground, but in flowerpots, which are immediately removed into the heat when the temperature drops. All plant varieties are suitable for potting.

Excessive soil moisture is contraindicated for lavender; in such conditions, its roots quickly rot. Therefore, a future flowerbed or border should not be broken in areas with swampy soil or in damp lowlands. It is also important to take into account the level of occurrence of groundwater, they should not come close to the surface. If the soil in the place where the flowers are supposed to be planted does not meet the moisture requirements, good drainage will help to solve the problem.

The culture is demanding on the quality and structure of the soil. Preferred for her is a soil with a neutral reaction. To achieve it, the site on which it is planned to plant the plants is dug up, having previously sprinkled lime or wood ash over it. Providing proper care for lavender will be difficult if you don't stock up on compost in advance. It will give the soil the necessary lightness and looseness, as well as increase its fertility. The answer to this concern will be the luxurious flowering of the plant.

Much also depends on the biological characteristics of the selected variety. Broad-leaved lavender varieties are more hardy, so they will thrive in semi-shaded areas in the garden. They can also be planted in slightly acidic soil. Narrow-leaved plant varieties will require more complex care.They endure cold weather, but high soil moisture is destructive for them, and if they stay under a thick snow cover for a long time, lavender bushes can die from damping.

Landing features

It is not difficult to plant these mountain flowers. To do this, you can use:

• cuttings;
• layering;
• seeds;
• mother bush by dividing it.

Most often, planting lavender in open ground is carried out by seeds. They are sown into the soil in October, deepening 4 mm from its surface and slightly compacting the soil in the garden. If the autumn turned out to be dry, the procedure is completed with watering. In order for crops to survive the winter cold well, they are covered with a thick layer of snow.

Advice

In sealed containers, lavender seeds can be stored for many years without losing their high germination ability.

The successful cultivation of flowers in the garden is possible with spring sowing. But it will require preliminary preparation. In early spring, the seeds, mixed with wet sand, are placed in a refrigerator, where they are stored at a low temperature (best around + 5 ° C) for 2 months. After the completion of stratification, in May, they can be planted in the ground, using them to create an unusual flower bed or a luxurious border in the country. Seedlings will bloom only after 1–2 years, when their root system is sufficiently developed.

When choosing a place for a flower bed, it is worth considering that adult plants often do not take root during transplantation. If it is still necessary, then the procedure must be carried out carefully, making sure that the roots are in a voluminous lump of soil. To make lavender bushes lush, they are rarely placed on a flower bed, at a distance equal to the maximum height. In curb landings, this interval is halved. Then the hedge will turn out slender and give the impression of solidity.

It is even easier to propagate the plant with cuttings that root quickly and easily. They are placed in loose soil, covered with a film, after which it remains only to provide future seedlings with regular soil moisture. It is not necessary to deepen the cuttings, a distance of 1-2 cm from the surface is enough. After rooting, they are carefully dug up and placed on the prepared area.

The subtleties of dressing and watering

Caring for lavender in the open field provides for several activities that will have to be carried out alternately throughout the growing season. Plants need to be fed regularly. It is better to use fertilizers with a high potassium and low nitrogen content for this. It is not worth using manure to enrich the soil: an excess of nitrogen in the soil is fraught with the fact that lavender bushes will actively branch, delighting with dense juicy greens, but they form few buds.

Watering should be done in moderation. The plant does not like excess moisture, but it also does not tolerate its lack, responding to it with meager flowering. It is worth starting watering lavender in the garden only when the topsoil in the garden dries well.

High hilling and mulching of the beds will help to keep the moisture necessary for plants in the soil, as well as to increase its porosity. Both procedures are carried out regularly - in the spring and autumn. They also increase the decorative effect of lavender bushes, influencing the formation of young shoots on their trunks. Decayed foliage works well for mulching. You can also purchase special multi-colored substrates in the store, which will make the beds even more attractive. The procedure will require attention. To prevent rotting of the flower, the soil at the base of its trunk is left uncovered.

Caring for a plant in the open field involves its systematic pruning. It increases the lifespan of lavender bushes. It is carried out twice: after the end of flowering and towards the end of the growing season. When the buds of the plant wither, it is enough to shorten the stems on which they were located by 1-2 cm. Autumn care is more intense, it involves the removal of most of the old shoots from the bush.No more than 4-5 young stems are left on it.

Preparation for winter and possible difficulties

Growing lavender successfully in areas with harsh winters, where the temperature drops to -25 ° C, is possible, but for this it will need to be reliably insulated. After cutting flowers on the eve of the first frost, they should be tightly covered with spruce branches. It will help the plant survive a difficult period for it.

Advice

Dry foliage cannot be used to shelter lavender bushes. Due to the high moisture content of the soil under it, rot can affect them. The likelihood of damping out is also high in such conditions.

For lavender care in the garden to be complete, it is important to arm yourself with the knowledge of the possible problems that growing a shrub can bring. The greatest danger for him is gray rot. To prevent its rapid spread and death of plantings, regular inspection of the flower bed will help with the removal and immediate burning of the infected plant areas.

Gray rot creates favorable conditions for the reproduction of the penny, in which it lays its larvae. On lavender bushes, an ugly white foam appears that looks like saliva and protects the insect's offspring from predators. It does not harm them, but spoils the decorativeness of the plantings. It is not difficult to remove it from the plants; it is enough to wash off the formation with a water jet.

Planting lavender in a summer cottage is a beneficial solution from all sides. Its single bushes will become an elegant decoration of a flower bed or garden, and numerous ones will form a lush curb from which it will be impossible to take your eyes off. During their long flowering, they will fill the air with a delicate, mesmerizing aroma. The cultivation of this mountain shrub is also practical: dangerous garden pests - the Colorado potato beetle and the moth - do not tolerate its smell. Just plant the plants between the roots and you don't have to worry about the safety of the crop.

Caring for lavender is not difficult, but you still have to devote time to it. Choosing the right site for planting, competent watering and feeding, mulching and hilling beds, pruning - performing these simple procedures will allow you to achieve the desired result.

In the article we discuss lavender - planting and care in the open field, popular varieties, pests and diseases, breeding methods. You will learn how to plant lavender by seed, cuttings and plant division, how to properly water, prune and fertilize bushes, and how to care for lavender in winter.

Types and varieties of lavender

There are many varieties of lavender to grow in your backyard

Lavender is an evergreen shrub of the Yasnosotkovye family with a fibrous woody root up to 2 m long. In the lower part of the plant there are a large number of lignified shoots up to 60 cm high. Silvery greenish leaves with soft pubescence grow along the shoots. Fragrant blue-lilac flowers are collected in spike-shaped inflorescences of 6-10 pieces.

There are more than 25 types of lavender - varieties and types differ from each other in thermophilicity, shoot height, color range of inflorescences and flowering period.

Narrow-leaved or English lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) - bushes up to 50 cm high with narrow leaves and small inflorescences. Blooms in June and July. It is considered the best variety for growing lavender in the Urals - planting and care is quite simple. Winter hardy, withstands frosts down to -35 ° C. The greatest demand in horticultural culture is enjoyed by such varieties as:

• Alba - white inflorescences;
• Rosea - lilac-pink inflorescences;
• Manstad - bright blue inflorescences.

Lavender broadleaf or French (Lavandula stoechas) - bushes with inflorescences of various shades, from purple and emerald to pink and white. Blooms in April and May, sometimes in late summer. The most popular varieties:

• Yellow Vale - dark purple inflorescences and yellow-green leaves;
• Rocky Road - large purple-blue inflorescences;
• Helmsdale - lilac-burgundy inflorescences.

Hybrid or Dutch lavender (Lavandula x intermedia) - large plants up to 2 m high with oblong flowers. Blooms in July. Used for growing on an industrial scale. Most often used in gardening:

• Alba - white inflorescences;
• Sawyers - light purple inflorescences;
• Arabian Knight - dark purple or dark blue inflorescences;
• Richard Gray - dark purple inflorescences.

Toothed lavender (Lavandula dentata) - bushes with embossed silvery leaves. Blooms in July. One of the most thermophilic species, grown only indoors. Popular variety - Royal Crown with purple inflorescences.

Planting lavender outdoors

In open ground lavender can be planted with seeds and seedlings

For lavender to bloom profusely, choose the right planting site in open ground:

• the site must be well lit;
• avoid areas with too wet soil, otherwise, make a drainage layer near the roots of the plant at the bottom of the planting pit;
• If the soil in your area is acidic or slightly acidic, add lime or wood ash to the seed holes.

When to plant lavender outdoors:

• seeds directly into the ground - at the end of autumn;
• seedlings - at the end of May.

Seedling lavender

Before planting lavender seeds for seedlings, prepare a container and potting mix. Mix 2 parts humus and 1 part river sand. Sift the mixture until the lumps disappear completely and place in the oven at 130ºC. Pour the treated soil onto a drainage layer in a container for growing lavender.

In February - March, sprinkle the seeds over the surface of the potting mix, sprinkle with sand with a layer of 3 mm thick, moisten with water and cover with plastic wrap. Place the container with seedlings in a well-lit area with a temperature of 15-22ºC. Raise the cover periodically to ventilate the crops. When the first shoots appear, remove the cover and plant the shoots at a distance of 5 cm.

How to plant lavender in the ground in spring

Prepare the planting site at the end of May. Dig up the soil to a depth of 20 cm and loosen the soil well. Add compost or peat under the digging.

How to plant lavender:

1. Dig holes every 80-90 cm. The depth of each hole should be such that the root system of the bush fits freely into the depression.
2. Trim the roots of the seedlings.
3. Plant each bush in a hole and bury it.
4. Water all seedlings liberally.

Sowing lavender in the winter in the fall

Sowing lavender seeds in open ground is effective only in warm climates. If your area has mild winters, follow these rules:

• In October, prepare the soil on the site - add peat for digging and add sand or fine gravel if the soil is too wet.
• Sow seeds 3-4 cm deep.
• Compact the soil after sowing.
• In dry weather, water the seeds, but not too abundantly.
• At the beginning of winter, cover the area with snow.

Lavender care

With seed propagation, lavender begins to bloom in the 2nd or 3rd year. To see the long-awaited lavender flowers faster, plant and care for the plant taking into account the peculiarities of its cultivation.

Growing conditions

Lavender roots need good air circulation, so add a layer of rotten foliage to your garden bed. Do not cover the soil at the base of the trunk with anything, so as not to provoke rotting of the plant. The mulch (compost) will gradually decompose and saturate the soil with nutrients.

When growing lavender outdoors, regularly get rid of weeds - pests, especially in the first year, when the seedlings are just forming.

When the first flowers appear on the stems of the plant, remove them so that the lavender root system can grow stronger and develop normally.

Watering and fertilizing

Water the lavender as the soil dries up at the base of the bush. Do not be zealous, because from abundant watering, the aerial part of the plant turns yellow, and the roots rot.But don't do it too seldom. Due to the lack of moisture, lavender bloom will not be lush, and the aroma will become less bright and saturated.

Unless you're using compost to mulch the soil around lavender, gardening and maintenance should include fertilizing:

• mineral complexes - in the summer at the beginning of flowering;
• nitrogen fertilizers - in the spring at the beginning of the growing season.

Dilute the fertilizer at a concentration of 2 tbsp. on a bucket of water and pour the resulting solution over the soil around the perimeter of the bushes.

Pruning

Lavender care involves pruning the plant

Prune the plant every year:

• In the first year of planting, at the end of flowering, cut off the shoots 2-3 cm.
• At the beginning of autumn, shorten the branches by 3-3.5 cm. Make sure that the cut level is 5-6 cm higher than the lignified part of the stem.
• In the following years, prune the lavender branches to form a bush every fall.
• At the age of 10, do a rejuvenating pruning - shorten the branches to 5 cm.

Pruning lavender bushes is optional, but doing this in your garden will create beautiful lush bushes.

Reproduction of lavender

Lavender propagates by seed, layering, bush division and cuttings.

If you are going to grow lavender in the Urals, only the seed method is suitable for you. In a cold climate, the following scheme for growing lavender is used - planting and care in the open field in the Urals is carried out after mandatory stratification of seeds, that is, hardening. The package with seeds is placed in the refrigerator and then in April the seed is sown directly into the open ground.

In warmer climates, lavender is propagated in other ways.

When propagating by cuttings, pluck an annual lignified shoot from an existing lavender bush. Cut it into 8-10 cm cuttings and plant in moist soil. Deepen the bottom cut 2-3 cm into the ground and cover the top with glass jars. When the cuttings are rooted, remove the jars.

When propagating by division, cut the bush at a height of 10 cm in the fall and make hilling - fill the space between the shoots with earth. Repeat hilling in the spring and wait for the lavender to grow abundantly. In early fall, dig up a bush, cut it apart and plant it.

When propagating by layering in the spring, bend 2-3 shoots from the plant and carefully place them in grooves to a depth of 3-4 cm. Secure the shoots, cover them with earth and water abundantly so that lateral roots are formed at the shoots. The next spring, separate the shoots with roots from the bush, divide into parts and transplant to a permanent place.

For more information on planting lavender, see the video:

Leaving after flowering in winter

Before caring for lavender, keep in mind that the plant needs reliable protection from frost. If you are growing lavender in an area with temperatures below -25ºC during the winter months, start insulating the bushes after pruning in the fall. Cover the plant with branches of coniferous trees, but in no case with fallen leaves. Lavender can rot under foliage.

Pests and diseases

Outdoor lavender is highly resistant to pests and diseases. However, the plant sometimes infects:

• slobbering penny;
• rainbow beetle (leafhopper);
• gray rot.

To rid the plant of bugs, pick them by hand, and when fighting pennies, wash off the white foam with a strong jet of water. In both cases, change the compost in the beds.

If the bushes get sick with gray mold, remove and burn the damaged parts of the plant, otherwise the infection will spread to other stems, flowers and leaves. Also, reconsider the watering regime for lavender flowers - planting and care in this case were clearly carried out with violations. Either you watered the bushes too often, or you did not protect the plant from waterlogging during a wet rainy summer.

What to remember

1. The most popular varieties of lavender in horticulture are narrow-leaved English, broadleaf French, hybrid Dutch and toothed.
2. When seed propagation of lavender, seedlings are first grown, and then in April young shoots are planted in open ground.
3. In the Urals, before sowing seeds in the ground, they are hardened in the refrigerator.
4. Caring for lavender includes regular, but not abundant watering, the use of mineral and nitrogen fertilizers, and autumn pruning.
5. Before winter begins, cover the lavender bushes with the paws of conifers.

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 only suitable 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 the 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 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 residues 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, the first thing to do is to adjust the watering 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.