So I've been looking for a certain kind of lavender plant since the season started....in my head I'm calling it "traditional" lavender because it's what I grew up with and remember from my childhood. The spiky leaves, the smell!!!, and the look of the flowers are all reminiscent of a wonderful childhood. I've seen a variety of lavender plants, but none that looked much or at all like what I grew up with. But, finally, after weeks of keeping an eye out for it, I found it!! And now that I have, I have NO CLUE what to do with it!!! Here is what I have: And a clearer view of the way the plant looks: If you can't read the tag all that well, it says "Lavandula Angustifolia" "Big Time Blue" The tag says it's a perennial, Zones 6 - 9, but doesn't give much info as far as sun requirements or growing conditions. I've googled, and gotten all kinds of conflicting information, including but not limited to that it's NOT a perennial, grow in shade, grow in sun, pebbles in the soil, do not mulch, DO mulch.....as you can imagine I am completely confused!!! I trust you all far more than I trust a bunch of random internet postings.....so, what say you all?
There are 39 species of Lavender and depending on where you are the 'traditional' type varies. But Lavandula angustifolia is the most common here in the states and most likely the first to be imported many years ago so it's considered the traditional one here. Lavender needs full sun and little water, well drained soil and does well in pots. They need room between them for air flow to prevent some health problems. They are native to the Mediterranean area where hot and dry is normal so think of that when planting and watering. They are perennial for the most in the southern part of the zone range but where Winter is freeze, ice and snow then they are annuals. Click on this blue link Lavandula angustifolia (English lavender) for photos our members have uploaded to our database.
That is a good one, Ronni. I can comment on how I do it. ---Choose the most sunny place in the garden. ---If the soil is not poor soil...make it poor. In other words, dig a hole ~twice the diameter of the pot that it was bought in. Then pour some water in the hole and wait for it to drain away. ---Replace a great deal of the soil that was removed from the hole that you dig, with sand and quite a bit of calcium then work it all in together. ---Plop then the plant in the hole and fill it in and tamp it down thoroughly. ---You never need to give your lavender fertilizer of any sort. That's it. I do not make a science out of this one. You ought not to give your plant water...unless it is abnormally hot and dry when you are planting your new plant. ---When the plant has finished blooming, that is an ideal time to prune the finished flower stems away. If you trim ~1/3 into new growth this will stimulate a thickening of the foliage. Never, ever prune into the woody area of a stem because that stem can well die. Always prune in the soft, new part of growth. If you do not prune every year you will allow the plant to become too woody and it will have to be replaced after a few years. There is a host of Lavendula angustifolia sorts. You have a nice one there. Should you ever want a second bush--I would suggest Lavendula angustifolia 'Hidcote'. You will not be sorry for this investment. I believe that one of the most important things to take care with when planting Lavender plants is to be sure that the plant has excellent drainage. You do this by using grit and sand in the planting hole.
Thanks guys. I really wanted to plant it at Ed's last night when I was over, but I got there late AND I realized I don't have what I need...the drainage thing is an issue. Need to get some sand and ... where do I get calcium? He's also going to really track the sun over the property through the day today and figure more completely the areas of sun and shade. I'm not over there enough to have any but the most vague idea about that. Meanwhile it's still sitting in its pot. I'm sure it will be fine till Sunday when I'm back over there to plan it.
Ronni, Sjoerds information is spot on... can I also add.... dry dry dry. they do not like to have "wet feet". I have mine in a raised bed next to the house under the overhang.. I hardly ever water it... except if it is looking "grey and droopy" from dry.
Calcium...We call it "kalk" here, and i am not sure what it will be labelled as there...but I know it is available at the garden centres there. Maybe it is called lime?? I always use seaweed chalk (lime). You can tell the chaps at the garden centres that you want to make your ground alkaline, and they will show you what you need.
This made me laugh out loud....good thing I'd just swallowed my mouthful of coffee! Treat it like a weed huh? Well, typically that would mean I'd discover it, I'd swear at it some, get pissed off that it was marring the perfection of my garden, and then I'd rip it out....laughing maniacally the whole time! .... Well, maybe not that last part, I'm not entirely crazy I do get what you're saying. OK. Well it will be this weekend before I can get it in the ground. Taking notes meanwhile.
Mine is planted in the gravel along the edge of the driveway and it is amazing!!! I lost my white one, hopefully I'll find a replacement for it
So this lavender I planted? It flowered!! It just sat there for the longest time, didn't do anything. I thought I'd probably killed it. But I planted it the way y'all said to, and pretty much ignored the thing. Figured I'd ignored it to death. But then this happened!!! Lookit those pretty flowers! Smell divine too! I am one happy chick!
Thanks Ronni--that was sorta dumb of me wazzn't it. Thanks though. I like the looks of this particular plant.
Sjoerd, I didn't mean to be rude, but in rereading my response (which I'd forgotten I'd even made) I realize it did sound kinda that way. Im so sorry. I was responding to you from my phone rather than my computer at home as I am now. I'm a very fast touch-typist (85wpm with a 1% error rate) and it's very frustrating to finger type letter by letter on my phone, so I tend to sound brusque and short when I respond to things from there.
