Lavender flower buds, sewn into sachets, pillows and home accessories provide the subtle fragrance of lavender in clothes and linen closets, drawers, and the bedroom. They protect all natural fabrics from pesky moths and make your clothes smell divine. Pillows filled with lavender become more fragrant as they warm to your touch enveloping you in calming and comforting Lavender.
Overwintering Lavender
One important aspect of lavender gardening is winterizing your plants so that
they can make it through the harsh winter and come back in spring and summer.
As winter approaches, the soil should be on the dry side. Many herbs like dry soil anyway as they are from the Mediterranean and herbs like lavender, rosemary, and thyme are used to growing in the dry rocky soil. But there is another reason why you want to watch out for water as winter approaches because wet soil wicks the heat away from your plant. Not only that, but also water freezes when it turns very cold and this can crack the roots of your plant.
Mulching: You can protect your winter garden by putting lots of mulch over
the plants. Some people like to use a mixture of pine bark or even sawdust,
but commercial mulching mixtures have an attractive look for the manicured garden.
If your plant is very sensitive then you may build the mulch up so it is an
a little mound of mulch with some extra protection from the harsh winter weather.
Some literature says that mulch can change the pH of the soil so be sure to
recheck your pH if you use this method.
Floating Row Cover: “floating row cover,” which is a cross between
paper and cloth. (It very much resembles those clothes dryer sheets that folks
throw in the dryer, but extremely bigger and without the scent.) Cover the plants,
and weigh down the edges. In the spring, around the time you see the strawberry
growers pulling off the straw, take off the mulch. Warning: The lavender looks
dead. It is extremely slow to green and sometimes you won’t see obvious
new growth on a plant until early June. You can purchase floating row cover
at www.gardensalive.com
Containers: Small containers should be moved inside and placed in direct light
(east or south window). Water as you would any houseplant during the winter
to keep the plant alive. Large containers can be covered with mulch or floating
row cover and moved to a protected place (garage, porch, or wherever it does
not freeze). Some research says to allow the plants to go dormant during the
winter and to not water. Other research says to water during warm spells.
Good Luck!
From Lavender in the Pioneer Valley
at Stockbridge Farm, Massachusetts
Many people ask why we seem to be so successful with growing lavender. Below,
I’ll share with you what we do. So many factors come into play when growing
any plant that there is never a how-to guide that guarantees success for everyone.
The winter of 2003-2004 in New England truly humbled us; we lost many plants;
and we certainly had to re-think mulching strategies.
The Types of Lavender
Stockbridge Farm has found that L. angustifola and L. x intermedia can be grown
quite successfully in the Pioneer Valley, although extremely harsh winters with
no snow cover can be deadly. Of the many varieties of L. angustifola, we have
had success with hidcote and munstead, which are commonly called “English
lavender.” We also grow Jean Davis, Sarah, and vera. We have not been
successful with variegated varieties; this year, we’re trying a new variety
called Czech. The length of the flowering spike can vary from variety to variety,
but most are between 3 and 10 inches. The color of the buds and later flowers
can range from very light pinks to dark purples.
The L. x intermedia varieties include grosso (our favorite), dillydilly, provence,
and others. These varieties, often commonly called “French lavender”
have a much taller spike that can be anywhere between 10 and 18 inches if not
longer. Color can also vary, but most are a medium purple. We find the fragrance
of these varieties to be quite intense and stronger than “English”
varieties.
Be aware that L. dentata, commonly called “Spanish lavender”, will
not over-winter in New England. We treat this lovely lavender as a container
plant, which must be brought inside for the winter. Our rule of thumb: Be wary
of lavender with fringed foliage; it will die in winter. When buying lavender
plants always ask: “Will this over-winter in New England?” Also,
look for those Latin names: L dentate is a no-no.
Growing Lavender
We are in somewhere between Zone 4B and Zone 5A. We obtain our lavender as young
plants (plugs) and begin planting in mid-May. Our soil tends to be sandy and
our major field is on a hill facing south. Other than keeping the weeds out,
we leave them alone. We don’t fertilize and there has not been a need
to water. Lavender, it seems, is quite drought resistant. Luckily, the deer
seem to hate it; and the bees from the nearby apiary seem to love it.
We plant our lavender in rows that are 3 feet apart (to accommodate a rototiller)
and space them 18-24 inches from each other. Lavender does grow quickly and
the spaces fill in nicely. From late June to mid-July, the plant will send up
its flowering spikes. If we want to harvest for buds, we cut the spikes just
as each spike begins to flower. If we’re growing to sell the plants, we
let them alone. We enjoy them all summer. In September it’s time to prune.
Although some growers prefer to prune in the spring, I prefer fall pruning.
The classic date for frost in our area is Columbus Day, but we have had killing
frosts much earlier. Around September 10, well before killing frost, we prune
heavily by taking 1/3 off the entire plant. This really hurts the gardener more
than the plant. The lavender must be pruned to avoid gnarly plants in the future.
New growth does not come from what is showing, but from below.
Prior to that horrible winter of 2003-2004, we let snow be our mulch for the
winter. Now, we know better. We use “floating row cover,” which
is a cross between paper and cloth. (It very much resembles those clothes dryer
sheets that folks throw in the dryer, but extremely bigger and without the scent.)
We cover the plants, and weigh down the edges.
In the spring, around the time you see the strawberry growers pulling off the
straw, take off the mulch. Warning: The lavender looks dead. It is extremely
slow to green and sometimes you won’t see obvious new growth on a plant
until early June. Many people complain that their lavender dies (and some plants
do), but patience is needed to make sure.