Home photo zone: when and how to plant lavender
Lavender is a fragrant and useful crop, which will become a real decoration of the garden or adjacent territory. This perennial plant contains aromatic oils that are used in medicine, pharmaceuticals, aromatherapy and perfumes and cosmetics.
Lavender is a fairly unpretentious plant that can survive both frost and drought. However, it is important to take care of the right conditions and time of planting. OBOZ.UA tells how to grow lavender at home.
How to plant lavender
Lavender takes a long time to germinate, so you can plant it in late December or January. To make the seeds germinate better, experts recommend stratifying them for at least a month. After soaking the seeds, put them in a container with moist sand and keep them in the refrigerator for 30 days.
The situation is many times easier if you have ready-made seedlings. They are simply planted in open soil in May. A young unrooted plant may not be able to withstand frost, as well as sharp night temperature changes.
Lavender
Source: freepik.com
There is another way to propagate lavender - cuttings. Cuttings can be obtained from annual shoots, the optimum length is 8-10 cm. The lower cut should be made at an oblique angle under the bud, and then remove the leaves from the lower part. Cuttings can be planted in containers, making a deepening of 2-3 cm. Specialists advise covering them with a film or glass. At this stage, lavender should be watered regularly, but note that the soil should be moist, but not wet. Rooting usually takes from three weeks to a month and a half.
What soil is suitable for lavender
Lavender grows well in slightly alkaline soil, but acidic environments are contraindicated. If necessary, deoxidize the soil by adding dolomite flour or lime.
How to make holes
Lavender is planted in individual wells. Tall varieties will need a hole up to 40-50 cm, for other species 30-40 cm will be enough. Note that the root neck should not be deepened by more than 5 cm.
Plants are very sprawling, so don't forget to leave space between the holes: for tall varieties - 80 cm to 1 m, for medium varieties - 50-60 cm, for low-growing varieties - up to 40 cm.
Lavender care
In spring, lavender is cut back to form a crown. Sick, stunted, damaged and frostbitten shoots should be removed, but not more than 1/3 of the crown height should be cut out.
Lavender begins to fade when nutrients are deficient
Lavender requires nitrogen fertilizer in the spring. An infusion of cowdung or chicken manure and a solution of nitrate, urea or sodium humate will be effective. The second fertilization should be carried out 14 days after the first, and before flowering, a phosphorus-potassium fertilizer should be added.
In summer, lavender should be weeded thoroughly. Young plants should be watered more often, but one watering for 10-14 days is enough - you should also focus on weather conditions.
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