Growing lavender in the country. The benefits of lavender, as well as the harm it can cause

The subtle aroma of lavender, enchanting and unique, envelops you, relaxing and calming, and as if transports you to a magical land where worries and sorrows do not exist. But planting lavender in open ground carried out by the owners 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 take your eyes off this beauty. Growing lavender in the garden is not difficult, but caring for it will still require some skill.

Choosing a place for a bush

The basis for the full development of a plant in open ground, the high decorativeness of its bushes, lush and long flowering is proper planting. Lavender is photophilous, so it is better to place it in the garden at open areas who receive during the day maximum amount sun rays. It can grow actively in the shade, but this will have a bad effect on its flowering. A warm climate is preferable for the 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 put into a warm place when the temperature drops. All plant varieties are suitable for growing in pots.

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

The crop is demanding on the quality and structure of the soil. A soil with a neutral reaction is preferable for it. To achieve this, the area where plants are planned to be planted is dug up, having previously scattered lime or wood ash over it. It will be difficult to provide lavender with proper care if you do not stock up on compost in advance. It will give the soil the necessary lightness and looseness, and also increase its fertility. The answer to such care will be the luxurious flowering of the plant.

Much depends on the biological characteristics of the selected variety. Broad-leaved varieties of lavender are hardier, so they will grow successfully in semi-shaded areas in the garden. It is also permissible to plant them in slightly acidic soil. Narrow-leaved plant varieties will require more complex care. They can withstand cold weather, but it is detrimental to them high humidity soil, and if left for a long time under thick snow cover, lavender bushes may die from damping off.

Features of landing

Growing these mountain flowers is not difficult. For this you can use:

cuttings;
layering;
seeds;
mother bush, dividing it.

Most often, planting lavender in open ground is done with seeds. They are sown in the soil in October, deepening 4 mm from its surface and slightly compacting the soil in the garden bed. If the autumn turns out to be dry, the procedure is completed with watering. To ensure that the crops survive the winter cold well, they are covered with a thick layer of snow.

Lavender seeds can be stored in airtight containers for many years without losing their ability to germinate highly.

Successful cultivation of flowers in the garden is possible with spring sowing. But he will demand preliminary preparation. At the beginning of spring, seeds mixed with wet sand are placed in the refrigerator, where they are stored at low temperature (best about +5°C) for 2 months. After stratification is completed, in May, they can be planted in the ground, using them to create an unusual flower bed or a luxurious border at the dacha. The seedlings will bloom only after 1–2 years, when their root system has developed sufficiently.

When choosing a place for a flower bed, it is worth considering that adult plants often do not take root when transplanted. 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 placed rarely in the flowerbed, at a distance equal to the maximum height. In border plantings this interval is halved. Then the fence will turn out slender and create the impression of solidity.

It is even easier to propagate the plant using cuttings, which take root quickly and easily. They are placed in loose soil, covered with film, after which all that remains is to provide future seedlings with regular soil moisture. There is no need to deepen the cuttings; a distance of 1-2 cm from the surface is sufficient. After rooting, they are carefully dug up and placed on the prepared area.

Subtleties of fertilizing and watering

Caring for lavender in open ground involves 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 content and low nitrogen content for this purpose. It is not worth using manure to enrich the soil: an excess of nitrogen in the soil can lead to the fact that lavender bushes will actively branch, delighting with thick, juicy greenery, but form few buds.

Moderation should be observed when it comes to watering. The plant does not like excess moisture, but it also does not tolerate a lack of it well, responding to it with sparse flowering. You should start watering lavender in the garden only when upper layer The soil in the garden bed will dry out well.

High hilling and mulching of the beds will help retain the moisture the plants need in the soil, as well as increase its porosity. Both procedures are carried out regularly - in spring and autumn period. They also increase the decorative quality of lavender bushes, influencing the formation of young shoots on their trunks. Rotten leaves are well suited for mulching. You can also purchase special multi-colored substrates in the store that will make your beds even more attractive. The procedure will require attention. To prevent the flower from rotting, the soil at the base of its trunk is left uncovered.

Caring for a plant in open ground involves it. It increases the lifespan of lavender bushes. It is carried out twice: after 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 more intensive, it involves removing most of the old shoots from the bush. No more than 4-5 young stems are left on it.

Preparing for winter and possible difficulties

Successful cultivation of lavender in areas with harsh winters, where the thermometer drops to -25°C, is possible, but this will require reliable insulation. After cutting the 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.

Dry foliage should not be used to cover lavender bushes. Due to the increased moisture of the soil underneath, they can be affected by rot. In such conditions, the probability of damping off is also high.

To ensure proper care of lavender in the garden, it is important to arm yourself with knowledge about possible problems benefits that growing shrubs can bring. The greatest danger to it is gray rot. Regular inspection of the flower bed with the removal and immediate burning of infected areas of the plant will help prevent its rapid spread and destruction of plantings.

Gray mold creates favorable conditions for the reproduction of pennies; it lays its larvae in it. An unsightly white foam appears on lavender bushes, looking like saliva and protecting the insect's offspring from predators. It does not harm them, but spoils the decorative effect of the plantings. It is not difficult to remove it from plants; just wash off the formation with a water jet.

Planting lavender on summer cottage– a solution that is beneficial from all sides. Its single bushes will become an elegant decoration of a flowerbed or garden, and numerous ones will form a lush border, from which it will be impossible to take your eyes off. During their long flowering, they fill the air with a delicate, mesmerizing aroma. Growing this mountain shrub is also practical: dangerous garden pests - the Colorado potato beetle and the codling moth - cannot tolerate its smell. Just plant the plants between the root crops, and you won’t have to worry about the safety of the harvest.

Caring for lavender cannot be called difficult, but you still have to devote time to it. Choice the right area for planting, proper watering and fertilizing, mulching and hilling the beds, pruning - performing these simple procedures will allow you to achieve the desired result.

Plant lavender (lat. Lavandula) belongs to the genus of the Lamiaceae family, which includes about 30 species. The lavender flower grows in natural conditions in the Canary Islands, Eastern and North Africa, Australia, Arabia, India and southern Europe. There are only two types of lavender grown in culture around the world - broadleaf lavender (French) And angustifolia lavender, or medicinal (English). The name of the plant comes from the Latin lava, which means “to wash” and indicates the purpose of lavender in Ancient world– The Romans and Greeks used the plant for washing and washing. Today, lavender flowers grow not only in private gardens, but are also grown on an industrial scale as a valuable essential oil crop.

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Planting and caring for lavender (in brief)

Landing: sowing seeds in the ground - in October, sowing seeds for seedlings - in February or March, planting seedlings in the ground - at the end of May or early June.
Bloom: in the second half of summer.
Lighting: bright sunlight.
The soil: dry, drained, sandy or loamy, pH 6.5-7.5.
Watering: regular and plentiful, frequent during drought.
Feeding: twice a season: in the spring – with a mineral complex with a high nitrogen component, in the fall – with potassium-phosphorus fertilizers.
Hilling: In spring and autumn you need to hill up old bushes high.
Trimming: After flowering, the inflorescences are cut off, and the branches are shortened in the fall. When the bush reaches ten years of age, the bush is rejuvenated by cutting off all branches at a height of 5 cm from the ground.
Reproduction: seeds and vegetatively - layering, cuttings and dividing the bush.
Pests: leafhoppers (slobbering pennies), rainbow beetles and aphids.
Diseases: gray rot.

Lavender flower - description

Lavender is a perennial evergreen shrub with a woody fibrous root going 2 meters deep, numerous woody shoots in the lower part reaching a height of 60 cm, opposite sessile linear silvery-greenish leaves with soft pubescence and fragrant blue or blue-lilac flowers collected into interrupted spike-shaped inflorescences, 6-10 pieces in whorls. Inflorescences form on the tops of leafless stems. Lavender begins to bloom in the second half of summer. Lavender is an excellent honey plant. Lavender seeds proper storage able to remain viable for many years.

Lavender is a relative of hyssop, basil, mint, lemon balm, motherwort, oregano, sage and rosemary. We will tell you how to grow lavender from seeds, what are the conditions for growing lavender in open ground, how lavender is planted and cared for in open ground, how to propagate lavender, how lavender winters in Moscow and we will give a lot of interesting and useful information about this garden plant.

Planting lavender in open ground

When to plant lavender in the ground

Lavender is planted in the ground either with seeds in October or seedlings at the end of May. In order to grow lavender from seeds, seed material should be purchased at the beginning of winter or autumn, since before sowing in the ground, the seeds are stratified for 2 months at a temperature of 5 ºC to increase germination. Typically, seeds mixed with wet sand are stratified in the vegetable drawer of the refrigerator. Sow lavender seeds for seedlings in February or March.

Lavender seedlings

While the seeds are in the refrigerator, prepare a container for sowing and a substrate for the seeds by thoroughly mixing two parts of humus with one part of coarse river sand. Sift the mixture - lavender seeds are very small, so the substrate should not contain any lumps - and bake it in the oven at a temperature of 110-130 ºC or pour it with a solution of potassium permanganate hot pink color. Processed soil mixture place in a growing container with drainage holes onto the drainage layer.

In the photo: Lavender blooming in the field

At the very end of winter or at the beginning of spring, sow lavender seeds on the surface of the substrate in a container, sprinkle them with a 3 mm thick layer of sand, spray with warm water from a spray bottle, cover to form greenhouse effect glass or plastic film and place in a bright, warm place. From time to time, crops need to be ventilated by lifting the cover. Seeds are germinated at a temperature of 15-22 ºC.

How to care for lavender during the seedling period? As soon as the seedlings appear, you will have to provide them with additional lighting so that the lavender seedlings do not stretch out. Remove the covering every day for a while so that the seedlings get used to the temperature in the room, and as soon as they adapt to it, the film can be removed completely and the seedlings can be planted so that the distance between them is at least 5 cm.

How to plant lavender in the ground

At the end of May, it is time to plant lavender in the garden. Most often they decorate with lavender alpine coaster, used as a border or planted on both sides of paths. Lavender grows well under bright sun. Do not plant it in wetlands or areas with high groundwater levels, as lavender is very sensitive to excess moisture. The plant prefers dry, sandy soil, but also grows well on loamy soils with good drainage.

The optimal acidity level for the plant is 6.5-7.5 pH. Ground limestone will have to be added to acidic soil. Before planting lavender, you need to prepare the area: dig up to a depth of at least 20 cm and loosen the soil well, adding peat or compost for digging.

How to plant lavender? Lavender is planted with a distance of 80-90 cm between seedlings, and a distance of 120 cm is maintained between bushes of tall lavender. The depth of the hole should be such that the root system of the seedling can freely fit into it. Before planting, the roots are slightly trimmed, then the lavender bush is placed in the hole and buried, deepening the root collar by 4-6 cm. After planting, the lavender seedlings are watered abundantly.

In the photo: Growing lavender in the garden

Pre-winter sowing of lavender

In areas with warm winters, it is better to sow lavender seeds directly into the ground. This is done in October, after they have prepared the soil on the site by adding peat for digging, and if the soil is too wet, then fine gravel or sand is added to it to increase moisture and air permeability. Seeds are sown to a depth of 3-4 cm, slightly compacting the soil surface after sowing. If autumn is dry, water the crops, but not too much, and with the first snow, throw a small snowdrift over the area.

Caring for lavender in the garden

Growing Lavender

As soon as the first inflorescences appear on lavender seedlings, it is advisable to remove them so that young plants, without wasting energy on flowering, can grow stronger and build up a powerful root system. The first year lavender grows very slowly in the garden, so it is necessary to combat weed grass, which can choke seedlings. How to grow lavender? What kind of care does lavender require in the garden? You will need to water the plant regularly and deeply, and in extreme heat, watering should become frequent. After watering or rain, it is necessary to loosen the soil between the bushes and weed the area, but if you want to save time and effort, mulch the soil between the bushes with peat after planting.

Old bushes should be hilled high in spring and autumn - this measure promotes the formation of new shoots on old branches. In addition to the listed procedures, you will have to trim the lavender and add fertilizing to the soil, giving preference to potassium fertilizers, since manure and nitrogen fertilizers only promote the growth of greenery, but inhibit the flowering of lavender, for which, in fact, it is grown.

In the photo: Lavender field

Lavender pruning

Growing lavender will require you to prune the plant annually. As soon as flowering ends, cut off the faded inflorescences, and in the fall, shorten the branches, maintaining the shape of the bush.

Do not let the lavender stretch upward too much, because in windy weather its bushes will lie down and lose their decorative effect.

When the bush reaches ten years of age, it is advisable to carry out anti-aging pruning, shortening all branches to 5 cm. The same can be done with a young bush if its flowering is not lush.

Lavender propagation

Lavender propagates, in addition to the seed method, also by dividing the bush, layering and cuttings.

If you already have a lavender bush on your site or you managed to get a one-year-old woody shoot of a plant from someone, you may well succeed lavender from cuttings. Cut cuttings 8-10 cm long from the shoot, plant them in moist, loose soil, deepening the lower cut by 2-3 cm, and cover glass jars. You can remove the jars when the cuttings take root.

In order to divide the lavender bush, he needs to be prepared for this. In the fall, after flowering, a large bush is cut at a height of 10 cm and hilled, filling all the space between the shoots with earth. In the spring, hilling is repeated. During the summer, the bush produces abundant growth. In the fall, the bush can be dug up, divided into parts with well-developed roots and shoots, and planted.

For propagation by layering In the spring, several shoots are bent back, placed in grooves 3-4 cm deep, secured in this position, covered with soil and watered. All summer the soil above the layerings is kept moist, and next spring the rooted shoot is separated from the bush, divided into parts and transplanted into permanent place.

Pests and diseases of lavender

Lavender in open ground is extremely resistant to both diseases and pests, but it is not immune to problems. Sometimes lavender can suffer from leafhopper, or slobbering pennies, and rainbow beetle, and among diseases, lavender can be affected by gray rot.

In the photo: How lavender blooms

Cicadas and rainbow beetles will have to be collected by hand, after which you should definitely change the layer of mulch in the area. A gray rot, which usually appears in damp, rainy summers or in cases of chronic waterlogging of the soil by too frequent watering, cannot be cured, but you can remove and burn the diseased parts of the lavender so that the infection does not spread to all plants. And, of course, you need to reconsider the lavender watering regime.

Lavender in Moscow and Moscow region

With full confidence in success in the conditions of Moscow and the Moscow region, you can only grow English lavender - narrow-leaved, or medicinal. Planting and caring for lavender middle lane carried out according to the same principles and in almost the same time frames as in warmer areas. Seeds are sown in the ground when surface frosts have passed - in the second half of May, and seedlings are planted in early June. Sowing seeds before winter is risky - they may freeze.

Lavender - care after flowering

Lavender in winter

If in your area the temperature in winter can drop below 25 ºC, you need to reliably protect the area with lavender from frost, but do not use fallen leaves as insulation, since the lavender under it may rot in winter. Best after autumn pruning cover the lavender bushes with spruce branches.

In the photo: Blooming lavender field

In areas with not so cold winters, angustifolia lavender is not covered.

Types and varieties of lavender

So far, only such types of lavender are grown in cultivation as lavender angustifolia (English) and French lavender, also known as broadleaf. But since there are other types of lavender suitable for cultivation, we offer you a description of them. So:

Or broadleaf lavender (Lavandula latifolia) originally from South-West Europe. It is distinguished by its strong aroma and beauty of flowers in different shades of purple, pink, lilac, green, burgundy and white flowers. Flowering in French lavender begins earlier than in other plant species - in April or May - and continues until July, but at the end of summer, broadleaf lavender can bloom again. French lavender is not as cold-hardy as English lavender, so it is grown mainly in warm areas.

The most popular variety of this species is Lavandula stoechas pedunculata, or “butterfly” (Papillon), with flowers of an original shape. The most famous varieties of broadleaf lavender are:

Yellow Vale– a variety with dark purple flowers, crimson bracts and yellow-green leaves;
Regal Splendur– variety with dark purple flowers;
Rocky Road – new variety with large lilac-blue flowers that bloom in July;
Tiara– large blue flowers with cream bracts;
Helmsdale- a variety with lilac-burgundy flowers.

In the photo: French lavender (Lavandula stoechas)

Or Dutch lavender is a group of highly decorative hybrids between English lavender and other species of the genus. These are large plants with silvery narrow leaves and large oblong flowers on long peduncles that bend under the weight of the flowers. Hybrid lavender begins to bloom in July.

The most famous varieties of Dutch lavender:

Alba– variety with white flowers;
Arabian Knight– a variety with flowers of dark blue or dark purple color;
Sawyers– form with light purple flowers;
Grosso– a variety with large flowers of a lilac-violet hue;
Richard Gray- compact bush with dark purple flowers.

In the photo: Hybrid lavender (Lavandula x intermedia)

Comes from the Mediterranean. This is a heat-loving compact plant with soft, rugged leaves of a silvery hue and large, fragrant flowers that open in July. The plant is not cold-resistant. The most popular variety of scalloped lavender is Royal Crown, a plant with purple flowers.

In the photo: Toothed lavender (Lavandula dentata)

Or English lavender (Lavandula spicata), or lavender officinalis (Lavandula officinalis) comes from Southern Europe. This perennial shrub with silver-green leaves and medium-sized bluish-lilac flowers that bloom in July or August. This is the most winter-hardy type of lavender. Most famous variety Lavender angustifolia is lavender delphiniforme, reaching a height of no more than 30 cm, but with very beautiful silvery foliage. Hidcoat lavender is also widespread and is used mainly for low hedges.

Among the varieties of English lavender, the most popular in culture are:

Alba– variety up to 50 cm high with white inflorescences;
Rosea– bush up to 40 cm high with lilac-pink flowers;
Munstead– a bush about 40 cm high with flowers of a rich blue hue;
Hidcoat Giant– compact plant up to 60 cm high;
Hidcoat Blue- a compact bush up to 40 cm high with blue-violet inflorescences.

In the photo: Narrow-leaved lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)

Properties of lavender - harm and benefit

The healing properties of lavender

All above-ground parts of lavender contain essential oils, which include linalool, coumarins, ursolic acid, tannins, geraniol and borneol. Lavender oil has many beneficial properties and is widely used in the perfumery and cosmetics industry and in medicine. Lavender oil is used to treat burns and bruises.

Lavender is used to treat cerebrovascular diseases, paralysis and convulsions after a stroke, as well as to relieve headaches, dizziness and drowsiness. It has a diuretic effect, relieves toothache. Tea with lavender can relieve stomach spasms and discomfort.

Lavender helps with melancholy, irritability, hysteria and neurasthenia, as well as with influenza, asthma, bronchitis, whooping cough, tuberculosis, enteritis, flatulence, atony of the gastrointestinal tract, worms, rheumatism, cystitis, amenorrhea, hypertension, fever and various rashes.

In the photo: Lavender - useful medicinal plant

Doctors note the remarkable effect of lavender infusion on the general mental state of a person and on his nervous system generally. It relieves stress and reduces negative affect unfavorable factors on the consciousness and mental state of a person, helps restore strength and energy and stimulates mental activity.

Lavender greens are used for medicinal baths, and dry inflorescences are used as a remedy against moths when storing clothes and for aromatizing the room and linen.

Lavender - contraindications

It is not recommended to use lavender oil during pregnancy, especially in the first months, as lavender stimulates the contraction of the uterine muscles. Do not use oil after an abortion, so as not to provoke bleeding. Lavender is contraindicated while taking medications containing iron or iodine.

Intensive use of oil can cause depression and irritation of the gastrointestinal mucosa.

Lavender-based preparations have a powerful effect and can cause a severe allergic reaction if you are individually intolerant to the plant, so before using them, be sure to consult your doctor.

It is impossible to pass by the area where lavender grows. And it’s not even about the luxurious lilac bushes, but about the enchanting aroma that they spray throughout the surrounding area. And having frozen for a minute near this magic, you are already rushing home at full speed, inspired. You need to find out as soon as possible: how much capricious plant Is lavender difficult to plant and care for, what does it cause? After all, the fact that from now on it will be in your garden is a settled issue.

Description: varieties and varieties of lavender

Lavender - evergreen, enough unpretentious plant, widely used in cosmetology and medicine. The aroma of lavender has a calming effect and helps reduce headaches. But not only medicinal properties are valued in lavender. It is widely used in perfumery and cosmetology. Lavender has not escaped cooking either, because this plant has a specific spicy taste. And in everyday life, dried lavender branches are used as reliable means from 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 most of all in garden culture Several varieties are popular.

Lavender angustifolia(English). It is a bush 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 latifolia(French). This variety of lavender is considered the ancestor decorative varieties. Differs from other wide varieties color scheme inflorescences, as well as a very strong and not always pleasant aroma.

Lavender hybrid(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 serrated. One of the most heat-loving varieties. Prefers to grow indoors rather than outdoors. Is the owner of soft silver leaves and inflorescences of large flowers of all shades of purple.

Planting a plant

You can propagate lavender different ways: cuttings, dividing the bush, layering, seeds. Lavender seeds can remain viable for many years if you follow the rule: store them in airtight containers.

Attention! Lavender seeds need to undergo pre-treatment - stratification. To do 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 damp sand and placed in the refrigerator.

Lavender seeds can be sown directly in open ground, but certain requirements must be observed.

Lavender seeds

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

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

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

Lavender care

Lavender should only be watered when the soil dries out. Excessive moisture leads to root rot, but it is not recommended to overdry lavender.

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

Pruning your bushes will not only give them more decorative look, but will also benefit the plant

If your lavender will winter in open ground, where the temperature drops below -25 degrees, take care of a warm shelter. To do this, it will be enough to trim the bushes before wintering and cover them with branches of coniferous trees.

Attention! You should not cover lavender with leaves, as is usually done to protect plants from freezing, as this may result in the plant rotting.

Fertilizer and feeding of lavender

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

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

Instead of "Agricola" they also use a solution organic fertilizer"Rossa universal", dissolving 2 tbsp. spoons in 10 liters of water. And the third feeding option: 2 tbsp. l. Dilute nitrophoska 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 new growth. This is something that can be rooted. To do this, you need to trim the plant and hill it up so that everything free place Fill tightly with soil between the stems. And by autumn the bush can be divided.

Dividing a lavender bush

Most suitable way for propagation of lavender grown in a home environment - propagation by cuttings. To do this, lignified annual shoots should be divided into cuttings no larger than 10 cm and rooted.

Reproduction of lavender by layering

Most easy way propagation, which is suitable even for novice gardeners - this propagation by layering. With this method, in the spring, 2–3 shoots are carefully bent back and placed in a groove 3–5 cm deep, secured, covered 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 transplant them from the mother bush.

Diseases and pests

Monitor plant health and remove insects

From garden pests On lavender you can find the rainbow beetle eating the leaves. It must be collected from plants manually. But more often, lavender is susceptible to the dominance of pennies, which do not cause any damage to the plant, but rather spoil appearance, 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 wash off the foam with a stream of water.

Lavender: combination with other plants

It is known that smells have a great influence on the human subconscious. Therefore, when growing flowers, it is important that the flowerbed not only pleases 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 complement each other, but also that the flower aromas do not mix. This means that you will have to be more careful in choosing the flowers that you want to plant, otherwise you are unlikely to be able to relax or recharge your batteries in your garden.

Lavender looks very good next to plants of contrasting colors.

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

Lavender in landscape design

Lavender, planting and caring for which is so simple that any novice gardener can handle it, is ideal for decorating an area. A significant advantage of lavender over other plants for landscape design is its bright and intense color in different shades, from soft pink to bright lilac. This makes it possible to accentuate the elegance 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.

Perhaps the most well-known and widespread method is to plant lavender along paths and sidewalks. This design of your site makes it possible to visually limit and also create a clear division of the garden into zones.
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 chessboard. But this type of landing can only be performed on a completely horizontal surface.
One more in an unusual way emphasize originality garden plot or flower garden is the formation of a “carpet” of these shrubs. If you decide to choose this option, you need to immediately decide on the height of the lavender and regularly cut it at this level in one plane. Such a carpet will not be like a soft grass carpet on which you can sit comfortably, but planting shrubs in this way will allow the 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 creepers, but this is precisely what will emphasize the uniqueness and originality decorative design your garden.

Growing lavender is perfect way highlight your garden or flower garden with color, shape, and also complement it with an elegant fragrance that will not leave indifferent everyone who passes by.

How to plant lavender correctly: video

Lavender in the garden: photo

I am lucky - I live in a place where it is possible to grow heat-loving plants, at least their frost-resistant species. It wasn't always this way, but climate change on the planet...

Mindful of positive thinking I decided to switch to plants that are not quite traditional for our area.

For example, lavender. A perennial evergreen shrub that exudes an inimitable aroma. It’s interesting that everything in lavender smells: stems, leaves, flowers. She is a well-known source essential oils, a sedative, an antiseptic and a recently discovered spice.

Flowers are the most popular - they are added to tea, meat dishes when baked, in sawdust when smoking fish, in preserves, jams, and even candied for decorating cakes.

Twigs with leaves are placed in pickles and marinades. The aroma of lavender is specific and is used to perfection in the homeland of lavender - the Mediterranean.

It is a valuable honey plant and a broad-spectrum medicinal plant. However, lavender has an equally honorable place in landscape design. In order to grow a fairly voluminous and lush bush, you need to know a few rules:

lavender likes it loose non-acidic soil,
stagnation of water in the ground should be avoided,
after flowering, lavender greens are trimmed, but literally by 2-3 cm, so as not to expose the branches to the woody part,
an adult plant does not like replanting; if this is necessary, it is important to preserve earthen lump around the root system and do the procedure only in early spring,
nitrogen fertilizers that enhance the growing season are applied only in the spring; lavender does not tolerate organic matter (manure and litter), but it will like mineral complexes with a high potassium content,
once every 10 years, add 1-2 kg of slaked lime to acidic soil (per 1 square meter) and dig up.

POPULAR TYPES

There are not many varieties of lavender, but if you wish, you can still find plants with purple, lilac, blue, light blue, pink and white flowers. All of them are derivatives of two types: English and French lavender.

Lavender angustifolia, common, English(Lavandula angustifolia, same as L. officinalis)

Habitat: Southern Europe.
Flowering period: June July.
Color spectrum: blue flowers (there are white and pink varieties), silver leaves.
Height: up to 1 m.
Growing conditions: loose, non-acidic soil, moderate watering, sunny place, possible shelter for the winter with spruce branches.
Peculiarities: perennial evergreen subshrub, the most frost-resistant species (down to -25 0 C), medicinal plant, spice.

Varieties of narrow-leaved lavender with whites flowers - Edelweisse, Alba, Arctic Snow, Hidcote White, etc.
Owners blue (cyan) shades- Grosso, Dwarf Blue, Munsstead, Hidcote, etc.
Violet (lilac) flowers from varieties Dark Hidcote, Ellagance Purple, Essence Purple, etc.
Pink inflorescences in varieties Loddon Pink and Posea, etc.

Lavender broadleaf, French, Stehad, Spanish(Lavandula stoechas)

Habitat: Mediterranean.
Flowering period: July August.
Color spectrum: purple (blue, pink) flowers, green leaves.
Height: up to 1.5 m.
Growing conditions: loose, non-acidic soil, moderate watering, sunny place.
Peculiarities: an evergreen subshrub, characterized by a high content of essential oils, valuable as a raw material for the perfume industry, it requires moving to a warm place for the winter (it will withstand at least -14 0 C, therefore it is often grown as a potted crop.

The photo collage presents a far from complete list of hybrid varieties of broadleaf lavender. All of them are extraordinarily beautiful, some are even frost-resistant. But most of them are still grown as potted crops.

IT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW

Since lavender is a heat-loving plant, it is afraid of freezing of the root system. The greatest danger in our latitudes lies in wait for lavender on elevated areas and slopes. There, water does not linger, which means the land remains dry and unprotected from frost.

Trimming - important stage formation beautiful bush. In the spring, remove all dried parts that have not sent out lateral shoots. In summer, at the peak of flowering, flowers and part of the foliage are cut to prepare raw materials from them.

If you plan to get seeds, then pruning is postponed to the end of August or beginning of September, when the seeds ripen.

In any case, the plant must be pruned before wintering; this procedure will make the lavender bush lush. You will get the result next season.

LAVENDER IN GARDEN DESIGN

Lavender lends itself well to shaping. Round-shaped tapeworms are grown from it, as well as living borders.

The combination of lavender and natural stone is as natural as the sea and sand.

Lavender is used to frame recreational areas: patios, lounge areas, areas with benches. Its place is not only in the ground, but also in container gardens on the terrace or in front of the house. A herb garden, lawn edge, rock garden, in general, it is difficult to say where it is inappropriate to plant lavender.

Only shady and wet places are not suitable for lavender.

COMBINATION OF SHAPE AND COLOR

Lavender is an excellent specimen for the Mediterranean or landscape garden. It is drought-resistant and quite unpretentious, and is also decorative throughout the year.

In addition, this plant is a “long-liver”: in one place without transplanting or dividing it can grow up to 25 years.

An ideal plant for the garden:)

You can add a soft mantle to lavender as a contrasting partner in a flower garden, and frame the fragrant clumps with caustic sedum. The contrast of yellow and blue (violet) will create a very bright composition.

This combination (pictured above) of simultaneous flowering of lavender and decorative onions is only possible if kept in tubs. Under natural conditions, lavender blooms just when allium has finished blooming.

Lavender looks great in huge tracts, in which plantings of different shades of this amazing plant are combined over a large space.

Planted at the foot of rose bushes, lavender will not only not get lost against the background of the queen of flowers, but will also emphasize her beauty. In this case, this cooperation is mutually beneficial.

REPRODUCTION AND TRANSPLANTATION

Seed propagation of lavender will allow you to get young flowering bush only in the second year of development.

In this case, the material must pass either under natural conditions (pre-winter sowing) or in the refrigerator (sowing time - February). Without this procedure, the seeds will also sprout (provided they are sown in open ground in early June and maintain moderate humidity), but germination will be very low.

In May, the seedlings are moved to the schoolhouse.

By autumn the sprout will develop into a small green bush - literally a few branches. However, he will cope quite well with winter frosts, if it spends the winter under the cover of snow cover.

Propagation of lavender by cuttings provides the greatest productivity in a relatively short period of time. This is how new individuals are obtained in nurseries.

For cuttings, young semi-lignified branches up to 10 cm long are prepared. The lower part of the leaves is removed. They buy regular peat soil for rooting (for seedlings) - soil from the garden is not suitable. The cuttings are immersed in the substrate to a depth of 4 cm, sprinkled with a layer of sand, and covered with film.

Procedure time: end of June - beginning of July. The greenhouse is periodically ventilated, the optimal air temperature is not higher than +25. In a month, the roots will develop, and the top will begin to grow. This is a signal - it’s time to transplant into separate containers.

The disadvantage of this method is regular monitoring of soil moisture, temperature and degree of illumination. It is of little use for busy people.

The laziest way to guarantee new bushes is by layering. The lower branches are bent and pinned to the ground in the spring, and on next year The rooted cuttings are separated from the mother bush and planted in a new location. This is how I recommend that amateur gardeners propagate lavender.

Dividing an adult lavender bush is possible, but it is fraught with the death of the divisions. This is because an adult plant does not tolerate transplantation well. If you are ready to nurse the transplanted bushes, you can try it. Of my bush, which was divided into three parts (the procedure was carried out in early spring), only two survived. That's why I prefer to grow lavender using natural stratification.

The best age to transplant lavender is the second year of development. A good time is the beginning of the growing season. The seedling is immediately planted in a permanent place - subsequent transplantation is undesirable. An adult specimen should be replanted carefully, with a large lump of earth and preferably with the use of rooting preparations.

The optimal distance between plants is about 80 cm. Over several years, one bush will occupy a fairly large volume.

A seedling with a closed root system (in a container) can be planted in the ground at any time of the year, but no later than September. Required condition: careful transfer from the container to the hole and subsequent monitoring of soil moisture for a month.

Fluffy bushes of fragrant lavender will decorate any area. This is a great option for borders and spectacular rock gardens in Mediterranean style. The plant is used to make charming bouquets of dried flowers, fragrant bags and oils. Lavender is always a welcome guest in the garden. Experts count up to 39 species of this beauty, but not all are suitable for the northern regions. True, tubs of lavender of any kind will help out. They are put outside, and when cold weather sets in, they are simply moved to a warmer place.

The English and French lavender, which differ slightly in the shape of the inflorescences, but withstand winters excellently. The first has narrower leaves and elongated spikelets. It is usually not dug up for the winter. The French species with wide leaves and short inflorescences has a rather capricious character. It is protected from frost more carefully by covering it with spruce branches for the winter.

Most often, this perennial is associated with purple blooms. But different varieties can surprise you with their palette of shades. The tassels-inflorescences are blue, pale pink, white and even slightly greenish, and flowering lasts from May until frost. The height of the plant differs depending on the variety. Taller specimens are suitable for creating chic hedges. Lavender in the garden is often planted in mixborders, near windows, benches, gazebos, along paths, between. It's so nice to take a walk and inhale the delicious aroma! Dwarf varieties Look great on flower containers.

You can plant lavender in a rose garden. The combination with santolina is very beautiful; they have a similar shade of leaves, but the inflorescences are contrasting - purple and yellow. You should not allow plants to mix, otherwise the flower garden will resemble a sloppy spot. Representatives different types It is better to plant in large groups.

It is difficult to do without lavender in the garden if you have to decorate it in the English style. This plant lends itself well to pruning and will help create beautiful geometric shapes. Dry twigs will fill the room with freshness. Compositions of dried flowers with other aromatic herbs are suitable for rustic style interior

How to plant lavender

By choosing the right area for planting, you can avoid many problems. The plant loves warmth and sunlight, so a place in the shade is not suitable. The bushes will take root, but without bright lighting they will not enjoy long-term flowering. The soil should not be swampy or waterlogged; in extreme cases, it is advisable to build a small hill and create a drainage layer. In addition, increased soil acidity is unacceptable. To be on the safe side, add a little lime to the soil and wood ash. It wouldn't hurt to add .

Propagation by seeds, traditional for most perennials, is difficult in the case of lavender. It is better to buy an adult plant or just twigs. When this is not possible, stratification of lavender seeds is mandatory. Long time they are stored at low temperatures. In warm climates, sowing simply in the ground in November is allowed. If frost occurs early, the seeds are mixed with sand, placed in a container, wrapped in film and left in the refrigerator for at least 1.5 months, or longer. At the end of February they are sown in containers or already in May in a greenhouse. After stratification, seedlings will appear more readily, but flowering will occur only after 1-2 years. To begin with, the seedlings will have to grow roots.

Adult lavender bushes must be planted with a lump of soil, as the plant does not adapt well. To achieve maximum lushness, the distance between neighboring bushes should be no less than their maximum height. If you need an even green hedge, the distance is halved, the plantings will look monolithic.

Everything is simpler with cuttings. They take root quickly; it is enough to deepen them into loose soil about 2 centimeters and cover them with film. Water the soil regularly. As soon as the roots appear, the lavender can be transplanted to a permanent location.

Obtaining lavender cuttings for planting is quite simple. In the spring, carefully bend the lower branch to the side and sprinkle earth where it comes into contact with the soil. After the roots have formed, cut off the cuttings and plant them safely. It is better to sprinkle the cut area on the bush with coal.

Lavender care

Lavender cannot be ignored. It is sensitive to lack of air circulation and cannot tolerate the presence of weeds; the ground will have to be weeded and loosened regularly. You can use a mulch layer, but the soil near the base of the bush should be left uncovered.

If there is excessive moisture, the green part of the plant will turn yellow. Drought will not cause the death of the perennial, but will negatively affect flowering. In order not to make a mistake with the watering regime, you should focus on the condition of the soil.

Pruning is not a mandatory procedure, but it will help shape lush bushes. For the first time they are pruned after the inflorescences have withered, the shoots are shortened by only a couple of centimeters. In September, you can prune a little more, but not reaching the woody stem. It is better to fertilize lavender with mineral complexes as soon as flowering begins. Nitrogen fertilizers are applied exclusively during the growing season, until mid-July.

Lavender tolerates cold well. If a winter without snow is expected and you don’t want to take risks, it’s better to make a shelter. Usually, branches of coniferous trees are laid out on the garden bed; under the layer of foliage, the plant can rot.