A Detailed Guide to Growing Sea Lavender: Methods and Precautions
Sea lavender is an all-around performer in the plant world: it can take part in scientific research, has certain medicinal value, and also offers excellent ornamental and economic value. However, the cultivation of sea lavender is still in its early stages, so growing sea lavender is currently a sunrise industry, and with proper cultivation it may yield relatively good returns.
How to grow sea lavender
Sea lavender prefers a cool climate and strong light. It flowers well after low-temperature treatment; the low temperature should be between 10-16°C, and treating the plants at low temperature during the seedling stage means later high temperatures will not affect flowering. If the seedlings are not given low-temperature treatment and are instead grown directly under high temperatures, flowering will be noticeably suppressed or will not occur at all.
Sea lavender growing methods and precautions
1. Soil and fertilizer choice for sea lavender
Sea lavender needs soft soil. You can choose sterilized leaf mold, or mix peat and perlite in a 1:1 ratio. Sea lavender has a relatively high demand for boron, so adding borax to the base fertilizer can effectively regulate soil fertility while also adjusting the soil pH. For topdressing, you can choose diluted soybean cake water and quick-acting nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium applied indirectly.
2. Temperature control for sea lavender
After sowing, sea lavender needs low-temperature vernalization to help with flowering. Sow in autumn when the temperature is 18-21°C; sprouts usually emerge in about 5 days. After sprouting, the seedlings can be given low-temperature treatment below 16°C, and after 3 days they can be returned to normal temperature for care.
When the first true leaf appears, the seedlings can be separated, and when the leaves reach 5-6, they can be planted out. Planting out is generally done in October-November, and the flowering period is June-August. The daytime temperature should preferably be 18-20°C and the nighttime temperature 10-15°C, and it must not drop below 0°C.
3. Light control for sea lavender
Sea lavender needs a well-ventilated, light-transmitting environment, which can effectively reduce the occurrence of disease. For the cultivation method, you can choose double-row cross planting or three-row planting; plum-blossom-style planting out is also very common in field cultivation. Sea lavender likes light, so attention must be paid to light during the growing process. Of course, scorching sun is also not acceptable, and shade treatment is needed at midday in summer.
4. Later care for sea lavender
During the vigorous period when the flower spikes emerge and grow, the supply of water and fertilizer must be sufficient; otherwise it is easy to end up with short, small flower stems and sparse blooms. As sea lavender grows and sends up spikes, netting or stakes are needed to prevent lodging. After harvesting the first flush of flowers, promptly remove old branches and dead leaves to encourage new shoots to sprout and avoid consuming more nutrients. Note that sea lavender is a taproot plant, so it must be transplanted with soil during the seedling stage to prevent root damage and increase the survival rate.
Disease control methods for sea lavender
1. Viral disease
The most important thing is to choose good, healthy seeds for planting, or to carry out virus-free, harmless cultivation. If virus-infected plants are found, handle them promptly and destroy the diseased plants to prevent reinfection. If there are signs of viral infection, treat with medication.
2. Scorch disease
If diseased plants are found, destroy them promptly to prevent infection of other healthy plants. Treat the seeds before planting and disinfect them with medication. During the growing process, pay attention to watering management; when watering, be careful not to wet the leaves and flowers, keep the indoor environment dry, and if diseased plants are found, treat them with medication.
3. Brown spot
After diseased plants are found, spray them promptly; continuous treatment with medication is required to be effective.
When does sea lavender bloom
The flowering period of sea lavender differs between the north and the south. In the north, sea lavender does not bloom until at least early July, and the flowering period continues until November. In the south, however, the flowering period of sea lavender starts in April and can last until around December.
The basic growing methods for sea lavender are as above. Growing sea lavender for its flowers is a very good profit method. Combining flower-viewing sea lavender with development and taking the path of high-end cultivation + tourism + research and development should be a very good profit model for growing sea lavender.