How to Grow Potted Lavender? A Detailed Guide to Sowing, Cuttings, Watering, Fertilizing, and Pest and Disease Control
How to Grow Potted Lavender? Lavender is loved by many gardening enthusiasts because its flowers are beautiful and fragrant, it can be used to make tea for detoxing, and growing lavender is not very difficult. A few days ago, a reader asked me how to grow potted lavender in the office. So today I will explain the cultivation methods for potted lavender.
I. Key Points for Propagating Lavender
1. Sowing
Lavender sowing is generally done in spring. In warm regions, it can be done from March to June or from September to November each year. In cold regions, sowing is best from April to June. It can also be sown in a greenhouse in winter. Germination takes about 14-21 days, and the optimal germination temperature is 18-24°C. After germination, adequate light is needed; weak light easily causes leggy growth.
a. Most regions choose to sow in spring;
b. In warm regions, sow from March to June and from September to November;
c. In cold regions, sow from April to June, or choose the greenhouse sowing method. After sowing, lavender will germinate in 14-21 days, and the optimal germination temperature is within the range of 18-24 degrees.
d. After germination, ensure the light needed for lavender growth, because when light is weak, lavender is prone to leggy growth.
2. Cuttings
Lavender cuttings are generally taken in spring and autumn; softwood cuttings in summer are also possible. The cutting medium can be 2/3 coarse sand mixed with 1/3 peat moss. Under conditions of good drainage, maintained moisture, and a bed temperature of 20-24°C, roots form in about 40 days. Do not use terminal buds that have already produced flower spikes for cuttings, because flowering branches have already aged,
which will lead to poor rooting and affect future growth.
a. Cutting season
Lavender cuttings are generally taken in spring and autumn, while softwood cuttings are used in summer, and roots form in about 40 days.
b. Cutting medium
2/3 coarse sand mixed with 1/3 peat moss.
c. Cutting requirements
Good drainage, moist soil, and a bed temperature within 20-24 degrees.
d. Precautions
Do not use terminal buds that have already produced flower spikes for cuttings, as this will affect root growth.
3. Division
a. Division propagation is done in spring and autumn;
b. Choose 3-4 year old plants, and in spring select mature plants and divide the old roots, with each division bearing bud eyes.
II. Cultivation Methods for Potted Lavender
1. Soil
a. Choose slightly alkaline or neutral sandy soil;
b. Choose well-drained soil; you can mix 1/3 perlite, 1/3 vermiculite, and 1/3 peat moss and use it;
c. If growing in open ground, take drainage measures well; you can pile the soil up into raised beds before planting.
2. Watering
a. After watering thoroughly, the next watering should wait until the soil is dry;
b. Water in the morning, avoiding weather with strong late-morning sunlight;
c. When watering, avoid wetting the leaves and flowers, otherwise it easily induces pests and diseases;
d. Because a continuously wet environment prevents the roots from breathing air properly and causes poor growth, and in severe cases can lead to plant death.
3. Light
a. Ensure sufficient light while providing a suitably humid environment;
b. In summer, shade 50% of the sunlight and lower the temperature through ventilation;
c. In winter, lavender can grow well on flat ground, and at this time it can be cultivated in full sun.
4. Temperature
a. The suitable growing temperature is 15-25 degrees, with a maximum temperature of 35 degrees;
b. When the temperature reaches as high as 38-40 degrees, the stems and leaves at the top of the lavender plant will wither and turn yellow;
c. In northern winters, when the temperature is below 0 degrees, lavender enters a dormant state, and during dormancy mature seedlings can tolerate temperatures within the range of -20 degrees to -25 degrees.
5. Fertilizing
a. Put bone meal into the potting soil as a base fertilizer, using it once every three months;
b. Lavender seedlings can use Hyponex No. 2 fertilizer;
c. After the plants mature, apply fertilizer with higher phosphorus, such as Hyponex No. 3 fertilizer;
d. Lavender should not be fertilized too much, otherwise the fragrance will become faint, so light fertilization can be adopted.
6. Pruning
a. After flowering, prune the plant to 2/3 of its original size, which helps make the plant shape compact;
b. Prune in cool seasons such as spring and autumn; generally prune in spring, because autumn pruning will affect the plant's cold resistance;
c. When pruning, be careful not to cut into the lignified parts, lest the plant weaken and die.
7. Pests and Diseases
a. Leaf spot
Spray Bordeaux mixture at 1:200 for prevention 2-3 times, or zineb at 500-800 times dilution.
b. Root rot, wilt disease
Use 50% carbendazim at 500 times dilution or 50% thiophanate-methyl at 400 times dilution to drench the roots or spray the leaves.
c. Red spider mite
Use 1.8% abamectin diluted 600-1000 times, or dicofol, etc., for foliar spraying.
d. Leafhoppers, flea beetles
Use 50% phoxim emulsifiable concentrate, 50% fenitrothion emulsifiable concentrate, 12% miechongguan emulsifiable concentrate, and other pyrethroid pesticides for control.
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How to Grow Potted Lavender?
Lavender is also called lingxiangcao, xiangcao, huangxiangcao, etc. It is a small shrub plant of the genus Lavandula in the Lamiaceae family. Its leaf shapes and flower colors are elegant and graceful, and its blue-purple flower spikes are long and beautiful. It is often used as a new perennial cold-hardy flower in courtyards, suitable for clump planting or strip planting along flower borders, and can also be grown in pots for ornamental purposes. Now let's take a look at how to grow potted lavender!
Lavender's Growth Habits
Lavender has strong adaptability. Mature plants tolerate both low and high temperatures, and during the harvest season can withstand high temperatures of around 40°C, while seedlings can tolerate low temperatures of -10°C. It is a plant that likes dryness and does not need much water. It needs more water during the greening stage and bud stage, less water during the flowering stage, and an appropriate amount of water during the seed-setting stage. It is a long-day plant, requiring sufficient sunlight during growth and development, with annual sunshine duration required to be more than 2000 hours. Its root system is well developed, and it likes deep, loose, well-aerated, fertile soil rich in silicon and calcium.
Lavender's Propagation Methods
1. Sowing: Lavender sowing is generally done in spring. In warm regions, it can be done from March to June or from September to November each year. In cold regions, sowing is best from April to June. It can also be sown in a greenhouse in winter. Germination takes about 14-21 days, and the optimal germination temperature is 18-24°C. After germination, adequate light is needed; weak light easily causes leggy growth.
2. Cuttings: Lavender cuttings are generally taken in spring and autumn; softwood cuttings in summer are also possible. The cutting medium can be 2/3 coarse sand mixed with 1/3 peat moss. Under conditions of good drainage, maintained moisture, and a bed temperature of 20-24°C, roots form in about 40 days. Do not use terminal buds that have already produced flower spikes for cuttings, because flowering branches have already aged, which will lead to poor rooting and affect future growth.
3. Division: Lavender division propagation can be carried out in spring and autumn. Use 3-4 year old plants, and in spring from March to April divide the old roots of mature plants, with each division bearing bud eyes.
How to Grow Potted Lavender?
1. Soil: Lavender is suitable for slightly alkaline or neutral sandy soil. Special attention must be paid to choosing a well-drained medium. You can mix 1/3 perlite, 1/3 vermiculite, and 1/3 peat moss and use it. If growing in open ground, pay attention to soil drainage; you can pile the soil up into raised beds before planting.
2. Watering: Lavender does not like water to remain around the roots for long. After watering thoroughly once, wait until the soil is dry before watering again, aiming for the surface growing medium to be dry and the interior moist, with slight leaf wilting as the indicator. Water in the morning, avoid sunlight, and do not splash water on the leaves and flowers, otherwise they easily rot and breed pests and diseases. A continuously wet environment prevents the roots from getting enough air to breathe, causing poor growth and even sudden death of the whole plant.
3. Light: Lavender is a full-sun plant and needs sufficient sunlight and a suitably humid environment. An environment with full sun is better; partial sun can also allow growth, but flowering will be sparser. In summer, at least 50% of sunlight should be shaded, and ventilation should be increased to lower the ambient temperature. In this way, although growth weakens, the plant will not die. In winter, lavender can grow well on flat ground and should be cultivated in full sun.
4. Temperature: Lavender is semi-heat-tolerant, prefers coolness, and likes warm winters and cool summers. The suitable growing temperature is 15-25°C, and it can grow at 5-30°C. The limiting temperature is above 35°C, and prolonged temperatures above 38-40°C cause the top stems and leaves to wither and turn yellow. In northern winters, after prolonged temperatures below 0°C, it begins to go dormant, and during dormancy mature seedlings can tolerate low temperatures of -20 to -25°C.
5. Fertilizing: For fertilizing lavender, bone meal can be placed in the potting soil as a base fertilizer (used once every three months). Seedlings can be given Hyponex No. 2 (20——20——20), and after the plants mature, apply fertilizer with higher phosphorus such as Hyponex No. 3 (10-30-20). Apply light fertilizer; lavender should not be fertilized too much, otherwise the fragrance will become faint.
6. Pruning: After lavender finishes flowering, it must be pruned. The plant can be pruned to 2/3 of its original size, which will make the plant shape more compact and benefit growth. Pruning should be done in cool seasons such as spring and autumn; generally prune in spring, as pruning in autumn will affect cold resistance. When pruning, be careful not to cut into the lignified parts, so as to avoid the plant weakening and dying.
7. Pests and Diseases: For lavender leaf spot, spray Bordeaux mixture at 1:200 for prevention 2-3 times, or zineb at 500-800 times dilution. For root rot and Fusarium wilt, use 50% carbendazim at 500 times dilution or 50% thiophanate-methyl at 400 times dilution to drench the roots or spray the leaves. For red spider mite, use 1.8% abamectin diluted 600-1000 times, or dicofol, etc., for foliar spraying. For leafhoppers and flea beetles, use 50% phoxim emulsifiable concentrate, 50% fenitrothion emulsifiable concentrate, 12% miechongguan emulsifiable concentrate, and other pyrethroid pesticides for control.
How to Grow Potted Lavender: Lavender's Propagation Methods
Lavender is also called lingxiangcao, xiangcao, huangxiangcao, etc. It is a small shrub plant of the genus Lavandula in the Lamiaceae family. Its leaf shapes and flower colors are elegant and graceful, and its blue-purple flower spikes are long and beautiful. It is often used as a new perennial cold-hardy flower in courtyards, suitable for clump planting or strip planting along flower borders, and can also be grown in pots for ornamental purposes. Now let's take a look at how to grow potted lavender!
Lavender's Growth Habits
Lavender has strong adaptability. Mature plants tolerate both low and high temperatures, and during the harvest season can withstand high temperatures of around 40°C, while seedlings can tolerate low temperatures of -10°C. It is a plant that likes dryness and does not need much water. It needs more water during the greening stage and bud stage, less water during the flowering stage, and an appropriate amount of water during the seed-setting stage. It is a long-day plant, requiring sufficient sunlight during growth and development, with annual sunshine duration required to be more than 2000 hours. Its root system is well developed, and it likes deep, loose, well-aerated, fertile soil rich in silicon and calcium.
Lavender's Propagation Methods
1. Sowing: Lavender sowing is generally done in spring. In warm regions, it can be done from March to June or from September to November each year. In cold regions, sowing is best from April to June. It can also be sown in a greenhouse in winter. Germination takes about 14-21 days, and the optimal germination temperature is 18-24°C. After germination, adequate light is needed; weak light easily causes leggy growth.
2. Cuttings: Lavender cuttings are generally taken in spring and autumn; softwood cuttings in summer are also possible. The cutting medium can be 2/3 coarse sand mixed with 1/3 peat moss. Under conditions of good drainage, maintained moisture, and a bed temperature of 20-24°C, roots form in about 40 days. Do not use terminal buds that have already produced flower spikes for cuttings, because flowering branches have already aged, which will lead to poor rooting and affect future growth.
3. Division: Lavender division propagation can be carried out in spring and autumn. Use 3-4 year old plants, and in spring from March to April divide the old roots of mature plants, with each division bearing bud eyes.
How to Grow Potted Lavender?
1. Soil: Lavender is suitable for slightly alkaline or neutral sandy soil. Special attention must be paid to choosing a well-drained medium. You can mix 1/3 perlite, 1/3 vermiculite, and 1/3 peat moss and use it. If growing in open ground, pay attention to soil drainage; you can pile the soil up into raised beds before planting.
2. Watering: Lavender does not like water to remain around the roots for long. After watering thoroughly once, wait until the soil is dry before watering again, aiming for the surface growing medium to be dry and the interior moist, with slight leaf wilting as the indicator. Water in the morning, avoid sunlight, and do not splash water on the leaves and flowers, otherwise they easily rot and breed pests and diseases. A continuously wet environment prevents the roots from getting enough air to breathe, causing poor growth and even sudden death of the whole plant.
3. Light: Lavender is a full-sun plant and needs sufficient sunlight and a suitably humid environment. An environment with full sun is better; partial sun can also allow growth, but flowering will be sparser. In summer, at least 50% of sunlight should be shaded, and ventilation should be increased to lower the ambient temperature. In this way, although growth weakens, the plant will not die. In winter, lavender can grow well on flat ground and should be cultivated in full sun.
4. Temperature: Lavender is semi-heat-tolerant, prefers coolness, and likes warm winters and cool summers. The suitable growing temperature is 15-25°C, and it can grow at 5-30°C. The limiting temperature is above 35°C, and prolonged temperatures above 38-40°C cause the top stems and leaves to wither and turn yellow. In northern winters, after prolonged temperatures below 0°C, it begins to go dormant, and during dormancy mature seedlings can tolerate low temperatures of -20 to -25°C.
5. Fertilizing: For fertilizing lavender, bone meal can be placed in the potting soil as a base fertilizer (used once every three months). Seedlings can be given Hyponex No. 2 (20--20--20), and after the plants mature, apply fertilizer with higher phosphorus such as Hyponex No. 3 (10-30-20). Apply light fertilizer; lavender should not be fertilized too much, otherwise the fragrance will become faint.
6. Pruning: After lavender finishes flowering, it must be pruned. The plant can be pruned to 2/3 of its original size, which will make the plant shape more compact and benefit growth. Pruning should be done in cool seasons such as spring and autumn; generally prune in spring, as pruning in autumn will affect cold resistance. When pruning, be careful not to cut into the lignified parts, so as to avoid the plant weakening and dying.
7. Pests and Diseases: For lavender leaf spot, spray Bordeaux mixture at 1:200 for prevention 2-3 times, or zineb at 500-800 times dilution. For root rot and Fusarium wilt, use 50% carbendazim at 500 times dilution or 50% thiophanate-methyl at 400 times dilution to drench the roots or spray the leaves. For red spider mite, use 1.8% abamectin diluted 600-1000 times, or dicofol, etc., for foliar spraying. For leafhoppers and flea beetles, use 50% phoxim emulsifiable concentrate, 50% fenitrothion emulsifiable concentrate, 12% miechongguan emulsifiable concentrate, and other pyrethroid pesticides for control.