Do you know that this enticing decorative evergreen shrub, a favourite of many attributable to its scent and delightful flowers, does effectively in containers? It thrives so long as the soil combine and different circumstances are to its liking. Learn to plant lavender in pots with these important suggestions to make sure your potted lavender is glad and wholesome.
Lavender, the quintessential Mediterranean plant, just isn’t solely aromatic and interesting to the olfactory sense, but it surely additionally has culinary makes use of. Plus, it appears good within the backyard, patio, or balcony!
This publish is concentrated on planting lavender in pots to develop outdoors. If you wish to deliver yours indoors for the winter, I contact briefly on that in direction of the top of this publish.
Notice: This publish was printed on 6/20/2020. It was up to date on 5/31/2024.
Lavender Overview
So many alternative species, hybrids, and lavender varieties are supplied available on the market. They develop in USDA zones 5 – 10. Yow will discover your rising zone right here.
You should purchase varieties of English, Spanish, and French lavender with their acquainted purple aromatic blooms, in addition to some with white or pink. Most flower from early spring to late summer season, relying in your zone. The soil combine, methodology of planting, and aftercare outlined right here apply to all of them.
In my skilled gardening days (lengthy earlier than I used to be a content material creator), I planted and maintained a variety of lavender vegetation within the San Francisco Bay Space. On a private observe, my mom lived in Sonoma (an exquisite local weather for rising lavender), and I put fairly just a few in her backyard, each in pots and raised beds. Lavender and I am going approach again!
I now reside within the Sonoran Desert in Arizona, so I believed I’d give a lavender plant a go. This perennial herb isn’t loopy about cool coastal climates or scorching inland deserts (though lavender loves warmth, the desert solar and warmth might be too excessive), however I believed I’d give it a attempt anyway. If it heads to the nice compost pile within the sky, it gained’t be from improper planting!
Do you’ve gotten questions on rising lavender? Take a look at our Lavender Q & A. Hopefully, we reply them for you right here!
The right way to Plant Lavender in Pots
When to Plant Lavender
One of the best time to plant is throughout the rising season. In most climates, planting in early spring by summer season is ok. Right here in Tucson (or any extraordinarily scorching location), early fall would have been higher as a result of the plant might have settled in when the temperatures cooled a bit however earlier than the primary freeze night time.
I planted it in late spring to finish this publish and video for you. The plant settled in tremendous, however as soon as the temperatures reached over 100 levels F, I needed to water it each few days.
Plant Alternative / Pot Alternative
Lavenders vary in measurement from 18″ to 36″. The bigger your lavender grows, the bigger the pot will must be. The mature measurement of some lavenders is 3′ x 3′, in order that they want a sizeable base to accommodate the roots and the scale of the plant and allow the perfect blooming.
I selected Lavender ‘Munstead”, one of many compact English varieties. It’s fitted to small areas. It will get 18 x 18″, so the 12″ pot that I planted is ok. A 14 to 16″ pot would have labored too.
The bigger lavenders will respect pots 20 – 24″ in diameter. No matter pot you utilize will need to have at the least a number of drainage holes to ensure the surplus water drains out, as this plant doesn’t like to take a seat in moist soil.
As for materials, I’ve seen lavender planted in ceramic, steel, plastic, and terracotta pots.
Tip: I did this in my gardening days when the perennial or shrub I planted was small and seemed approach out of scale with a big pot. I planted annuals in and round as a result of they develop quick and take up fairly a little bit of house. Because the plant grew, I’d cut back or eradicate the annuals.
Do you’ve gotten questions on rising wholesome lavender vegetation? Take a look at our Lavender Q & A. Hopefully, we reply them for you right here!
Greatest Soil For Lavender In Pots
All lavender, massive or small, wants a well-drained soil combine with a little bit of grit. They do finest rising in dry circumstances. Though they aren’t fussy in regards to the soil, it must be on the alkaline facet, reasonably fertile, and well-aerated.
Lavender is vulnerable to root rot, and a drainage combine helps forestall it. Moist soil causes moist roots, which in flip results in fungal ailments like root rot.
You recognize I like to topdress container vegetation with compost and worm compost to nourish them and preserve moisture naturally. Lavender doesn’t prefer to be smothered in mulch or compost, so skip the heavy dose of topdressing, particularly if you happen to’re in a extra humid local weather or develop it indoors.
That is the combination I used with approximate measurements:
- 3 components potting soil (this, together with a little bit of compost, add richness)
- 1 half clay pebbles (these aerate and up the ante on the drainage)
- 1 half pumice (ditto on the above)
- When planting, I threw in a handful or two of natural materials (compost) and topdressed it with 1/4″ of worm compost. I’m within the desert, so you’ll be able to regulate this mix to fit your local weather.
Alternate mixes with much less elements:
- 1 half potting soil / 1 half horticultural sand
- 1 half potting soil / 1 half pumice or perlite
- 1 half potting soil / 1 half tremendous rock
Steps to Planting Lavender in Pots
The lavender was watered the day earlier than planting. A dry plant is confused so, I all the time water 1- 3 days earlier than planting or repotting.
I combined up the soil elements in a pail to ensure they had been effectively blended.
I turned the plant on its facet and pressed on the develop pot to loosen the foundation ball from the pot.
Gently therapeutic massage the foundation ball to loosen the tremendous roots. This makes it simpler for the roots to unfold out and develop within the new combine.
Some potting combine was added to the pot, so the highest of the foundation ball was about 1/2″ or so under the highest of the pot. You wish to go away a bit of room on the high so whenever you water it simply absorbs in and doesn’t spill out of the pot together with any of the combination.
The plant was put in, and the combination was added across the root ball. I tossed in a few handfuls of compost at this level. In case you’re in a cool or very humid local weather, it’s finest to keep away from the compost. It could maintain soil moisture and doubtlessly trigger root rot.
I pressed down on the highest of the soil to straighten the plant within the mild combine. A light-weight sprinkling of worm compost was utilized to the highest.
How To Care For Lavender After Planting
I moved my lavender to a spot beneath the pink grapefruit tree the place it will get filtered solar. Keep in mind, I’m in Tucson so this works relatively than the complete solar it likes and wishes in different places. It additionally will get good air circulation on this location which is an enormous plus.
I watered it totally instantly. Lavender wants extra water when settling in (particularly in a dry and scorching local weather) so don’t let it fully dry out. After it’s established, it’s extra drought tolerant so preserve it on the dry facet.
Now that you just’re able to plant, these Lavender Care and Rising Suggestions will information you each step of the best way.
Indoors
Listed below are two issues I feel you must know. When planting lavender in pots and bringing it indoors, smaller vegetation and smaller pots are simpler to deal with. There are fairly just a few lavenders that keep 2′ or beneath.
You additionally wish to be sure the soil has wonderful drainage (you would possibly wish to add a bit of additional pebble, sand, pumice, or perlite to the combination) so it doesn’t keep too moist when overwintering the plant in your house.
How To Plant Lavender in Pots Video Information
Lavender in Pots FAQs
There are various varieties of lavender and lots of species, hybrids, and varieties available on the market now. Discover those which can be finest suited in your rising zone. The dwarf varieties like Munstead and Hidcote are effectively suited as a result of they match into smaller areas and might be planted in smaller pots. The bigger lavenders do effectively in pots, however they may want bigger ones to accommodate the size of the plant and the foundation ball.
Lavender loves a sunny spot! It likes direct daylight for at the least six hours. If it doesn’t get the daylight it wants, its development will turn out to be leggy, and the plant could have few or no blooms.
Lavender is commonly grown commercially on hillsides. This manner, if the soil is heavy, water can run off. That’s the reason utilizing a well-drained soil combine is vital when planting in pots.
How typically you water is dependent upon the circumstances, pot measurement, soil combine, and time of yr. Keep away from watering too regularly, as this will result in a fungal an infection, like root rot. One of the best strategy is to let the soil dry between waterings.
New vegetation will want watering extra typically. Within the cooler months, water lavender much less typically.
In case you don’t know, companion vegetation have the identical rising necessities. Appropriate lavender companions embody rosemary, thyme, oregano, marjoram, salvia, lantana, rudbeckia, echinacea, African daisies, yarrow, nepeta, verbena, marigold, and geraniums. What you plant is dependent upon the kind of lavender, how massive it in the end will get, and the scale of the container.
Tucson Botanical Gardens.
Its distinctive scent and gorgeous flowers make this enticing decorative plant an awesome addition to any backyard, patio, or balcony. With the proper soil combine, correct pot measurement, and appropriate rising circumstances, lavender can flourish superbly in pots. Learn to plant lavender in pots with these important suggestions, making certain your potted lavender not solely survives however does its finest.
We love lavender as a result of its aromatic flowers are utilized in potpourri, sachets, tea, preparations, and cooking. The silvery/inexperienced foliage contrasts properly with all the opposite greens within the backyard. You’ll be glad on a heat summer season night when breezes trigger the scent of these lavender flowers to waft by!
Completely satisfied gardening,
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Nell, the founding father of Pleasure Us backyard, was born right into a gardening household and grew up in Connecticut’s countryside. After dwelling in Boston, New York, San Francisco, & Santa Barbara, she now calls the Arizona desert house. She studied horticulture & backyard design, working within the discipline all her life. Nell is a gardener, designer, blogger, Youtube creator, & creator. She’s been gardening for a really very long time & needs to share what she’s discovered with you.