Large, lush flowering lavender bushes are not a matter of course, but the result of good and proper care. The semi-shrub can become quite old, eight to ten years are standard – but even 20 or 30 years is not at all uncommon. However, for your lavender to reach such an impressive age, growing conditions and care must be optimal. Mistakes forgive the sensitive Mediterranean inhabitant not so fast.
The optimal location
Lavender, a perennial semi-shrub, originally comes from the mountainous or, in the case of the crested lavender, from the coastal regions of the Mediterranean. There it is very sunny all year round, the summers are long, hot and dry and the winters comparatively mild. Although temperatures can sometimes drop below zero, permanent lows like in some regions of Europe are an extreme exception. In our latitudes, lavender only feels comfortable when it finds these conditions. This means:
- Lavender needs a location that is as sunny as possible – the more sun, the better.
- In addition, the selected place should be protected, that is, not a drafty corner.
- The soil should be as poor and dry as possible.
- Much moisture and especially waterlogging lavender does not tolerate at all.
Sometimes the shrub can thrive in partial shade, provided that the soil is not moist and it is bright enough – sun only in the morning or evening is not enough.
The right care
In terms of care, you need to pay attention primarily to dryness, although, of course, lavender can not do without water. On very hot summer days, especially pot lavender does not forgive a lack of water. However, it is not so easy to find the right measure: it is best to water lavender in a pot whenever the substrate has dried on the surface. Planted lavender, on the other hand, only needs to be watered when temperatures get really hot and it has been dry for a long time – the plant’s wide-ranging and deep-reaching roots already get what they need.
Prune perennial lavender regularly
Also important is to prune the shrubs vigorously at least once a year. Like so many perennial shrubs, lavender becomes woody with age – it withers, as gardeners say, because fresh greenery and flowers no longer sprout from the woody shoots.
Tips & Tricks
Also use fertilizer – especially manure and other nitrogenous fertilizers – extremely sparingly.
