Rules for planting and caring for lavender in a pot, how to grow at home
Growing and caring for potted lavender at home requires a number of rules and guidelines. To achieve this, it is worth adopting an integrated approach. Cultivation requires timely watering, the use of fertilizers and loosening. Correct pruning and protection against pathologies and pests are of great importance.
Description and characteristics of the plant
This ornamental plant has blue or purple flowers that have a special ethereal scent. It is grown to decorate outdoor terraces or alpine slides. The bush does not have a central stem. The plant is characterized by numerous shoots with narrow leaves. They are distinguished by their silvery gray color.
Indoor lavender can grow in an apartment or on a balcony. At the same time, not all varieties are suitable for home breeding. The best choice is French and English lavender.
varietal variety
Today, many varieties of lavender are known, each of which has certain characteristics.
English
It is the most popular type of lavender. In height and width, the bush can reach 1 meter. The exception is dwarf species, which grow to a maximum of 30 centimeters. The flowering period is June-July.
Dutch
It is a hybrid variety with low cold hardiness. This is a fairly large crop, which under natural conditions is able to reach more than 2 meters. It is characterized by large inflorescences. Flowering begins in July.
French
This plant is considered the ancestor of ornamental varieties. It is characterized by various shades of flowers. The disadvantage of cultivation is an unpleasant smell.
narrow-leaved
This plant reaches 30 centimeters in height. The inflorescences are on long stems, which are covered with narrow gray-green leaves.
Toothed
This culture is a small shrub that has large flowers and silvery leaves. This plant is considered thermophilic. Therefore, it is usually grown indoors.
Woolly
This culture is characterized by fluffy leaves. Thanks to this, they evaporate less moisture and tolerate dry periods more easily. At the same time, lavender hardly accepts waterlogging. If moisture stagnates in the container, there is a risk of death of the bush.
broadleaf
This variety has excellent decorative properties and contains many essential oils.For home, you can choose varieties of Christian, Blue Couch, Blue Ice.
Multiple cut
A distinctive feature of the plant is considered a triple inflorescence. In addition, fern-like leaves are characteristic of it.
petiole
This bush is characterized by peduncles no longer than 50 centimeters. The flowers have a rich purple color. Under natural conditions, this variety is grown in Spain, Turkey, Portugal. In Russia, the culture is usually planted in pots.
Stehad
This plant reaches 30 to 100 centimeters in height. This lavender begins to bloom earlier than the others. It happens in March-June. At the end of the summer, the plant can flower again.
How to properly grow on the window
For success in growing plants, one should adhere to the basic recommendations.
Pot Selection Criteria
Mature plants have a strong root system that nourishes flowers and leaves. To ensure its full development, you need to choose the right pot. It must have a volume of at least 2 liters and a diameter of at least 30 centimeters.
It is important that the container has enough holes to drain the moisture.
Soil selection
Lavender likes alkaline soils, which contain a lot of sand. The pH value is not negligible. It should exceed 7. When self-preparing the soil, it is worth taking sand, garden soil and peat in a ratio of 2: 2: 1. It is not recommended to Use too much peat, as this leads to strong acidification of the soil. For lavender, you can buy ready-made soil for cactus... It has a pH of 7.5 to 8 and contains vermicompost, lawn soil and ceramic chips.
Landing
For planting lavender, it is worth choosing the right method of selection. The plant can be planted by seed.It is also allowed to use layering or cuttings. It is best to plant seeds. This method is considered the most affordable.
Maintenance Features
When growing at home, lavender requires infrequent soil moisture, top dressing, and pruning of the bush. In addition, the seasonal factor should be considered. In winter, the plant needs coolness and dryness, in summer it should be warmer.
Lighting
For the normal development of the plant, it must provide sufficient lighting. The flowerpot is best placed on the south window sill. It needs lighting for 10 hours a day. If this is not possible, artificial lighting should be used. For this, fluorescent lamps are used.
watering mode
In summer, lavender is watered no more than twice a week. In this case, it is worth using a moderate amount of water. If there is a lot of sand in the ground, it will dry out quickly. However, it is the basis for more frequent watering. In winter, watering the culture is worth at intervals of 10-14 days. In this case, the soil should be moistened in small portions.
It is important to use water at room temperature. It must be well established.
In winter
This plant needs winter rest. To do this, it must provide the appropriate conditions:
- after flowering, the bushes need to be cut - this is done a few knots above the flower;
- remove dry stems;
- put the pot in a cool room;
- reduce the amount of watering to 1 time per week.
In this case, it is worth providing the plant with sufficient lighting. If this is not done, the foliage will begin to wilt and fall off.
Fertilization and feeding
Lavender needs potassium.In the summer, it is recommended to use 5-7 grams of potassium salt. To do this, it is mixed with 500 milliliters of water. In the spring, it is worth using potassium humate. At the same time, 5 milliliters of fertilizer are taken per 500 milliliters of liquid.
It should be borne in mind that lavender does not take nitrogenous agents well. Also, it is not recommended to fertilize it with chicken droppings or manure.
loosen the soil
The soil should be loosened weekly. This helps to improve the flow of oxygen to the root system and normalize its nutrition.
Size
Lavender requires systematic pruning. This ensures the normal development of the bush and improves its decorative properties.
Sanitary
This type of pruning is aimed at eliminating diseased and diseased shoots. It helps to make the culture more beautiful and prevent the development of diseases.
Formative
Pruning should be aimed at creating a beautiful and lush crown in the crop. It is recommended to carry out it in the fall, after the flowers have faded. In this case, the bush is shortened to 3-5 centimeters. It is important to follow the procedure as carefully as possible. This is done down to the woody branches.
walk and pinch
Pinching or pinching can be done during the season. These procedures are aimed at removing excess leaves and young shoots. Thanks to this, the plant begins to bush better.
Advantages and disadvantages
When deciding to grow lavender, it is worth getting acquainted with the main virtues of growing. The plant has a pleasant fragrance that has a calming effect and relieves headaches. Lavender has many beneficial effects. An essential oil is made from flowers. It is used in medical practice, cosmetology, perfumery.
The oil is often used to combat burns. It helps relieve joint pain.Also, the composition is used for massage. It helps to relax muscles and relieve tension. The composition has a strong antimicrobial effect. The plant has practically no drawbacks. The only drawback can be considered an individual intolerance to the aroma of culture.
Breeding methods
Several methods of crop propagation are known today. Thanks to this, each person can choose the best option.
Seeds
Before planting in the ground, the seed is stratified. This procedure involves cold treatment to increase germination. For this, the seeds should be placed in moist soil and covered with foil. Then it is recommended to put them on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator for a few months.
After the specified period, the container with the seeds should be placed in a warm, bright place until sprouts appear.
Move grown seedlings into cups. As they grow, they are planted in pots. Flowering can be expected after 1-2 years.
By cuttings
To implement this method, it is worth cutting cuttings 10 centimeters long from an annual shoot. It is recommended to cut the leaves from below. Then place the cuttings in light, moist soil and cover with foil. This will help maintain optimal humidity settings. Rooting is quite fast.
Divide the bush
The plant can be propagated by dividing the bush. To do this, it is recommended to take a fragment of a flower growing in the garden and plant it in a pot.
Common growth problems
When growing lavender, there is a risk of various problems. They must be taken into account for the full development of the culture.
long root
The plant develops a long central root. It must therefore provide sufficient space. Sufficiently deep pots are suitable for growing lavender.
Lack of light
Quite often, lavender suffers from a lack of lighting. In such a situation, the culture needs artificial lighting. For this, special lamps are used. Minimum daylight hours should be 10 hours.
Exterior ventilation
Culture needs fresh air. In a stuffy room, its growth slows down. Therefore, the room in which the lavender is located must be constantly ventilated. In summer, the culture comes out on the street or on the balcony.
Window sill requirements in winter
In winter, the plant needs a sufficient amount of light. Therefore, it should be placed on the south window sill.
Incorrect feeding
When growing a crop at home, you should definitely apply fertilizer. This is especially important within 2 months of germination.
Annual transplant
Transplanting the culture is undesirable. She finds it difficult to bear this manipulation. Therefore, it is recommended to move lavender to a new place only if necessary.
gray rot
With the development of pathology, foliage and shoots are covered with gray bloom. The disease is caused by an increase in soil moisture. With its development, it is recommended to cut and burn damaged fragments. The rest of the bush should be treated with Fundazol at a concentration of 0.2%.
Harvest
It is recommended to harvest the spikelets when fully revealing each flower and tie them in small bunches. As such, they hang on the balcony. It is recommended to place the dried herbs in paper bags or cotton bags.It is allowed to be kept for a maximum of 1 year.
Home use options
Lavender has excellent decorative properties. In addition to this, it has many beneficial properties. The flowers and leaves of the culture can be used as a spice or to make oil.
Essential oils of this culture are actively used in medical practice and the perfume industry. Chopped leaves can be used in cooking. They have a pronounced aroma, giving a unique taste to meat and fish dishes.
Tips & Tricks
To successfully grow a plant, it is important to take good care of it:
- correctly carry out planting work;
- timely moisten the soil;
- pruning;
- apply fertilizer.
Lavender is a very beautiful and healthy plant that is often grown at home. To achieve great results, your crop needs to be nurtured and cared for.