Planting and caring for lavender in open ground, advice from experienced gardeners. Landscape design with lavender

For many gardeners, planting and caring for lavender open ground It is considered a difficult topic for conversation, but if you approach this issue thoroughly, then growing this flower in the garden should not cause any difficulties.

We’ll look into the nuances of planting and caring for lavender in our article.

Description

Lavender is a fairly small plant, up to 60 centimeters high. Belongs to the Lamiaceae family and does not shed leaves for the winter. The stem is slightly bent towards the edges and covered with a coating.

Blue or purple flowers grow at the top of the main shoot; the shape of these inflorescences resembles a spikelet.

Popular varieties and types

English or narrow-leaved lavender is a gorgeous bush, the diameter of which can reach one meter. The leaves of this plant are small, rather narrow, green in color with a gray tint.

Flowering of the described crop is observed from early to mid-summer. Even inexperienced gardeners can successfully grow the variety; it tolerates drought well and negative temperatures.

English lavender

The second variety, French broadleaf lavender, is the ancestor of all known varieties. The inflorescences of this culture can have different shades, but their aroma is not always pleasant.

Note: At the moment, about 30 varieties of lavender are known, but only a few varieties are used for growing in the garden.

A hybrid variety of the described flower, bred by Dutch breeders. The inflorescences of this crop have a maximum diameter; the height of the bush can reach two meters. This hybrid is bred from the two previous varieties. The Dutch variety blooms in July and has limited frost resistance.

Jagged Lavender

The most beautiful variety is jagged lavender. The development of this plant is adversely affected by negative temperatures, so it is grown indoors, on balconies or loggias. The variety is distinguished by large inflorescences that have a purple tint.

Planting in open ground

Selection and preparation of a site

When choosing a place for the described flower, preference should be given to areas well lit by the sun. It is not recommended to place the plant under the shade of trees or near buildings.

The crop in question is undemanding in terms of soil composition, but it does not like highly moist and heavy soils. It is best to plant on sandy soil or sandy loam. If there is heavy soil, sand is added to its composition, and the ratio of natural and artificial soil is taken in equal proportions.

It is important to know: Before you start planting lavender in the garden, you need to choose the right variety, adapted to local climatic conditions. This moment is given special meaning, the culture should feel good in a particular region, which will prevent possible diseases.

At high level groundwater to remove excess moisture, organize drainage from pieces of brick or expanded clay with the addition of sand. Particular attention is paid; pH 6.5-8 is considered the norm. If the soil does not meet the specified parameters, lime or wood ash is added to its composition. After all the necessary preparatory procedures have been completed, you can dig up the area.

Seedling

The most popular methods of propagating lavender are the use of cuttings or layering, although some gardeners practice the method of dividing the bush.

The seed method of propagation of the described flower is considered one of the most labor-intensive. In this case, the plant is obtained from seedlings. The technology for obtaining seedlings consists of several stages:

1. To prepare a nutrient substrate, mix two parts of humus with one volume part of sand. To disinfect the soil, calcine it in the oven or spill it with a 1% solution of potassium permanganate.
2. Sowing of grains for seedlings occurs at the end of February or at the beginning of March.
3. After sowing, containers or individual cups are placed in a shaded place, and the soil is moistened with a flower sprayer. To speed up germination, the containers are covered with plastic film or glass.
4. After the seeds germinate, the pots are placed on a sunny windowsill.

Deadlines

Lavender seedlings are most often used in regions with difficult climatic conditions. In addition, it is practiced to sow the seeds of the described flower in open ground, but such procedures must be carried out at the end of May.

This period also applies to planting seedlings. In the southern regions of our country, seed sowing can be carried out in autumn period, around mid-October.

Advice: The sowing depth of lavender seeds is 2-3 centimeters, while tall plants are placed on the site every 1.2 meters, low-growing plants - every 80 centimeters.

Planting seedlings in open ground is carried out in the following sequence:

• Holes are made in the garden bed, the size of which corresponds to the earthen ball of the seedlings;
• One plant is placed in each of the recesses;
• The roots of the flowers are covered with dry soil, and the root collar should remain about 4 centimeters under the soil layer;
• Water the seedlings with warm water.

How to care

The further development of the plant will depend on proper care. Watering the crop is carried out as the soil dries out, since excess moisture can cause rotting of the plant roots.

The lack of moisture in the soil is also negatively perceived by the crop, so watering should be moderate.

The first fertilizing is applied two weeks after planting the seedlings. To prepare the nutrient mixture, 10 grams of nitrogen-containing fertilizers are dissolved in a bucket of water and the plants are watered. The second time the crops are fed with complex mineral fertilizers during flowering.

With the arrival of spring, as well as in autumn, flower bushes need to be hilled and trimmed. According to experts, shortening the shoots contributes to the formation of new branches and continues the life of the crop.

Good to know: using fallen leaves fruit trees to protect lavender from frost can lead to rotting of the roots, so this material is not recommended.

Pruning is also done after lavender blooms, and all dried inflorescences must be removed. It is necessary to completely thin out the bush only in the autumn, leaving four or five new shoots to winter. If the flower remains to spend the winter in the garden, it must be covered with pine needles to protect it from the cold.

Pests and diseases

The described flower almost never gets sick, and pests do not attack it so often. The most popular disease of the described flower is considered gray mold.

The further development of this disease can be prevented by trimming the damaged parts of the plant, after which they are taken outside the garden area and burned.

You can get rid of pennies by watering the plants with a stream of water. The rainbow beetle is destroyed using chemicals protection.

Reproduction

One of the main methods is to propagate lavender using cuttings. In June, several cuttings from 8 to 10 centimeters long are cut from the main stem and placed in a jar of water or a special moistened substrate prepared from sand and peat in equal quantities.

Good results can be achieved by propagating the flower by layering. First you need to dig a small hole near the bush and place a young twig there, and part of the plant should rise above the soil.

To prevent the shoot from springing, its position is secured with a metal pin or stone. You can separate a new plant in the fall when it gets colder.

The easiest way to propagate lavender is to divide the bush. This method is used for two-year-old plants. In spring, the bush must be divided into several parts with the same number of roots. After this, pruning and watering of the crop is carried out.

Medicinal properties and contraindications

IN folk medicine Lavender is used as a means to normalize sleep and prevent cramps. Preparations based on this plant relieve toothache and help people who have suffered a stroke. Using raw materials taken from lavender, the following diseases can be cured:

• heart diseases;
• jaundice;
• gout;
• muscle pain;
• nervous disorders;
• indigestion;
• prostration;
• dizziness.

Interesting fact: In some people, applying lavender oil to the skin may cause flushing or swelling. To check how the body perceives it, a drop of this substance is rubbed into the elbow area and the skin reaction is checked.

Many useful components are included in the inflorescences. They are present in tinctures and essential oil, flowers are added to baths to treat a wide variety of ailments, and tea is also made from them.

Plant in garden landscape design

The flower in question is ideal for decorating a garden. This culture has a wonderful aroma and has many colors and shades, from pink to lilac. One of the most popular ways to use lavender in landscape design is to plant the flower along garden paths, which makes it possible to divide the area into several zones.

On horizontal surfaces, lavender is planted in squares in a checkerboard pattern.

Another way to decorate a garden involves using a carpet of these plants. In this case, it is necessary to constantly trim the bushes to the required height.

Growing lavender makes it possible not only to decorate the garden. This plant is unpretentious in care, and its flowers are not only beautiful, but also have medicinal properties.

How to grow lavender in your own garden, see the advice of an experienced gardener in the following video:

Lavender received its sonorous name from the Latin lava - to wash, clean. It was this that the Romans added to their bath water. IN wildlife grows in France, Spain, North Africa.

Description

Lavender (Lavandula) is a genus of perennial evergreen plants from the Lamiaceae family. The height of mature shrubs and subshrubs can reach one meter. Root system rod. The main root is woody, heavily overgrown with suction roots in the upper part. The leaves are oblong-lanceolate, green in color (a gray-green tint is possible due to pubescence), petiolate. The stems in the lower part are woody, drooping, bearing many young shoots. The crown of the bush is spherical.

The flowers are small, asymmetrical, in spike-shaped inflorescences towering above the bush. Lavender blooms in the second half of summer. The color of the flowers depends on the type and variety; they can be white, pink, lilac, violet. The corolla is small (up to 1 cm), two-lipped. At the end of summer, the fruits ripen - four nuts in a lagging cup.

Lavender is famous for its aroma and essential oils contained in the flowers. It is used not only in landscape design, but also in the perfume industry, aromatherapy, medicine, and cooking.

Lavender latifolia

Most popular types

The genus lavender has more than 20 species. In gardening, as a rule, two are used: broad-leaved and narrow-leaved.

Broadleaf lavender (aka French lavender) is a heat-loving plant. It was originally grown as a source of aromatic and beneficial essential oil. Later, its plantings began to be used for decorative purposes. In the South of France you can find entire plantations of this beauty. In the post-Soviet space it is found on the Crimean Peninsula and Kuban. French lavender leaves have a more rounded shape. The color of the flowers can be white, pink or purple.

Narrow-leaved lavender has a number of other names: spikelet, real English. More frost-resistant species. The flowers have a light purple or lilac hue, located in the upper part of thin, erect shoots. They have a strong pleasant smell. Many seeds ripen on the bush, which retain the ability to germinate for several years.

Among the most popular varieties of narrow-leaved lavender are:

• "Munstiad" - bushes 30 to 40 cm high, light purple flowers. The variety is wind resistant and suitable for growing in middle lane;
• "Ellagance Sky" - blooms white and deep blue and has a strong aroma. Suitable for perennial plantings in open ground and indoor floriculture;
• "Alba" - medium-sized bush, white flowers;
• "Hidcote Giant" - medium-sized, spherical bush;
• "Rosea" is a compact bush with pink flowers.

Lavender angustifolia

Hybrid forms of lavender are distinguished by their decorative properties. The flowers of these plants are larger and come in a variety of colors. The leaves have a silver or ashen tint. The height of the bush can reach two meters. Flowering period – July, August.

Serrated lavender grows in a compact bush. It got its name from the ragged shape of the leaves. The flowers are large, violet and lilac in color. It has a low threshold of resistance to frost, therefore in the middle zone it is grown as indoor plant.

Photo gallery of species

Growing and care

Choosing a location. Prefers open sunny places. Lowlands and areas with high groundwater not suitable for growing and caring for lavender. Planting plants near water bodies is not recommended.

The soil. To get healthy, beautiful bushes, you need to choose areas with light, loose soil. Preference is given to peat, sandy and sandy loam soils. On heavy clay soils the plant will die. Before planting, drainage made of pebbles or crushed stone must be laid at the bottom of the hole. Plants do not develop well in acidic soils.

Advice. To deoxidize the soil, ash, lime or dolomite flour should be added before planting lavender.

Watering. In arid summer period Lavender requires abundant regular watering and subsequent loosening of the soil. If it is not possible to provide the necessary watering, the soil around the bushes can be mulched.

Feeding. In early spring, as soon as the snow melts, granular complex fertilizers should be applied to the lavender bushes. It is advisable to feed the bushes throughout the growing season with liquid fertilizers for flowering crops at intervals of 1 time per month.

It is important to know! You should not use manure to fertilize lavender. It will cause rapid growth of green mass to the detriment of flowering.

Lavender pruning

Trimming. Throughout the summer, the plant needs regular pruning of the tips of shoots with faded flowers. Ignoring this stage of care will lead to the fading of flowering. Pruning to the woody part of the shoots is required to rejuvenate lavender bushes.

Shelter for the winter. Lavender needs some light winter shelter. Needles, leaves, and sawdust are suitable for these purposes. If the above-ground part of the bush did not survive winter frosts, it is completely cut off in the spring. The bushes are restored in the first year.

Diseases and pests

The persistent aroma of lavender scares away almost everyone garden pests, except for the pennitsa. Insects can be collected by hand or controlled using chemicals. Gray mold is a dangerous disease for lavender. The affected leaves should be removed and destroyed, and the remaining aerial part should be repeatedly treated with a copper-containing preparation.

Combination of lavender with roses

Reproduction

You can propagate lavender in several ways:

• Seeds

Before sowing, when growing lavender from seeds, they are stratified in the refrigerator for a month. They are sown in containers with a peat mixture in late February - early March. Optimal temperature for germination – 20-21 °C. When the seedlings have two pairs of true leaves, they are planted in separate pots. Over time, the seedlings need to be pinched so that the bush begins to branch. In May, seedlings are planted in open ground at a distance of 20-25 cm from each other.

Winter sowing in open ground is also common. Shoots appear in May. Slightly grown seedlings are thinned out, leaving the recommended distance between seedlings.

Propagation of lavender by cuttings

• Cuttings

To propagate lavender, one-year-old woody shoots are cut from cuttings and divided into parts with 2-3 buds. The lower cut is made at a distance of 1 cm under the bud, the upper cut is 2-3 cm above the bud. Root the cuttings in containers with wet sand. To preserve moisture, it is advisable to cover the container with glass or film. Cuttings allow you to preserve all the qualities mother plant.

• Dividing the bush

Preparations for dividing the bush begin in advance. In spring, the bush is hilled high. This procedure is repeated in the fall. Next spring the bush will produce a lot of growth. It is dug out from the mother bush and planted in a prepared place.

• By layering

Lavender can be easily propagated by layering. To do this, in the spring, several mature shoots are placed in a groove, pinned and covered with earth. The soil is kept moist. The very next year a new generation of lavender seedlings is received.

Paths bordered with lavender look impeccable and original

Use in landscape design

Lavender will decorate an alpine hill, a stone garden, a ridge, and a flower garden. Low growing varieties lavender is used as a fragrant border.

In mixborders, lavender is given a central place, focusing on the amazingly beautiful flowering. Classic partners of lavender are roses and santolina. Lavender also looks self-sufficient in single plantings. The decorative effect of the plant continues in winter, diluting the white cover of the garden with green and silver leaves.

We received a question from Olga: “I want to create a fragrant flowerbed on my site. I really love the smell of lavender. What plants does it go with?

We answer

Flavor combination

Everyone knows that scents affect our subconscious. That is why it is important that the flower garden in the garden not only pleases the eye, but also surprises with its smells. Traditionally, all fragrances are divided into women's and men's.

• Women's scents - roses, daffodils, lilies.
• Men's - mint, lemon balm, thyme.

If you want to perk up, the scent of rosemary and verbena will help. Relax? Then you should pay attention to lilac and rose.

When combining plants in a flowerbed, you should take care that the aromas do not mix. This means that you will have to carefully select flowers, otherwise you are unlikely to be able to relax or recharge your energy. Perfect option– a combination of sage, lavender and catnip. In spring, you can add hyacinths, lilies of the valley or daffodils to your flower beds. In summer, plant mirabilis, sweet tobacco, lobularia, and sweet peas.

Who should I get hooked on lavender?

Lavender can be different, it doesn’t have to be purple! The flowers can be white and even pink.

If you want a tranquil, fragrant flowerbed, choose a sunny location. Place a bench nearby. To the left and right of the bench you can create 2 flower beds.

These are planted on them aromatic plants, How:

• lavender;
• monarda;
• thyme;
• sage.

It is worth placing shrubs nearby: lilac, roses, honeysuckle, mock orange or honeysuckle.

How to grow lavender (video)

You can also dilute the flowerbed with annuals - night violet and alyssum, and perennials - phlox, hyacinths and daffodils.

There is another original technique of combining lavender with other plants. This is the so-called rocky bed. In fact, it is a high flower bed made using stones in the form of a spiral (can also be square or round).

Between the spirals place:

• top – mountain savory, lavender, thyme, hyssop, rosemary
• below – parsley, basil, chervil

It is not recommended to use tall grasses. Otherwise you will obscure the entire composition.

The classic option for a flower bed is a combination of lavender and roses. Using this technique, You will not only get amazing pleasant aroma, but also protect the rose from pests, for example, from snails.

Lavender is a very famous perennial evergreen plant, captivating with its elegance, beauty, and delicate aroma. In addition to its beautiful appearance, lavender is used in various industries and in everyday life. Many countries have long been suppliers of lavender; its cultivation takes place in industrial scale. In the French province of Provence, lavender is a hallmark, where 80% of the plant used in the world is grown.

Lavender essential oil has long been used to treat many ailments. And lavender tea is an ancient cure for headaches. The uses of lavender oil are very wide. Thanks to numerous beneficial properties The plant is used in the treatment of various ailments.

Due to the fact that the perennial is a heat-loving plant, unable to survive the cold period of the year in the middle zone, breeders have adapted many varieties for the Russian climate. Lavender can now be grown in areas with cold winters, making it a great addition to many gardens.

Lavender is a perennial herbal medicinal herbaceous plant, subshrub, shrub of the Lamiaceae family.

In its natural environment, lavender grows on the Mediterranean coast, on the Canary Islands, in southern Europe, in India and Arabia, in northeast Africa. On the territory of Russia they are found on the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus. Many species and varieties are adapted to areas with different climates.

The root system is powerful, taprooted, woody. The stems are branched, spreading, erect, tetrahedral. The leaves are elongated, narrow, linear, oblong, with a whole or serrated edge, opposite, sessile, with curled edges.

In nature, lavender flowers are blue or purple; many varieties have more varied colors. Tall thin peduncles rise above the bush, at the end of which 6 - 10 flowers are collected in false whorls and form spike-shaped inflorescences. The plant blooms in the second half of summer. After flowering, lavender seeds are formed - a dense, dry, oval-shaped seed of a dark brown color.

The spicy, tart smell of lavender makes this plant in demand in the perfume and cosmetics industry. Lavender essential oil has good medicinal properties and is used for various ailments. Many people grow lavender in open ground not only as a garden decoration or as a raw material on an industrial scale, but also as a medicinal herb.

When does lavender bloom?

To ensure abundant bright flowering, it is necessary to follow a number of rules for caring for the bush. Lavender shows its flower at the beginning of summer and until autumn. At the moment when lavender blooms, the bush is covered with bright flowers, becoming like a “fluffy” balloon. When planted in groups, flowering plants create an amazing and spectacular appearance of an elegant “bedspread,” and the delicately spicy aroma from the flowers fills the garden space for a long time. Every year, from spring until autumn, the perennial is able to decorate the flower garden. Since ancient times, the magnificent characteristics of lavender have been appreciated.

Types and varieties

Lavender is a plant that needs no introduction. Many gardeners enjoy growing these beautiful bushes, which, in addition to their wonderful elegant aroma and delicate flowers, have medicinal properties.

The genus contains approximately 25 - 30 species, but only two of them are cultivated: angustifolia and broadleaf lavender. Many varieties of lavender were obtained precisely from them. Thus, the “butterfly” lavender variety has the most pronounced aroma. Many species are found only in warm areas, such as multicut lavender, which is not grown in Russia. For central Russia, only the narrow-leaved species is suitable, since it is able to survive harsh winters; other species are more heat-loving.

The wide use of the plant makes it truly unique.

Serrated

Lavender serrated

The height of the perennial shrub is no more than 1 m, the width is up to 1 - 1.5 m.

The leaves are elongated, up to 4 cm long, oblong. The variety got its name due to the characteristic serrated edge of the leaf.

Serrated lavender blooms violet from June - blue flowers, collected in a capitate inflorescence at the ends of the stem. A fairly heat-loving species, it will not survive the cold season without shelter; it can withstand temperatures down to -15 C. It prefers open sunny areas with well-drained calcareous soil.

Broadleaf

French lavender

Another name is French lavender. It is the most sought after species among flower growers. An evergreen subshrub up to 1 - 1.3 m high. The plant is very fragrant, but the aroma is not as refined as that of angustifolia lavender. Spike-shaped inflorescences are loose, up to 10 cm long. The color of the flowers is very diverse, there are blue, white, indigo, pink, and lilac flowers. Broadleaf lavender blooms earlier than other representatives of the genus: the flowering period is April - June; a second wave of flowering may occur in early autumn. It is a drought-resistant species, able to survive frosts down to -16 C, and requires additional shelter for the winter.

French lavender is considered the ancestor of decorative varieties.

English

English lavender

The height and width of the bush is up to 1 m. The leaves are narrow, dense, lanceolate, small, gray-green in color, with slight pubescence. A more frost-resistant plant compared to the broad-leaved species. During flowering in July - August, English lavender is covered with small flowers of blue, blue, lilac shades, collected in 6-10 pieces at the tops of the stems in spike-shaped inflorescences. The fragrant aroma is very spicy and pleasant.

Multi-notch

Lavender multicut

It is a perennial herbaceous shrub native to the Mediterranean. It does not winter in central Russia; it is used in culture as annual plant. Fern-like openwork leaves of gray-green color. The flowers are on long peduncles 40 - 60 cm high, collected in spike-shaped inflorescences of blue-violet color. Multicut lavender forms the first flowers 1.5 - 2 months after the seeds germinate. The bush continues to bloom throughout the season until late autumn. Multicut lavender is quite unpretentious in care.

Narrow-leaved

Lavender angustifolia

Other names are English true, lavender officinalis, spicata, true, lavender angustifolia. An evergreen and highly branched subshrub, grows up to 60 - 100 cm in height. As it grows, it forms a spherical crown up to 1 m wide. The leaves are opposite, sessile, narrow, large, linear, about 2 - 6 cm long and up to 6 mm wide, oblong, gray-green, with whole, rolled edges. Lavender angustifolia blooms with fragrant, fragrant flowers throughout the month, usually from July to September. It is a fairly cold-resistant species, can withstand down to -20 C, but requires shelter in snowless winters.

The root system is taprooted, woody, branched in the upper part. Flowers are up to 1 cm in length, collected in false whorls of 6 - 10 pieces. They form loose or dense, intermittent racemose inflorescences up to 4 - 8 cm in length, mainly in blue and purple shades. The peduncles are tetrahedral, the upper internodes are long, up to 30 - 45 cm. They can live in one place for up to 20 years. Prefers open sunny areas, raised above the soil level, and easily gets along in urban environments.

Plant care

The bush itself can easily do without special care, although in this case the shape of the plant and its decorative effect will suffer. Flower growers identify several basic rules for the care and maintenance of bushes. If you do everything correctly, the plant will be voluminous, retain its spherical shape, and will delight you with its bright blooms every year.

Caring for lavender involves periodically loosening the soil around the stem to ensure constant air circulation in the root zone of the plant and get rid of weeds. Water as the soil dries out. In hot, dry weather, watering is increased, since the lack of moisture reduces and shortens the flowering time. On the other hand, excessive watering creates stagnation of moisture in the soil, which can cause rotting of the roots and yellowing of the stem.

In order for blooming lavender to reveal its full potential, it is necessary to plant it in the most open, sunny areas of the garden. In shady areas the plant develops quite well, but may suffer decorative properties plants, there won't be lush flowering.

To enrich the soil with additional nutrients The soil under the bush is covered with rotted leaves and compost. Care should be taken to ensure that the soil around the trunk remains open, otherwise the roots may rot.

When preparing lavender for winter in the fall, the bush is pruned, leaving 10 - 15 cm above ground level. During cold periods, the flower requires additional shelter; in severe frosts and winters with little snow, the bush may die. Gardeners recommend planting lavender in large pots or containers; in the fall it is easier to transfer them to warm room for the winter, and caring for lavender in a pot is easier and more convenient.

Periodic pruning of the bush is necessary to give the plant the desired shape. Without pruning, the bushes will become elongated, have few branches and will have few flowers.

Fertilizer application

To maintain growth and lush flowering, the bush requires comprehensive mineral fertilizer, which can be purchased at any gardening store. Fertilizers are diluted according to the instructions and introduced into the soil before flowering begins. To enhance the growth and development of green mass, the plant needs nitrogen fertilizer, which is added at the beginning of the bush’s growth in the spring. Under the influence of nitrogen, development processes are stimulated, so they are applied only once. If you re-apply in the summer, the growth of the bush will increase; it will not have time to prepare for the winter period of the year.

Many gardeners, instead of applying fertilizer, cover the soil under the bush with a thick layer of compost mulch. Thanks to this, the plant receives nutrients throughout the season.

Trimming

Only proper pruning of lavender can form a neat, beautiful bush, otherwise the plant will stretch out and take on an ugly shape with a bare lower part and sparse gray leaves.

In April, when young shoots 15–20 cm high are planted in open ground, randomly located shoots are cut off to stimulate the growth of the bush. After this, the bush is left alone for a year, and next spring, last year’s dry inflorescences are cut from the bush.

If the bush is healthy and well-groomed, spring pruning to 15 cm above the ground is allowed, which in turn will help the plant reproduce young shoots. This will affect the maintenance of the decorative appearance. It is not recommended to trim the bush below 10 - 15 cm, as this may cause the death of the plant.

The main rule of pruning with proper care is not to cut off too much. It is better to remove as little as possible than to overdo it and ruin the bush. It is better to trim lavender flower stalks in the spring, and not in the fall, as many people do. Faded inflorescences help the bush survive the winter period.

Many people make the mistake of pruning the bush immediately after flowering; as a result, the flower forms new shoots that can suffer with the onset of cold weather.

Diseases and pests

The lavender plant is quite resistant to diseases and pest attacks. The appearance of pests and diseases occur due to improper care. Due to diseases, the bush is exposed to gray rot. This fungal disease is expressed in the formation of gray-brown spots on the stem and the appearance of a gray fluffy coating. Rot leads to the death of leaves, flowers, fruits, and when severe infection the plant may die completely.

Affected areas of the plant are cut off and burned as far as possible from the planting sites. The bush is treated with 1% Bordeaux mixture, as a last resort, the use of a fungicide is allowed. The occurrence of gray rot indicates a violation of the rules of care. First of all, it is necessary to reconsider the watering regime; most likely the soil is very waterlogged and there is stagnation of water.

Among the pests, the plant is attacked by the pennies, which spoil the decorative appearance of the bush by eating big holes in leaf blades. The insect is collected by hand, and the affected leaves are removed from the bush. The pennitsa lays eggs on the stem, covering them with foam, which is easily washed off with water. The jagged appearance can be spoiled by the rainbow beetle, which eats the leaves of the bush. The insect is collected by hand from the plant.

Planting and propagation

Of all the types of lavender in central Russia, only angustifolia lavender can survive in open ground, and only if there is good shelter for the winter. Lavender propagation occurs in three ways: seed and vegetative methods, using cuttings, dividing the bush and layering. Stratification of lavender seeds - mandatory process before boarding. Growing lavender from seeds is a rather labor-intensive process, as a result of which it is rarely used.

Lavender is often used at home for interior decoration, as drawings and images on dishes, furniture, textiles, and in flower arrangements.

In the southern regions, various varieties of lavender are grown at home and in greenhouses. Some varieties, for example, multicut lavender, which is extremely heat-loving, can now be grown in any climate zone.

How to plant lavender?

When choosing young bushes ready for planting in specialized stores, you should choose varieties adapted to the local climatic zone. Experienced flower growers It is advised to plant lavender on the plot in early spring when the night frosts stopped. Planting in the fall is possible, but only for the southern regions and no later than 2 months before the onset of cold weather.

Immediately before planting, the bush is immersed in cold water for 1-1.5 hours.

Since the plant loves elevation, before planting lavender, it is necessary to make beds at a height of 20 - 40 cm above ground level, or on a hill.

To stimulate young bushes to grow and branch, their upper part is cut off before planting. Overgrown roots and lower leafy branches are removed. For seedlings, prepare a hole 20 - 30 cm deep. The distance between plants should be equal to the height of an adult bush. To create denser plantings, the distance between seedlings is reduced.

Lavender seeds remain viable for many years, but under the condition proper storage. After ripening, they are collected and sealed in a dry, airtight container. In mid-autumn, you can sow lavender seeds directly into open ground without prior stratification.

How to grow lavender in the country?

First of all, you need to choose a place for planting: it should be open and protected from the wind. In shady places it will not be possible to achieve bright, rich flowering.

How to grow lavender in the country so that it does not freeze in winter and long years pleased with your presence? For residents of cold climate zones, flower growers advise planting bushes not in open ground, but in large flowerpots, which are brought indoors with the onset of cold weather.

When planting lavender in open ground, you should follow the watering regime: waterlogging of the soil is extremely dangerous, it will lead to the death of the plant.

How to grow lavender in the country so that it realizes its full potential? One of the main conditions for care is to apply fertilizing in a timely manner, which will stimulate the bush to rapid growth of green mass, abundant and long-lasting flowering.

For creating a neat lawn, border, flower bed, flower bed edging, hedge and alpine slide, the crown of the bush should be formed, otherwise it will take an indefinite shape.

When growing lavender seedlings, flowering should not be expected until next year.

Seeds for seedlings are planted in late February - early March in small containers with soil. Seeds are sown in shallow holes at a distance of 2 - 3 cm from each other. Cover the container with a transparent lid, provide constant lighting, periodic watering, and a temperature of +15...+21 C. Under such conditions, the seeds will germinate in 1.5 - 2 weeks. During this time, it is necessary to ventilate the containers daily. As soon as the shoots appear, the ventilation time is increased. Grown sprouts are planted in separate pots or flowerpots at a distance of 5 cm from each other.

Young shoots tolerate transplantation well. In May, such sprouts are planted in a permanent place in open ground.

How to grow lavender at home?

To grow lavender at home, you need to select a container with holes in the bottom to remove excess moisture. A pot with a diameter of 25 - 30 cm and a volume of up to 2 liters is suitable. The bush will grow to its full size in about 3 - 5 years. During this time, the bush is annually transplanted into larger pots.

The flower must be provided with the opportunity to quickly and good drain excess water. To do this, place a drainage layer on the bottom of the container: you can use any suitable material, for example, expanded clay, pebbles, broken brick, nut shells, shards. Make sure that the drainage does not cover the drain holes.

Before you try to grow lavender at home, you should create the right environment for it. The soil should consist of a mixture of sand and peat; it would be useful to add crushed eggshells. Before planting lavender seeds in pots at home, they are subjected to stratification.

The main task when caring for lavender at home is to ensure proper periodic watering, the required level of air humidity, as much as possible sunlight and warmth. Water young seedlings daily in the morning or evening throughout the growing season. There must be water room temperature, settled. The soil should be slightly moist; excessive watering can ruin the plant. The bush really likes it when water gets on the green parts of the plant when watering.

To stimulate growth during the first 2 - 3 months, young bushes are fed weekly with liquid fertilizer (2 grams per 1 liter of water). Good level Humidity can be maintained with an electric humidifier or by manually spraying cold water around the flower pot. Light-loving lavender requires a lot of light, so it is better to give it a place on the windowsill on the south side. Young shoots should be provided with conditions so that they are exposed to lighting for at least 10 hours a day; in extreme cases, phytolamps can be used. With the onset of spring, you should take the pot with the plant out into the open air for a couple of hours a day, each time slightly increasing the “walk” time.

Since the flower overwinters indoors, the bush is pruned after the flower stalks have dried. In winter, the flower needs rest. At this time, watering is reduced, and the pot itself is placed in a cooler place. If the container with the plant is on the windowsill, you should take care that the heat from the central heating radiator does not dry out the soil. If the lavender did not rest in winter, but began to grow, with the arrival of spring, the growths that have grown over the winter must be cut off.

How to plant lavender with seeds?

Before sowing lavender seeds, they must be subjected to pre-treatment - stratification. For proper stratification, the seeds are poured into a pot with wet sand, covered with a lid and put in the cold, kept for 1.5 - 2 months at a temperature of +5 C. Lavender is planted twice a year - in early spring and mid-autumn.

In October collected seeds lavender is sown in the ground, sprinkled with a layer of earth up to 4 mm high. If the soil is dry, then the bed needs to be moistened. In winter, the planting site is covered with a large layer of snow, thereby causing natural stratification. After lavender seeds are planted in the ground before winter, the first shoots can be expected no earlier than May, in some cases even later, when the night frosts have passed.

For spring planting Seeds previously kept in the cold are used. To grow lavender from seeds at home, prepare a container with loose, drained peat soil and sow the seeds. If after 2 - 3 weeks the seedlings have not appeared, the pot with the seeds is placed in the refrigerator for one month for re-stratification. In May, as soon as the night temperature does not drop below -5...-7 C, the seeds are sown in open ground at a distance of 1.5 - 2 cm from each other.

Cuttings

Propagating bushes from cuttings is quite simple. For this purpose, lignified annual shoots are suitable, which are divided into 10 cm, rooted in moist soil by 2 - 7 cm, covered with a transparent cap and watered regularly. The ambient temperature should be within +15...+20 C, good lighting and sufficiently humid air are necessary. When warm weather sets in, lavender cuttings are opened, after which they take root and grow very quickly.

You can quickly propagate the bush using layering. To do this, in the spring, 2 - 3 branches are pressed to the ground, deepened into holes up to 5 cm high, fixed with brackets and covered with soil. After some time, the branch will take root. Separate the new bush from the mother one in the fall, after pruning.

The propagation method by dividing the bush is as follows. Before preparing for winter, the bush is pruned, leaving 10 - 15 cm above ground level, carefully hilled up, densely covering the bushes with earth. In summer, the bush grows well and produces a lot of young shoots that take root well. At the end of the season, the bush is dug up, divided, cutting with a knife, then the divisions are planted in new places.

Preparing for winter

Some types of lavender are considered frost-resistant. They are able to withstand temperatures down to -25 C. However, experienced gardeners in any case advise covering the bushes for cold weather. Preparing lavender for winter begins at the end of the season, after low pruning of the bushes, on which tree branches are laid. The most suitable branches for these purposes coniferous trees. You should not fill the beds with fallen leaves; the bushes under them may begin to rot and rot.

Lavender in the interior

You don't have to have a garden to grow lavender. It will decorate and delight any home with its appearance and aroma. A bouquet of dry lavender will fit perfectly into any bedroom, ensuring a serene, restful sleep, and will also fill the room with the subtle aroma of summer. Lavender will add a lively touch to the interior, because in the apartment a pot of lavender looks like a small green island.

In many cultures, the lavender flower is considered a symbol of beauty, tenderness, love and sophistication. In addition to the bouquet and flower pots, the interior is often decorated with fragrant linen bags with crushed fragrant herbs inside. Such sachets emit a pleasant floral aroma and are often used by housewives to scent rooms and cabinets. Many people decorate the room with a lavender wreath of dried flowers. Various accessories with pictures lilac flower, be it furniture or textiles, look harmonious in any interior.

Useful properties and use in folk medicine

Lavender contains essential oils that contain tannins, linalol, coumarins, herniarin, amyl alcohol, citral, bisabolene, cedren, acetic, valeric, butyric, caproic acids. Lavender essential oil is obtained from flowers, since they contain the highest content, about 0.8 - 1.2%. Oil from the inflorescence has anticonvulsant, sedative, diuretic effects, as well as antiseptic and bactericidal properties.

The use of lavender in folk medicine has a wide range of purposes. Flowers are used to treat diseases of the cardiovascular system, nervous disorders, diseases of the digestive tract, kidney diseases and the genitourinary system. The healing properties of lavender are undeniable and have been proven in centuries-old practice; there is no doubt about the beneficial effects on the human body.

In cosmetology, lavender oil is used for hair: its effect literally from the first use gives positive results. Lavender oil for the face is considered unsurpassed and safe means to combat age-related skin changes, skin rashes, and allergies.

Uses of lavender

In folk medicine, dried and freshly picked lavender is prescribed for internal and external use. For various infectious diseases, insomnia, various nervous disorders, respiratory diseases, disorders of the gastrointestinal tract, diseases of the female reproductive system and other ailments, infusion and decoction of lavender are prescribed.

Lotions and essential oil are prescribed for various skin diseases, insect and animal bites. Lavender is very useful for hair: it helps restore brittle, damaged hair, and in combination with other methods it helps to cope with scalp diseases. Essential oil is used for massage and rubbing. While bathing, it is useful to add an infusion or a few drops of lavender essential oil to the water.

Plants are also used in everyday life: lavender gets rid of moths. For this purpose, dry twigs are laid out on the shelves of the closet or rag bags with crushed dried flowers are placed. The fragrant spicy aroma also repels insects such as mosquitoes and flies.

Beneficial features

Due to its calming and relaxing properties, lavender tea is recommended for sleep disturbances and nervous exhaustion. Baths and massages using essential oils, as well as aromatherapy, help with headaches and have a mild, hypnotic effect, which helps reduce tension and relieve muscle pain.

Lavender essential oil

Due to the healing properties of lavender, the use of essential oil based on it has a wide range of applications. In appearance, the oil is almost transparent, with a barely noticeable yellow tint. Thanks to its good compatibility with other essential oils, fragrant, aromatic compositions are created for wide use, both in everyday life and for medicinal purposes. Lavender oil for the face is most often used in cosmetology in the production of masks, creams, gels and other products. The use of lavender essential oil for hair can be a salvation for diseases of the scalp, dandruff, damaged hair structure, hair loss and fragility.

Contraindications

Lavender essential oil is not an allergen, but this does not mean that you should neglect precautions. A sensitivity test must be performed before use. It is not recommended to use essential oil during pregnancy. breastfeeding, hypotension, as it affects hormonal levels and blood pressure. When taking iron and iodine-containing medications, it is better to avoid essential oils. The smell of lavender is very fragrant and spicy. Not every person can calmly tolerate such a strong aroma; some people feel sick from the thick smell. In this case, the use of essential oil should be discontinued.

Use in cooking

Lavender is truly a versatile plant. In addition to cosmetology, medicine and perfumery, in many countries it is used in cooking. It is added when preparing almost every dish - meat, salads, sauces, desserts, drinks. In Russia, this spicy herb is not used so often in cooking; people mostly drink tea with lavender. It gives the drink a pleasant spicy and fragrant aroma; in addition, this tea is very beneficial for health.

Lavender tea

Lavender tea is considered universal remedy to maintain health during the treatment of many ailments. Tea with lavender is drunk for headaches, nervous exhaustion, and excitability. It helps to relax and get rid of insomnia. Many women note a decrease in nausea and pain during menstruation.

Classic lavender tea is prepared from two tablespoons of dried flowers and one glass of boiling water. It is necessary to infuse the drink for 10 - 15 minutes. You should not get carried away with such drinks, otherwise local allergic reactions and indigestion may begin. The daily norm of such tea is no more than 2 - 3 cups per day.

Application in landscape design

Lavender in the garden has an impressive, compact and neat appearance; it looks good both in mono plantings and in compositions with other garden plants. ornamental plants. In landscape design, lavender is used to create flower beds, rock gardens, rockeries, paths, and hedges. Lavender angustifolia is perfect for edging flower beds and borders. Multicut lavender serves as a good background and frame for flower beds. Several varieties and species can be combined in one color composition, which will give the garden an original and unusual look.

Agree, it is impossible to pass by the courtyard where lavender blooms. We are talking less about lilac bushes, and more about the floral aroma hovering in the area. Stunned by everything you saw, you rush home with only one thought. Now you are asking questions: how much lavender is capricious, how difficult is it to plant, how and what does it hurt? After all, now it’s not even discussed that this plant will grow in your garden plot.

Lavender: types

Lavender is evergreen shrub, which is popular in the field of cosmetology and alternative medicine. The smell of lavender has a positive effect on the central nervous system, reduces and eases headaches.

However, medicinal properties– that’s not all why lavender is so valuable. It is widely used in perfumery and cosmetology. Cooking is also no exception: lavender has a special spicy flavor.

At the moment, humanity has developed more than 25 varieties of lavender shrubs, but only a couple of varieties are used in garden plots.

Lavender angustifolia(English) - unpretentious shrub. Tolerates low temperatures without problems. Blooms in mid-summer. The leaves are small, narrow, and gray-green in color. The bush is small in size: up to half a meter in radius.

(French) - one of the first ornamental subspecies of lavender shrubs. Its distinctive feature is undoubtedly the wide range of colors of its buds and its pungent smell.

(Dutch) - a large type of lavender. The bush can grow up to 2 meters in height. A natural mixture of narrow-leaved and French species of this shrub. It tolerates temperature changes worse than English lavender.

Lavender serrated– a variety of lavender that has soft silver leaves and large flowers of a wide range of purple. This species grows best in room conditions, rather than in the fresh air, on open ground.

How to plant?

Caring for and growing lavender in open ground can be done in the following ways:

• Planting seeds;
• Layerings from an existing bush;
• Cuttings;
• By division.

Lavender (and any other) seeds retain the ability to sprout even many years after they are collected, if you keep the container in which the seeds are stored airtight.

Do not lose sight of the fact that lavender seeds must first be stratified: let them lie for more than 2 months in a room with a temperature of about five degrees above zero. To achieve this temperature, seeds are often mixed with wet sand and the mixture is placed in the refrigerator.

If necessary, you can start sowing seeds immediately, but first familiarize yourself with a number of recommendations:

The best time of year to sow lavender is mid-autumn. The seed planting depth is no more than 4 mm, then trample down the soil. If the relative humidity is low at the time of planting, it is necessary to water the seeds. In the winter season, areas dotted with lavender should be covered with snow.

In second place in terms of conditions for sowing lavender is spring. Here it is necessary to prepare throughout the spring season and plant only in early June: stratify the seeds in early March, and sow the previously prepared area at the end of May - beginning of June.

The site for sowing lavender should not be too wet. shady place. The lavender bush does not tolerate oversaturation with moisture. Experienced gardeners recommend preparing a dry, sunny place for seedlings.

Caring for lavender in open ground

Watering the bushes is carried out only when the soil is completely dry. Excessive humidity promises root rot, but excessive drought should not be allowed either.

In the spring and autumn seasons, you should spud the lavender bush. Trimming shrubs can significantly extend the life of lavender. A small pruning of the bush is allowed immediately after the bush begins to flower, but serious pruning is recommended to be done closer to autumn and leave 4-6 young green shoots.

For many, where in winter the air temperature reaches 25 degrees Celsius below zero, lavender remains to overwinter in open soil. The first step is to prepare the lavender for the cold: trim the bush and cover it with several branches of any coniferous tree.

Fertilizer, bait

In March, fertilize lavender with nitrogen fertilizers. Recommended mixture: 1 tbsp. a spoonful of urea (you can use 2 tablespoons of sodium humate) to 10 liters of water. For each lavender bush, use up to 6 liters of the resulting liquid.

As soon as the bush begins to bloom, slowly feed the bush with a solution of Argicola fertilizer: two tablespoons to 10 liters of water. For each bush, use up to 4 liters of the resulting liquid.

There are several solutions of other fertilizers that can be mixed instead of Argicola:

• Org. fertilizer "Rossa universal", 2-3 tbsp. spoons of which are diluted in 10,000 ml. water. Consumption for each bush is 10,000 ml. mixtures.
• Nitrophoska (2 tablespoons) and liquid mullein (500 ml), mixed in 10,000 ml. water. Consumption for each bush is 10,000 ml. mixtures.

Plant propagation

In garden conditions, our plant reproduces by division, cuttings, and layering.

During hot periods, lavender forms shoots. We will use them to increase the number of available lavender bushes. We will hill up and trim the bush so that it is possible to pour soil into the gap between the stems.

Propagation by cuttings Ideal for those who are fans of growing and further caring for lavender not in open ground, but indoors. It is necessary to cut annual shoots lengthwise into ten-centimeter sticks and plant them in the soil

Reproduction by layering –the simplest way propagation, ideal for all novice gardeners. In this case, in the spring, a couple of branches are carefully bent back and placed in pre-dug pockets up to 4-6 cm deep, secured, covered with soil on top and watered.

Despite the scale of damage to lavender from the rainbow beetle, it can be “outdone” by pennies, or rather their dominance. Pennyworts do not cause any damage to the plant, but they greatly spoil the appearance with their coating of larvae. Here the solution to the problem is quite banal: just wash off the white coating with a gentle stream of water.

How lavender behaves together with other plants

It has been proven that odors seriously affect the human body and its subconscious. It is for this reason that when planting flowers, it is necessary that the flowerbed is both visually pleasing and fragrant.

When planting lavender bushes mixed with other plants, you don’t need to worry too much about the appearance of the bouquet. It is better to pay attention to whether the aromas of plants mix. If “no” – great! If they mix, then you will have to reconsider the resulting “mixes” and plant incompatible plants apart from each other. By observing all these conditions, you will easily be able to relax.

A great option would be a mixture of lavender and sage. A mix of herbs would also be a great addition.

Lavender in landscape design

Ideal for decorating the garden area, lavender can be used by any novice gardener, because caring for it and planting lavender is so simple.

The main difference between lavender and its brothers and sisters is its bright and rich colors, which range from pink to purple. By wisely using this difference of lavender, you can distinguish your garden from thousands of others or focus attention on a specific area.

Don't ignore decorative design. It competently emphasizes the individuality of the garden area.

There are a couple of successful ways to decorate a garden with lavender:

1. The most common and popular method is to plant lavender parallel to the paths.. Such decorative elements will allow you to visually outline the boundaries of your site and clearly divide the site into a garden and other areas.

2. Planting shrubs in a checkerboard pattern. However, this method can only be used on absolutely horizontally flat ground.

3. Perhaps one of the most unusual ways to highlight your garden plot or flower bed. Its meaning is to form a “carpet” of lavender bushes. Using this method of decorating a garden plot, immediately determine for yourself the height of the lavender bush and get ready to trim the “carpet” to this length. Yes, such a “carpet” will not be as soft as a herbal one, but it gives lavender the opportunity to perfectly show its light.

Care and planting of lavender in the Moscow region: pitfalls

Due to its climatic and peculiarities (in particular due to the weather), in the Moscow region, unfortunately, you can grow only one type of lavender - narrow-leaved.

In this region, lavender is used abundantly as an indispensable element in garden decoration. In particular, for creating flower beds and flower beds. Lavender is also popular in families where aromatherapy is practiced. In addition to all of the above, the flowers of this shrub are loved to be used as medicine.

Lavender grown from a seed is much more resistant to external influences than in other ways. In the Moscow region, lavender bushes are planted in open soil in June. Subsequent care of the bush remains unchanged.

Shrub care consists of the following components:

Caring for and planting lavender in the Urals is not an easy task, but, as they say, “Nothing is impossible if you try”! It is only necessary to take into account the complex features of this region.

The main specific factor of the Urals territory is the frequent damping off of plants. To prevent this, flower growers in the Urals advise providing moderate irrigation without any stagnation of moisture.

In the Urals, growing lavender in vases is practiced. The main advantage is mobility: when cold weather sets in, lavender can be moved from fresh air to indoors in a few minutes. Prepare the bush for winter by moving it to a cool place and reducing irrigation to a minimum.

The most popular way of propagating lavender in the Urals is by seed. Using other methods, you will not achieve good results. Also, the plant does not tolerate transplants.

Dried branches should be cut off. This will increase the life of the bush.

Care and planting of lavender in Siberia

Here, the main criterion when choosing a lavender variety is frost resistance. Only narrow-leaved lavender has this characteristic.

The main task when caring for and planting lavender in Siberia is to comply with all the traditional courtship that was mentioned earlier.

Lavender loves warmth, so it is worthwhile to thoroughly prepare for wintering. In Siberia, this stage should be performed, as they say, conscientiously.

Due to strong and sudden temperature changes in Siberia, in addition to the usual covering with branches of coniferous trees, it is necessary to cover lavender bushes with burlap or agrofibre.

Due to severe frosts, bushes should be pruned in the spring. First, completely dry stems are cut off, followed by damaged stems. In autumn, before severe frosts, it is strictly not recommended to prune plants due to the numerous stems protecting the plant from freezing.

Otherwise, everything is the same as in other regions.

Care and planting of lavender in the Leningrad region

IN Leningrad region gardeners practice growing narrow-leaved lavender (mainly for medicinal purposes). Caring for and planting lavender in the Leningrad region is no different from growing lavender in the Moscow region. The climate in both places is moderate and gentle.

Seeds are planted in open soil on the tenth of March, immediately after the end of frost - as it begins to warm up. The seedlings are transplanted into the soil only in early June.

Conclusion

Agree, not many people use lavender to decorate their garden. Various roses and vines are popular here, but it is lavender that will highlight your garden plot.

If you set out to fill your garden with a charming aroma, but also not lose sight of its appearance, lavender is an ideal assistant in solving this problem.