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How To Grow Lavender
By Polly Hamilton
How to grow lavender:
Lavender is a popular aromatic herb and flower. It is a wonderful plant to grow as either hedging or edging, and given the space, can easily be grown and sold. Grow under windows to have the scent waft into your house, or by the letter-box so guests smell it when they first arrive. The most important thing to remember is to not grow lavender if you don't like the smell! It's a lovely smell, but strong and pungent, especially if you don't like it.
How to grow lavender:
You should find a sunny location to plant your lavender that is well protected as it can't withstand frost. It is perennial and needs a well-drained soil. Start off your lavender plant with a cutting as opposed to seeds because they take a long time to germinate. If you are growing lavender from seed, plant your seeds in pottles 6-8 weeks before the final frost is due. Sit the pottles in sun light. If you wish to grow your lavender plant as a border as opposed to a larger hedge you will have to have the time to maintain it: they grow up to 3 feet tall. Remember that lavender can't get enough of sun. It can withstand droughts, but doesn't enjoy rain or frost.
How to grow lavender: how to use it
If you like the fragrance of lavender plants it is a great idea to plant it beneath your living room window, or bedroom window, so that on a nice day the fragrance wafts in. Alternatively you can pick and dry your lavender by hanging it upside down in bunches. This creates a wonderful air freshener at very little cost.
How to grow lavender: cooking
Lavender baked apples is a lovely recipe to use your homegrown lavender in. Bake some apples, as you please (apple pie or crumble are suitable flavors). Leave some vanilla flavored ice cream to stand until it is melted enough to mix in lavender. Chop 1 tablespoon of fresh lavender and mix into your vanilla ice cream. Spoon your lavender ice cream over apples as you desire.
You can use the same concept to flavor honey, just use a bit of lavender at a time until you have your desired flavor. You can also leave the lavender in the bottom of your honey jar. Check routinely to see how strong the lavender flavor is and remove the lavender when the honey tastes right for you.
How to grow lavender: harvesting
The lavender scent is strong in both the stems and the flowers. Pick your lavender when the flowers are grown and fully matured. It is best to pick them in the morning, when the lavender oil is at its strongest. When you grow lavender you can dry your lavender, use it for baking, and put it in flower bouquets. The uses of lavender are wide and functional and it is a great plant to learn how to grow in your backyard.
How to grow lavender: harvesting
The lavender scent is strong in both the stems and the flowers. Pick your lavender when the flowers are grown and fully matured. It is best to pick them in the morning, when the lavender oil is at its strongest. When you grow lavender you can dry your lavender, use it for baking, and put it in flower bouquets. The uses of lavender are wide and functional and it is a great plant to learn how to grow in your backyard.
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