The Bent Fork - How to plant Provence Lavender

The Bent Fork - How to plant Provence Lavender

Because of its sweet, pure scent and lovely violet blooms, Provence lavender is famous worldwide and used in perfumes, crafts and cooking. Provence lavender can be planted in open fields, in old-fashioned herb gardens, as a border for flower beds, as added color and fragrance along a walkway or garden path or in patio containers. Provence lavender thrives as a perennial plant in arid climates. In warm, humid areas, Provence lavender is usually grown as an annual.

Instructions

1. • 1
     Purchase Provence lavender plants at a nursery or greenhouse that specializes in herbs. Look at the tag to be sure the plants are hardy for your area. Be careful when purchasing Provence lavender at big box stores that may have plants shipped from other areas with different climates.
     
   • 2
     Choose a sunny, open area for planting Provence lavender. Good soil drainage is crucial. If the soil stays soggy for more than 4 hours after a rainfall, work 2 inches of sand into the top 8 to 10 inches of the soil. Avoid planting Provence lavender near fences, trees, buildings or any place where the free flow of air is impeded.
     
   • 3
     Plant Provence lavender 2 to 3 feet apart. If you're planting Provence lavender in rows, allow 3 to 6 feet between each row. Dig a hole just large enough for the plant's root ball. Work 1/4 cup of bone meal into the bottom of the hole, and plant the Provence lavender in the hole.
     
   • 4
     Water Provence lavender every 3 to 6 days after planting. Once the plants are established and new growth appears, water Provence lavender only during extended hot, dry periods.
     
   • 5
     Harvest Provence lavender when about half of the buds are open. Provence lavender should be harvested in the morning when the plants are hydrated and the aromatic oils are strongest. Clip only every third bloom so that the Provence lavender plants continue to look full and bushy. Clip flowers when they fade so that the plants continue to bloom.
     
   • 6
     Apply a thin layer of bark mulch around the Provence lavender plants after the first frost of the winter. Don't pile the mulch directly on top of the plants. Remove the mulch in early spring so that it doesn't impede air circulation.
     
   • 7
     Prune Provence lavender in early spring every year. Prune the lavender immediately after new growth emerges at the base of the plant, removing up to one-third of the old growth from the top of the plant. Pruning keeps the Provence lavender from becoming woody and nonproductive.
     

From Ehow