Gardening tips: Expert on how to grow lavender at home
Lavenders are popular, low-maintenance plants that smell incredible and produce beautiful, purple flowers. The plants need to be pruned regularly so they don’t become too woody or grow too tall which can look unattractive.
Pruning lavender plants each year will encourage better flowering and ensure the plants keep their shrubby shape.
With this in mind, Daniel Carruthers, director of sales at Cultivar Greenhouses has shared his top tips for looking after lavender plants.
Daniel exclusively told Express.co.uk that early spring is the “ideal time” to prune lavender plants.
He said: “Lavender is typically a low-maintenance plant but there are a few things you can do to ensure your plant thrives this spring and summer.
“Pruning is important to maintain the shape and appearance of your lavender, and early spring is the ideal time to prune any dead flower stems and generally tidy up its appearance, aiming to create a round, robust shape.
“This will ensure the plant doesn’t grow woody or leggy this season, as well as encourage maximum flowering from late spring and throughout summer.”
The plant expert said organic debris like leaves can build up in gardens throughout the winter which can cause drainage problems for lavender plants.
Lavenders prefer free-draining soil and dry roots and do not like to be waterlogged.
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Therefore, gardeners need to ensure they remove excess leaves from around the plant to ensure the soil drains well.
This will also reduce the risk of root rot after spring and summer showers.
“As a hardy plant, lavenders are drought resistant, but you should start watering again as the weather warms up and the plant begins to actively grow, particularly if there are any warm or dry spells,” Daniel added.
Lavenders need to be watered sparingly, even on warmer days. Try and water the plants every couple of days.
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There are two main lavender plants that are commonly grown in the UK – French and English lavender.
English lavender is more hardy, is perfect for borders and containers and will even survive during winter.
The English lavender has a strong scent and beautiful purple-blue flowers and silver-grey leaves.
French lavender is less hardy than the English varieties and tend to be grown in containers.
These can then be put somewhere frost-free in the winter months to protect them.
There are also hybrid lavenders, Spanish lavenders and tender lavenders which are from Portugal, Madeira and the Canary Islands.
These varieties are not hardy and cannot be left outside during the winter months.
For those unsure of what variety they’re buying or the best conditions for their plant, check the plant’s label or online descriptions.
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