50 seeds
Type: Perennial for hardiness zones 5 to 9 Height: 24 inches
Ready in 180 days
Add fragrant beauty to your garden. Fresh lavender attracts birds, butterflies, and bees, and helps repel deer and rabbits. It is popularly used when dried for perfumes or potpourris.
One month before planting the seeds, place them in your refrigerator. Lavender seeds require stratification for proper germination. After this time, plant them just below the surface of moist and well-drained soil. Too much water is lethal for lavender! Maintain the ambient temperature between 15 to 20 degrees Celsius. Lavender germination can take up to a month, and the plants will reach a suitable size for transplantation after about 5 months. During transplantation, be careful not to disturb the roots too much and place them 24 to 36 inches apart. Lavender loves any type of soil as long as it is well-drained and placed in full sun.
The best time to harvest lavender is in the morning after the dew has dried. Dry lavender bunches upside down in a cool, dark place for at least one week.