If you need to find a plant that reminds us of summer and the sea, lavender is certainly among the top five. This plant thrives in sunny areas and tolerates low temperatures, making it an ideal garden plant.
To even consider planting and growing lavender, you need a place in the garden with plenty of sun. Plant it somewhere it will receive at least eight hours of sunlight a day, and it’s also important that it’s protected from strong winds. When it comes to planting, lavender prefers fertile neutral or slightly acidic soil.
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Resilience to High Temperatures and Drought
It is resistant to high temperatures and drought, and can withstand some time without watering. However, in summer days, it should be watered occasionally, but it is important to be careful not to overdo it, as otherwise, root rot and plant decay may occur.
Growth Characteristics
Lavender is a perennial plant that grows in the form of a shrub, and its lifespan is about 30 years. The flowers are light to dark purple and appear between June and August. It is a very suitable species for forming low living hedges and borders because it tolerates pruning well.
Lavender Root and Soil
The root of lavender is woody and penetrates deep into the soil, and as a plant, it is not demanding. It only dislikes shady areas, so growing it in an apartment or house is difficult. Since there are different types and subspecies of this Mediterranean plant, the maintenance requirements are slightly different. Namely, “true” lavender thrives in shallow, rocky, and poor areas, while the hybrid species prefers deeper and slightly more fertile soils.
Watering and Winter Months
In the initial phase after planting, it requires watering, while later, when it sets strong roots, it tolerates drought very well. During the winter months, it does not need to be watered at all, and it can withstand even very low temperatures, up to -4°F (-20°C).
Medicinal Properties
It is not only special for its scent and aroma, it also has many medicinal properties. Namely, various natural remedies are made from lavender, which help in solving insomnia, relieving headaches and other body pains, improving circulation, reducing stress, and helping to maintain overall health.
Pest Repellent and Drying
The scent of lavender repels many insects, such as mosquitoes, so a pot of lavender or a bundle of dried flowers on the window can protect you during the summer months. If you grow it, you can easily dry the lavender flowers yourself. You need to pick them immediately after they bloom and hang them upside down in bunches to dry in the air as soon as possible after picking.
Dried lavender flowers are equally fragrant as fresh ones and can be used in bags for freshening wardrobes and as a moth repellent. In addition to flowers, finely chopped fresh or dried lavender leaves can be used as a spice in some dishes or brewed into tea.
Foto: Freepik