With the recent warm weather many people will be visiting their local nurseries, greenhouses, and garden centers. The smell of the lavender plants will attract many people to purchase the wondrous little plants, but how exactly should you plant and care for such a versatile plant. Let’s take a look at the planting method prescribed by Daybreak Lavender Farms located at 2129 Frost Rd. Streetsboro, OH 44241. Call Michael Slyker for more details regarding the best picking days or you can obtain more information at their website Daybreak Lavender. But the planting method Michael shared with me is as follows.
- Weed the area your about to plant, you want to remove all competition for the young Lavender start.
- Dig up and loosen the ground. This will aerate it and help to distribute any rainwater so the plants will be happy with the accommodations. The ground will harden in the summer heat.
- Dig a hole twice the circumference of the plant.
- Add a quarter cup of lime, and or bone meal.
- Add fresh dirt to cover the lime/bone meal. It can burn the plants roots so you want to protect them.
- Situate the plant in the hole.
- Fill the hole with remaining earth and lightly tamp it down.
- Water well three times, adding more earth if the area appears sunken.
- Apply black landscape cloth between plants if you want to use it.
- Cover the black cloth with more lime so the lime forms a continuous line and covers the black cloth.
- Secure the black cloth with stones or pins so the wind cannot lift it.
- Wish your plant a long and abundant life.
For more information Michael suggests Christine Moore’s book, “Growing Lavender: A Guide for Cooler Climates” provides a wealth of information on Lavender and varieties that will thrive in hardiness zone 6, in and around Allen County Ohio.
With personal and professional regards - Vince
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