Best time to plant is
in the spring or fall.
Plant lavender in a sunny, well drained area. Add
granite sand to planting hole if soil is mostly clay
like. The biggest mistakes made when planting are over
watering (or planting in poorly drained soil) and
planting them too close together. They will develop mold
and die if they can not get good air movement between
them and the plants around them. This plant – if happy-
can grow to be a small shrub sometimes as big as 3’ X
3’.
To increase blooms trim the plant back by one third in
the fall as blooms form on new growth.
The foliage that you trim off can be used in several
ways- in wands for smudge sticks, in dried flower
arrangements and as part of a potpourri. The blooms can
be used in fresh flower arrangements and also dried to
use in sachets. It can be used sparingly in food
recopies. When your dried flowers start to fall apart
after time, you can crush them into boiling water to
give your home a soothing relaxing scent.
Lavender has a wide range of medicinal uses. For skin it
is used to treat acme, dry and oily skin. It is great
for treating eczema, burns and aids in wound healing
such as minor cuts, blisters and irritations. Because is
eases breathing it can be used for colds, bronchitis and
asthma. Added to a warm bath it is helpful in treating
muscle spasms, cramps and rheumatic pain. It aids in
nausea, increases circulatory system and lymphatic
detoxification. It is used to treat headaches, nervous
tension and depression.
