I really like lavender, but I was told that it practically does not survive the winter here. Is this really true?

Lyudmila SOROKINA, Kazan

It’s hard to call Lavender “our boyfriend”, for our climate zone there is quite a lot of southern aristocracy in it. But if you wish, you can create quite comfortable conditions for her (by the way, without much hassle on our part).

The main problem will reveal itself when buying seeds: It is imperative to figure out which group the “applicant for your hand and heart” belongs to. If it’s French, then it’s better to refrain from buying. But English lavender is just the thing!

It’s good if this information is indicated on the bag, but what if the manufacturer decides not to declare this?! One thing remains: having hoped that the photo is true, you need to look at the flowers! At first glance, they are not much different from each other, but the French group has shorter spikelets, in the shape of protruding ears.

Confused? Then take a chance and still buy the seeds: if the lavender turns out to be French, in the worst case it will not survive the winter even under cover; In the best case, plants grown in containers can be stored in some cool room in winter.

One more thing: Growing lavender from seeds is not the most fun! The most important difficulty is stratification, without which the seeds are in no hurry to germinate. Although this is not such a big problem: somewhere in January you need to mix the seeds with washed river sand(1:3) and put them in the refrigerator for a month (do not forget to ventilate and additionally moisten the improvised crops).

At the end of February-beginning of March, stratified seeds can be sown in boxes, and picked seedlings can be planted in open ground no earlier than the beginning of June (when the threat of return spring frosts has passed).

We advise you to pay great attention to the place where your English girl will grow up. It must certainly be open, sunny, protected from cold winds. Make sure that where the lavender will grow, the water does not stagnate: it does not like getting wet.

The soil needs to be light, neutral or even alkaline. If you cannot offer the plant anything other than soil that is heavy, acidic and high level groundwater, it is better to abandon this idea: lavender will not grow on you!

And if you have an enormous desire to see this beauty in your garden, prepare special soil for it, consisting of leafy soil, humus and sand (3:2:1). Perhaps something will work out for you.

First summer season It won't be easy for lavender, so don't expect it to turn into a beauty in a couple of months. Having “hammered” their appearance, the plants will intensively increase root system. But in the second summer they will get stronger, start eating and even decide to bloom! But it is better to cut off the inflorescences: let the young people still take care of their root system (this also applies to those in a hurry that want to bloom in the first summer).

But then caring for lavender will be quite simple: just water and feed it as needed, and weed it. And be sure to prune immediately after flowering, then it will bush well and be more reliably preserved under the snow. That's probably all!

It is not at all necessary to cover it for the winter: under a good snow cover, even thirty-degree frosts will not reach the plants. So make sure that in the place where the lavender will grow, the wind does not sweep away the snow. And don't forget to prune your lavender in late fall.
And now a few words about the further reproduction of the beauty! If you need more specimens, sprinkle the strong side shoots with soil at the beginning of summer: they will take root easily. Next spring they can be transplanted to a permanent place.

Or use the cutting method. Or dig up a mature bush in the fall and divide it into several parts. It is not necessary to grow plants from seeds every time!

Although there are exceptions, for example, if you want to grow new types of English lavender: narrow-leaved, medicinal, spikelet, true... By the way, flowers can be not only fundamentally lavender color, but also other shades of blue. And pink! And even white!
And only their aroma will be equally divine!

Lavender is a medicinal and spicy-aromatic plant that is actively used in various industries and in everyday life. People have grown this amazing flower for thousands of years to extract essential oil, brew aromatic tea, as a honey plant and simply for beauty. A person who sees a lavender field forever remains a fan of this plant and tries to grow at least a small fragrant bush in the garden or at home.

Lavender - description of the flower

Species of the genus Lavender are usually evergreen herbaceous perennials or subshrubs. The stems actively branch, forming a low bush, and there is no central stem. The leaves are narrow, silvery green. Flowers are fragrant blue and purple, collected in spike-shaped inflorescences. There are varieties with different corolla colors.

The plant is relatively unpretentious, requires minimal care and is grown on an industrial scale. The main thing is to choose the right place for planting and do not forget about the heat-loving nature of the flower. Lavender is able to maximize its decorative qualities only in open ground, but can withstand very coldy Only some species are capable and only if there is shelter.

Planting lavender in open ground

IN middle lane Only angustifolia lavender can survive in open ground, provided there is shelter. In warmer regions, other species are also grown indoors and in pots.

Planting methods

The plant requires a hole 2530 cm deep. Lavender can be planted singly or in groups. For group plantings, the distance between bushes should be 3040 cm, and for tall varieties up to 1 m.

Interesting! The optimal plant spacing can be determined by the height of the species or variety. Neighboring bushes should be located at a distance equal to their height. To obtain a high-density planting, the distance should be halved.

Group plantings are considered the most spectacular. The plant can be used for carpet plantings or creating borders. Good results This can also be achieved by growing in high beds.

The flower grows well in pots and flowerpots. Such plants are often used to decorate balconies and terraces.

Optimal time for planting

The optimal time for planting is spring, after the night frosts have completely subsided. In the southern regions, autumn planting is also allowed, but it should be done 2 months before frost.

Soil for the plant

Lavender does not tolerate heavy soils with stagnant moisture. The plant feels best on sandy loam or gravel well-drained dry soils with an alkaline reaction (pH = 6.58). The soil should not be too poor or too rich in nutrients.

If there is a need to independently prepare a soil mixture to fill a planting hole or when planting in a flowerpot, it is recommended to use the following components:

• Leaf soil;
• Humus;
• Sand.

To slightly shift the pH to the alkaline side, add lime or wood ash. It is also recommended to immediately add complex mineral fertilizer to the soil mixture.

Features of lavender care

Lavender does not require constant care. It needs watering and fertilizing less often than other plants. However, to obtain an ornamental plant, you will have to master the subtleties of pruning. At home, the plant needs more attention than when grown in open ground.

Location and lighting for plants in the garden

A sunny and hot location is best for planting lavender. Only in such conditions the plant will delight you with lush, long-lasting flowering and a strong aroma. The shrub can grow in the shade, but only single inflorescences will decorate it.

Worth considering! Lavender does not tolerate wet and swampy soils, so preference should be given to dry places. The plant will feel great on an alpine hill or terraces.

Air humidity

IN high humidity There is no need for air; moreover, dry air is preferable. High humidity often leads to the development of fungal diseases. If rainy weather continues for a long time, it is better to trim the stems.

How to water correctly

Overmoistening the soil and flooding leads to rotting of the roots, so it is recommended to let the soil dry out between waterings. Abundant watering is required only during periods of prolonged drought. The plant tolerates drying of the substrate much easier, but a prolonged lack of moisture leads to a reduction in flowering.

Features of growing lavender in a pot

Growing lavender in a pot is more difficult than growing it in the garden. It is necessary to observe the watering regime and provide maximum lighting. Main feature Such cultivation requires annual replanting and good drainage of water from the pot. Plant growth usually continues until the roots reach the bottom of the pot.

Feeding and fertilizer

Long-term lush flowering requires large quantity nutrients, therefore during this period the plant should be supported by the application of complex mineral fertilizers. Organic fertilizers, which contain a significant concentration of nitrogen, can be used only at the beginning of the growing season, during the period of growth of new shoots. Later, organic matter should be excluded if you want to admire the flowering.

Advice! Organic fertilizers can completely replace mulching the soil with compost.

Lavender pruning

Pruning is considered one of the most important components of care, and not only the decorative effect, but also the existence of the plant depends on the correctness of its behavior.

Trimming methods

The plant needs constant pruning. This helps maintain decorativeness for many years and maintain the compact shape of the bush.

Trimming to shape

This type of pruning can be called radical, because the shoots can be shortened by 1/3 or even ½. Most often, such pruning is resorted to after a few minutes of frost, or immediately after spring planting of young plants. The bush is pruned down to woody branches to give it a certain shape.

Attention! In radical pruning, shoots are cut down to the level of lignified wood, leaving a small, non-lignified growth of the current year. If pruned excessively, the bush may not grow back.

Sanitary pruning

Held in the spring. During this period, all frozen and dried shoots that could not survive the winter will be removed.

Pruning to stimulate flowering

It is recommended to carry out this type of pruning immediately after flowering, without waiting for complete flowering. It is advisable that most of the flowers in the inflorescence have already faded, but some blooming ones remain. The plant begins to grow new shoots that bloom again.

Advice! In northern regions, where the plant will not have time to bloom again, it is recommended to postpone pruning until spring, since young shoots may not have enough time to form, which will lead to freezing in winter.

Rejuvenation of bare bushes

Lavender cannot be pruned to its stump like many other shrubs. Such pruning will certainly lead to the death of the plant. Therefore, rejuvenation of bushes that have lost appearance, is carried out in several stages. In the first year, one half of the bush is radically pruned, and next year second. This technique will preserve the plant and get rid of bare branches.

Pruning for winter

Autumn pruning is carried out in early autumn after the second flowering. The shoots are cut short, leaving 2-3 cm of young wood. In this state, the bush is easier to cover for the winter. It is also worth trimming shoots that are too long, which can be damaged by wind or snow.

Transfer

Lavender transplantation may be required for several reasons:

• The bush stopped growing;
• It is necessary to move the plant to another place;
• It is necessary to divide an overgrown specimen.

The root system of lavender is very powerful, and the roots can go 3-4 m deep. However, the plant tolerates this procedure well.

Interesting! If the root encounters an obstacle, the plant's growth stops. Therefore, when grown in an apartment, the plant must be replanted annually.

Transplant methods

When replanting, the main thing is to try to dig up the plant with big lump and at the same time cause minimal damage to the roots. It is best to carry out this procedure in late summer or autumn, immediately after flowering. The plant needs at least 2 months before the onset of cold weather to properly take root and settle down in a new place.

Plant propagation

Lavender is relatively easy to propagate given the variety of methods available.

Reproduction methods

Lavender reproduces in almost all ways that are used in gardening:

• Seeds;
• Dividing the bush;
• By layering;
• Cuttings.

Seed propagation

Lavender seeds germinate quite well, but only if they have been stratified. To do this, you need to sow the seeds in a bowl with a damp mixture of sand and peat and place them in a basement, cellar or refrigerator for several months. The minimum stratification period is 30-40 days. After this, the plants are brought out into the light and kept at a temperature of 15-21 ° C. After the formation of 3 leaves, the seedlings dive into pots several at a time.

Need to know! Some species, such as multicut lavender, germinate well without stratification.

Reproduction by dividing the bush

Mature, well-grown bushes can be divided into several parts. The bushes are dug up with a large lump of earth. The rhizome is cut into several parts with a garden knife, each of which must have roots. The sections are treated with foundationazole powder or crushed charcoal to avoid rotting. Each division is planted in a prepared hole.

This method is considered one of the most productive for propagating varietal plants. Lavender is narrow-leaved and can be cut well in both spring and autumn, but for broad-leaved lavender, autumn cuttings are preferable.

Autumn cuttings are more productive, because the plant has many more good shoots suitable for rooting. You can use cuttings from different parts of the stem:

• Apical;
• Average;
• Lower ones.

However, it is worth considering the characteristics of each type of cuttings. Completely lignified cuttings from the lower part of the stem take root very poorly, but withstand the winter well. Apical cuttings easily form roots, but their winter hardiness is very low. The best option are semi-lignified cuttings from the middle part of the stem.

The stalk is cut with a sharp knife. At the bottom, all leaves are removed. The cut is treated with root, heteroauxin, or any other drug that stimulates root formation. Then the cutting is placed in moist soil and covered with film. The greenhouse is ventilated daily to avoid fungal infections.

Reproduction by layering

The best time for this method of propagation is spring. A branch of the plant is pinned to the ground and lightly sprinkled with soil. The area in contact with the ground is regularly watered. As a rule, by autumn roots form and the young plant can be separated from the mother plant.

When a plant blooms, the shape of the flower

Lavender flowers are small, collected in an inflorescence spikelet. The color of the petals varies from sky blue to lilac and purple. Some varieties have white and pink flowers. Flowering lasts about 2 months. The first flowers bloom in mid-June. Timely removal of fading inflorescences helps prolong flowering until the end of August.

Lavender is rich in essential oils that repel most pests. It is not for nothing that this plant is actively used in the fight against moths and other insects. However, there is a pest that happily eats lavender. This is a rainbow beetle. A very beautiful insect that can leave a plant without leaves in the shortest possible time.

The most harmful disease is gray rot. Other diseases are extremely rare.

Popular types (varieties)

The genus Lavender has more than 40 species, but most often only 2 can be found in cultivation: angustifolia lavender and broadleaf lavender. Other species are grown extremely rarely.

This species is also known as lavender officinalis or English lavender. Shrub up to 60 cm high and up to 1 m wide. Shoots at the base become woody. The leaves are greenish-gray, as if silvery, narrow. The flowers are bluish-lilac, fragrant, collected in a discontinuous spike-shaped inflorescence. Flowering period: July August. This species is considered the most frost-resistant and can withstand temperatures up to 20 °C. A low-growing variety var. is known for this species. deiphinensis, the height of which does not exceed 30 cm.

Various varieties that differ in flower color or growth form also deserve attention. In ornamental gardening, the white-flowered variety ‘Alba’ or a variety with pink flowers‘Rosea’. Joint plantings of different varieties look extremely impressive.

This species is commonly called French lavender. Considered the most beautiful view. Flowers can be the most different colors: blue, dark blue, green, white, pink, lilac. Flowering period: April-July, which is much earlier than other species. The most famous variety is ‘Papillon’ (Butterfly). It is characterized by very long bracts at the top of a fairly dense spikelet.

The main problem when growing lavender is low frost resistance. In fact, only angustifolia lavender can survive in open ground in the middle zone and only under cover. Traditional leaf cover is not suitable for this plant. Covered with leaf litter, lavender will simply dry out over the winter. Spruce branches are considered the best covering material coniferous plants. It is also recommended to mulch the root zone with pine needles.

Answers to readers' questions

Plant lifespan

The lifespan of a plant in cultivation can be 20-30 years, but bushes are often grown for no more than 10 years.

Why doesn't the flower bloom?

Flowering may be absent due to the young age of the plant if the lavender is grown from seeds, or may be caused by care errors. Most often, flowers do not appear for two reasons:

• The planting site is too shady;
• The plant was overfed with nitrogen fertilizers.

Flower care in winter

In the garden in winter, you need to make sure that the bushes are well covered. When growing in an apartment, it is advisable to take the plant to a cool place for wintering.

Lavender angustifolia- a perennial, evergreen subshrub of the Lamiaceae family, up to 80 cm high, native to the Mediterranean, Eastern India and the Canary Islands. Thanks to its unique aroma, unpretentiousness and romantic-mystical coloring of the inflorescences, lavender has become widespread in European countries, and in France it has even become a symbol of the notorious Provence.

There are many beautiful legends associated with the plant, one of which tells about the love of a poor nobleman and a simple peasant girl, who, as a sign of her fidelity before the gentleman left for Paris, gave him several sprigs of lavender. Capital life, as usual, turned the young man’s head: in an endless string of balls, skirmishes and amorous adventures, he forgot about his village bride, and remembered her only when, seriously wounded, he was left alone, without fickle friends and means of livelihood. Having realized everything and repented, the failed careerist wrote her a letter, in which he enclosed a miraculously preserved dried lavender bouquet that smelled of his homeland and first love. With great difficulty, having persuaded her family, selling her modest jewelry and mortgaging her house, the village girl went to the capital. She saved an unfaithful man from death and brought him home, placing him in the arms of his elderly parents: they, shocked by the noble deed, abandoned the paradigm of the “rich bride” and soon after their son’s recovery, they married him to her, bequeathing their estate to them...

But let's return to the plant. In nature, lavender is able to grow even on rocky soil, therefore it has a deep-lying (up to 4 m) root system, mainly located in the top layer of soil. Aboveground part The plant consists of numerous branches forming a compact spherical crown. Lavender blooms from June to July, the seeds ripen in August – September, and its lifespan is more than 20 years.

Varieties for the middle zone: “Royal Blue”, “Felice”, “Munstread”, “Hidcote”.

Released varieties: “Benetatso”, “Voznesenskaya 34”, “Yuzhanka”, “Lublinskaya Semko”.

Varieties for the southern regions: “Isis”, “Rannyaya”, “Sineva”, “Record”, “Stepnaya”, “B-34”, “Crimean”.

Varieties to note: “Rose” (pink), “Beachwoodblue” (blue), “Jim and Hidecote” (purple), “Alba” (white).

Place

Lavender loves the sun very much, so it is better to choose a place for it on the south or southwest side of the site; she won't have it in the shade abundant flowering. It is undemanding to soils, except, however, heavy clayey ones with high lying soils. groundwater. Lowlands and flooded areas are also unsuitable for cultivation; for planting lavender in such places, beds with a height of at least 40 cm with good drainage are built. If you are the “lucky” owner of acres near Moscow, you will have to deoxidize them with lime, dolomite flour or gypsum.

Landing

Before planting a lavender seedling at the end of April - the first half of May, after all the frosts have disappeared, dig up the planned area with a shovel and clear the soil of weeds, at the same time adding a bucket of 35-50 g of superphosphate and 20-25 g potassium salt. Heavy clays need to be diluted with dolomite flour (450-550 g/sq.m) and coarse sand added to loosen them. But you can save your energy and take ready-to-use PETER PEAT soil “For flower crops” from the HOBBY line.

Pour the pot with a lavender seedling thoroughly with water for 40-50 minutes, and while it settles, dig a hole 45-50 cm deep and 80 cm in diameter, at the bottom of which place drainage - fine crushed stone or expanded clay PETER PEAT line VITA 15 cm thick. Carefully remove the seedling from the pot, lower it into the hole and cover it with prepared soil so that the earthen lump of lavender is level with the ground. Lightly press the soil around the earthen ball, pour settled water at room temperature on the sides with a watering can, and again, if necessary, add soil to the ground level and spill a little.

Assume that per 1 sq.m. There should be 3 plants, and in hedges, borders and ridges for the “solid carpet” effect, the distance between plants is made half the height of the bush. If the lavender bush is a tapeworm, its feeding area should be at least 0.5 sq.m.

Care

Caring for lavender includes periodic pruning, fertilizing, loosening and watering. In addition, the plant benefits from rotted foliage between the rows, and it is better to leave areas at the base of the bushes with a radius of 25-30 cm open, otherwise the lavender roots may rot. For the same reason, it should not be used as mulch.

Watering

Watering is especially important for young plants: in the first year of planting, water lavender seedlings every 2 weeks, and in dry weather - once a week. But don't over-water it. The signal for overflow will be yellow stems and leaves of the bushes.

Water adult (3 years and older) lavender bushes as the soil dries. To understand the timing of watering, carefully dig a hole near the bush - the soil should be moist 3-4 cm deep. In general, the plant tolerates drought well, but if it is not moistened for a long time, this negatively affects the quality of flowering.

Loosening

Loose the lavender bushes carefully, going deep by 3-4 cm, remembering that the root system of the plant lies in upper layers soil is shallow. Along with loosening, clear the soil adjacent to the bushes from weeds. Young shrubs also need to be earthed up in spring and autumn.

Top dressing

Feeding 1 (in spring, during the active growing season), options:

• 2 tbsp. sodium humate + 10 l of water, 5 l per bush;
• water solution mullein (1:10);
• nitrogen mineral fertilizer PETER PEAT “Urea”

Feeding 2 (budding and flowering period), every 2-3 weeks until mid-July, options:

• complex fertilizer with the addition of potassium and phosphorus;
• complex mineral fertilizer PETER PEAT “NPK 15-15-15” of the MINERAL line (see dosage on the package).

If after feeding 1 lavender bush slows down its development, you can treat it with liquid humic fertilizer PETER PEAT.

In the second half of summer, feeding must be stopped, otherwise, while growing foliage, the plants will not have time to prepare for winter period. As a “safety net” for lavender nutrition, mulch the ground around the bushes.

Trimming

To ensure that your lavender plantings are evenly lush, compact and beautiful, it is recommended to cut them 2 times per season:

• The first pruning in the spring (immediately after frost) is necessary to rejuvenate the bush and to ensure that the bushes do not become bare from below. In addition, when the first sunny days arrive, the leaves begin to evaporate moisture, and the roots are in the soil that has not yet thawed, and do not absorb this moisture. The phenomenon of “physiological drought” occurs when the plant dries itself out. To do this, you need to reduce the area of ​​evaporation and promote thawing of the soil (a hot sheet of iron, hot charcoal, without fanaticism).
• the second pruning (when flowering is still present, but has mostly faded away) - the earlier it is done, the more the lavender grows new green mass.

Radical pruning to lignified branches (in the spring, when the plant begins to wake up) is carried out instead of the first pruning to give the lavender bushes a beautiful semicircular spherical shape. If you trim the bushes a little, they will begin to become bare at the bottom, and only a few flowers will stick out from above - no one will like this type of lavender. Therefore, in order for your pet’s bushes to remain fluffy and compact for many years, shorten the tops of the shoots by one third.

In the summer, as soon as the lavender begins to bloom, prune back the long flower stalks before the seeds begin to set - plants want to reproduce, and producing seeds requires effort. Thanks to pruning, plants do not waste energy on producing seeds, but send them to flower again. This time, remove the lavender flower stalks along with the top two or three pairs of leaves. This way, the plant will branch well and the bushes will take on a lush appearance.

When pruning old lavender bushes, do this: trim the bush heavily, leaving 7-10 cm above the ground, only on one side, and do not touch the other half of the bush. When new shoots appear and grow stronger in the trimmed part of the bush, you can safely trim the second half - next year no one will notice such an uneven haircut.

Most amateur gardeners believe that cutting lavender for the winter is not worth it, but they are wrong. This procedure must be done: every year the stems of lavender become harder and thicker. And if you carry out timely pruning, this will help lavender not only rejuvenate, but bloom more luxuriantly and thickly. Lavender can be left uncut, but then the stems will become vulnerable to frost and strong winds. It is not difficult to prune lavender for the winter; you just need to remove those branches that have bloomed for two seasons: for the winter, cut off the green parts of the shoots in the place where they are 3 cm higher than the woody part. And lavender can easily survive the winter.

Propagation by seeds

It is most reliable to purchase two-year-old seeds (fresh ones have low germination) and ready-to-use seeds from a trusted nursery. Before planting, lavender seed material must be prepared:

1. Check the seeds for germination by placing them in a special saline solution of (1 liter of water + 30-50 g of table salt). In this case, good seeds will sink to the bottom in 5-10 minutes, and empty ones will remain floating on the surface.
2. Disinfect them in a 1% solution of potassium permanganate for 15-20 minutes to prevent fungal diseases and infections.
3. Carry out their 45-day stratification in the refrigerator at a temperature of 0...+2°C, mixing them in a plate with sand.
4. Place the seeds for 6 hours in a stimulating solution of liquid humic fertilizer PETER PEAT.

Next, in October, sow the prepared seeds in open ground, or place them in a planting container with special soil PETER PEAT “For seedlings” from the HOBBY line, deepening it by 0.5-1 cm. Cover the container with transparent glass, periodically removing it for ventilation for 5-10 min 4 times a day. Moisten the soil with a spray bottle and feed the seedlings once every 10 days with complex mineral fertilizer PETER PEAT NPK 15-15-15" from the MINERAL line. Keep the container in a room with a temperature of 17-24°C. After the formation of 2-3 leaves on the shoots, the sprouts can be planted in peat pots with similar soil measuring 10x15 cm with drainage holes. It is good to feed the seedlings every 2 weeks with liquid humic fertilizer PETER PEAT “Living Force: Healthy Seedlings”. Phytolamps suspended at a height of 1.3 m and working for 10-12 hours a day will also not be superfluous. At the end of April - beginning of May, after frosts, you can plant seedlings that have grown and strengthened over the winter in prepared open ground, but there will be no flowering this year yet - the root system and leaf mass are too small

Reproduction by layering

For this, young lateral bending branches are needed, preferably growing horizontally above the ground. At the end of March - beginning of April, bend such a branch of an adult plant and lower it into a pre-dug hole 10-12 cm deep and 5-7 cm long. Drive a plastic/wooden peg into the place where the shoot should point upward and attach it to it top part branches. Staple a branch in two places in the hole, cover it with soil to ground level and mulch it 1-2 cm thick. Spill 1.5-2 liters of water and then do not allow the soil to dry out during the hot summer months. After 2-3 months, the cuttings take root and grow on their own. Cut it with a sharp knife, treating the cut points with crushed charcoal, carefully dig it up and plant it in a new place along with a lump of earth so as not to damage the roots, but no closer than 0.5-0.7 m from each other (if there are several layers) . Protect the plant from the wind until its roots become stronger.

Reproduction by dividing the bush

Choose strong healthy bush, in the summer, cut off the top shoots from it and hill up the ground, and in October, carefully dig it up and divide it into 2 parts, trying as much as possible not to damage the root system of both parts. Plant the separated plants in open ground the same day.

Reproduction by cuttings

In central Russia, due to the shorter warm season, green cuttings of annual woody shoots of lavender are used. Cut the green cuttings 10 cm long, remove their lower ones, keep them for half an hour in the root formation stimulator - liquid humic fertilizer PETER PEAT “Living Force: for soaking seeds” and plant in peat humus pots measuring 12x20 cm in the soil PETER PEAT “For seedlings” of the HOBBY line on depth 3-4 cm. This is done in late June - early July.

Water moderately and spray regularly with settled water at room temperature (there should always be dew on the leaves), keep the pots on fresh air and, in case of bright sun, shade. Once every 2 weeks, feed with complex mineral fertilizer PETER PEAT “NPK 15-15-15” from the MINERAL line. Roots appear after 4-5 weeks. In mid-September, pots with cuttings should be moved to a room with a temperature of 20-23°C. In the beginning - mid-April of the next year, rooted lavender cuttings are planted in open ground with a step of at least 0.5 m and fed with liquid humic fertilizer PETER PEAT "Living Force: for flower crops" every 10 days. Beware of repeated frosts: in this case, prepare arches and covering material.

Shelter for the winter

In principle, lavender is frost-resistant and can withstand temperatures down to -25°C, so in the southern regions of our country they simply cover it with snow to be on the safe side. But lavender growing in the Urals and in the middle zone will have to be insulated with spruce branches, and covered on top with a plywood box with a load from the wind on top. Do not use fallen leaves, peat and straw for insulation - the bushes will rot and rot.

In mid-March, next year, do not forget to release the lavender from its winter shelter so that it can enjoy the sun and fresh air.

Lavender captivates not only with its unusual bud color and long-lasting flowering, but also with its exquisite pleasant aroma. In addition to being decorative, the plant has valuable medicinal properties Therefore, it is often cultivated in gardens and even at home.

In this article you will find the necessary information for growing lavender in open ground: general description plants, their varieties, rules for planting and growing crops in open ground.

Characteristics of lavender flower

Lavender belongs to the perennial evergreen shrubs, and the height of the shoots of an adult plant can exceed half a meter. At the same time, the roots of the plant go deep into the soil, feeding the plant with the necessary moisture even in severe drought.

Picture 1. External features lavender

But the blue-lilac flowers collected in small panicles are more famous. The unusual shade of inflorescences gives the culture a high decorative value, and its healing properties allow it to be used in folk medicine (Figure 1).

Flowering begins in mid-summer, and this plant is considered good honey plant, A collected seeds remain viable for a long time. At the same time, the crop should still be provided with certain growing conditions under which it will be distinguished by abundant and long-lasting flowering. How to do it correctly - read this article.

Planting lavender in open ground

Growing any crop begins with correct landing. Lavender was no exception. It is often used to decorate borders and alpine slides. At the same time, the culture is unpretentious, but if you plan to grow a lush and productive plant, you need to take into account some features of its planting and further care.

When to plant lavender in the ground

The crop can be grown both from seedlings and from seeds. The second method takes longer, so many owners summer cottages They prefer to use the seedling method.

So, if you want to grow a flower from ready-made seedlings, planting can be done at the end of May. When grown from seeds, sowing directly into the ground is carried out in October. It should be borne in mind that seeds must be purchased in advance, for example, in winter, so that the planting material has time to undergo two months of stratification. To do this, the seeds are mixed with sand, lightly watered and placed on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator. In such temperature conditions (about 5 degrees), the planting material is quickly hardened for further cultivation in the ground.

The seeds can also be used for self-cultivation seedlings. In this case, sowing is carried out at the end of February or beginning of March, so that the young plants have time to get stronger before being transferred to open ground.

While seed stratification lasts, it is necessary to carry out everything preparatory work for growing seedlings. First of all, you will need a container, for example, a wooden or plastic box. It is also necessary to prepare a nutrient substrate for plants (Figure 2).

Note: The best soil For culture, a mixture of humus and coarse sand in a ratio of 2:1 is considered.

The substrate must be sifted to break up all the formed lumps. The fact is that the plant’s seeds are very small and may simply not germinate in lumpy soil. Also, the soil must be calcined in the oven at a temperature of 110-130 degrees or watered strong solution potassium permanganate. These measures are necessary to destroy the larvae of pests or pathogens that may be in the soil.

Figure 2. Planting seedlings in the ground

A drainage layer is placed at the bottom of the container for growing seedlings, a soil mixture is scattered on top, and seeds are scattered over the surface. They need to be sprinkled on top thin layer sand and moisten with a spray bottle warm water. The container should be covered with glass or film and placed in a warm, sunny place. Periodically, the bed is ventilated by raising the cover. When the first shoots appear, the shelter begins to be gradually removed, increasing the duration of ventilation daily. This will help harden the seedlings before transplanting into the ground. It is also advisable to provide additional lighting, without which the seedlings may become too elongated.

How to plant

Seedlings are planted in the garden at the end of May. When choosing a site, it should be taken into account that lavender is very sensitive to soil moisture, so it should not be placed in lowlands and wetlands.

Note: Before planting, you need to carefully dig up the bed (depth of at least 20 cm), loosen the soil and add peat and compost to it.

During planting, it is important to maintain the optimal distance between the bushes. For ordinary varieties it is 80-90 cm, and for tall hybrids - 120 cm. The depth of the hole is selected individually, depending on the size of the root system of the seedling, and it is important to take into account that immediately before moving it into the ground, the roots need to be slightly shortened.

The seedlings are placed in a prepared planting hole, the roots are straightened and the plant is sprinkled with soil so that the root collar is 4-6 cm deep into the soil. The seedling must be watered from above.

Pre-winter sowing

If your site is located in a region with a warm climate and not too frosty winters, the crop can be grown directly from seeds. For this they practice winter sowing, sowing plant seeds directly into the ground in October (Figure 3).

Figure 3. Sowing seeds in the ground for the winter

The preparation of the bed remains the same as when planting seedlings: the soil is dug up and fertilized with peat or compost. However, it should be taken into account that in areas with heavy clay soils it is necessary to add existing soil a little sand or gravel, which will act as drainage and remove excess moisture.

The seeds are sown shallowly - no more than 3-4 cm, and it is advisable to slightly compact the soil on top. Watering is required only if autumn is dry, but with the arrival of winter it is advisable to sprinkle the bed with a thick layer of snow.

Caring for lavender in the garden

Despite the fact that lavender belongs to the unpretentious highly decorative crops, it still requires some care. This condition is especially true for plants grown in open ground.

Let's take a closer look at what kind of care a flower requires. various stages cultivation and what measures should be taken to maintain the productivity of the crop.

Growing

Young seedlings that have only recently been transferred to open ground require special attention. It often happens that inflorescences form on such plants already in the first year after planting. It is advisable to remove them so that the crop does not waste time flowering, and the vital juices ensure the rapid growth of the shrub.

Successful cultivation of lavender requires the following measures:

1. Regular weed removal: Since in the first year the plant grows relatively slowly, its crops can become heavily overgrown with weeds, so they need to be removed in a timely manner.
2. Watering, which is especially required by plants during periods of severe drought, although the rest of the time they do not tolerate excess moisture well.
3. Loosening the soil between rows is required after each watering or rain. this will allow moisture and nutrients soak deep into the soil. To save energy, this activity can be replaced by mulching.
4. Hilling old bushes promotes the formation of young shoots and the growth of the crop.

In addition, the plant needs to be regularly pruned and fed to ensure more abundant and longer flowering.

Trimming

Growing crops is impossible to imagine without annual pruning. First of all, after the snow melts, you need to inspect the plants and carry out sanitary cleaning, removing all dry or damaged branches (Figure 4).

The next time the crop is pruned after flowering is completed: it is necessary to remove all the faded buds, and in the fall, slightly shorten the shoots, forming a bush of the desired shape. It should be borne in mind that an adult bush grows quite quickly, and its long shoots can be bent to the ground by strong gusts of wind. To prevent loss of decorativeness, shoots are regularly shortened.

Figure 4. Crop pruning technology

The plant has a long flowering period, but after about 8-10 years it is necessary to rejuvenate the bush by cutting off all shoots to a length of 5 cm. A similar event is carried out with young plants that do not bloom well.

Reproduction

Breeders prefer to propagate the crop by seeds, as this allows them to obtain new varieties and hybrids of the crop. At home, it is easier to use the method of cuttings, layering or dividing the bush (Figure 5).

For propagation by cuttings, young annual shoots are suitable, which are cut into several parts 10 cm long and planted in loose, moist soil. The lower cut should be in the soil at a depth of 2-3 cm, and it is better to cover the seedling itself glass jar. The cover is removed when the cuttings are completely rooted.

Figure 5. Features of propagation by cuttings and dividing the bush

When using the method of dividing a bush, it is necessary to carry out high hilling of an adult bush in the fall and repeat this procedure in the spring. By the end of the flowering period, abundant young growth is formed in the soil. In autumn, the plant is carefully dug up and divided into parts, obtaining several copies. planting material. However, in this case, you need to take into account that only cuttings with well-developed roots are suitable for planting.

The method of propagation by layering is considered the simplest. To do this, you need to select one or more shoots located close to the soil surface. They need to be bent to the ground and buried in shallow grooves (no more than 4 cm). Shoots should be secured and watered, paying attention to soil moisture throughout the summer. Next spring, the cuttings can be dug up, separated from the mother bush and transplanted to a permanent place.

The author of the video will tell you more about caring for crops in the garden.

Pests and diseases

The pronounced aroma of lavender repels most pests, and the culture itself is highly resistant to diseases. But, if the rules for caring for the plant have not been followed, it may become a victim of certain pathologies.

Among the pests, rainbow beetles and leafhoppers can cause the greatest harm. They are usually collected by hand, but if the pests appear again, you need to remove and burn the old layer of mulch and plant debris.

Among diseases, shrubs are most often affected by gray rot, but this pathology can only appear in rainy weather or with too frequent watering. Having discovered an affected plant in your garden bed, you need to reconsider the watering regime, and the crop itself should be dug up, inspected, all rotten parts removed and replanted in a new place.

Lavender - care after flowering

Many amateur gardeners are interested in how to properly care for lavender after flowering and whether it requires any special measures in general. It should be noted that, apart from autumn formative pruning and mulching, the crop does not require any specific care.

The only exceptions can be cold regions, where shrubs need to be properly cared for in winter.

Lavender in winter

In warm and temperate climates, the crop tolerates winter well without shelter. But, if in your region the daytime temperature in winter drops below -20 degrees, the bushes will need additional protection.

For the winter, the bed must be covered. It is better to use straw, sawdust or spruce branches for this purpose, which will allow the plants to breathe even under a layer of mulch. Dry leaves should not be used as a cover, as the sprouts under them may rot.

Types and varieties of lavender

In most homesteads, only two types of lavender are grown: narrow-leaved or broad-leaved. Although in fact there are many more species and hybrids of this culture (Figure 6).

Lavender varieties are usually divided into several groups:

1. French (broadleaf) It is characterized by an early onset of flowering, but has low winter hardiness, so it can only be grown in warm climates. This group includes varieties Tiara, Rocky Road, etc.
2. Hybrid (Dutch) It is highly decorative due to its large leaves and inflorescences (varieties Alba, Grosso, Richard Gray).
3. Serrated- a compact hybrid with large flowers, intended for growing in warm climates (the most popular variety is Royal Crown).
4. English (narrow-leaved) It is characterized by a late onset of flowering and increased winter hardiness. Representatives of this species are the varieties Rosea, Manstead and Hidcoat Blue.

Figure 6. Main plant varieties: 1 - French, 2 - Dutch, 3 - serrated, 4 - English

Properties of lavender - harm and benefit

It's no secret that lavender, in addition to being highly decorative, also has certain healing properties. However, it should be borne in mind that along with the medicinal effect, the plant can cause harm to health if used incorrectly.

Let's consider what beneficial properties and contraindications this plant has, so that you can independently decide on the scope of its application.

Medicinal properties

The leaves, stems and flowers contain essential oils, which are used not only in medicine, but also in cosmetology and the perfume industry. The plant oil is used to treat various injuries (in particular, bruises and burns).

This plant is also capable of removing headache and drowsiness, eliminate headaches and stomach cramps. The essential oils of the culture are also used for the treatment of blood vessels and recovery after a stroke. In addition, this aromatic plant can calm nervous system and relieve stress.

Contraindications

Since lavender stimulates the contraction of muscles and blood vessels, any preparations based on it are strictly contraindicated in the first trimester of pregnancy. In addition, an overdose essential oils may cause increased irritability. It is also considered a strong allergen, so be sure to consult a doctor before taking it.

From the video you will learn how to properly grow a plant at home in a pot.

What we mean is angustifolia lavender (also known as English and true lavender).

The cultivation and care of this plant will be discussed in the article.

Description

Evergreen narrow-leaved lavender, the planting and care of which is discussed in the article, unpretentious in appearance, with narrow leaves and lilac spikelets of flowers, has become a permanent and popular inhabitant of gardens and. It is valued for its aroma and extraordinary beauty during flowering.

Reaches a height of one meter, spreading. The leaves are narrow gray-green. The flowers are narrow, elongated upward in the shape of a spike, and have various shades of purple, blue, and pink. Due to its aroma it has a high decorative value. Other qualities - antiseptic effect, is also why lavender is grown on an industrial scale.

Flowering occurs on summer period(June July). Thanks to its frost resistance, it can survive well in our latitudes. But it requires some knowledge and conditions. This will be discussed further.

Selecting a location

Planting plants begins with selecting a place for growing. And although growing lavender in open ground is not difficult, you need to know some rules.

Lighting

The plant originates from the Mediterranean region. So you need a lot of sun and warmth. Choose open areas at higher elevations.

But it tolerates drought well. The plant tolerates urban conditions well, so you can grow it even near your house in a flower bed.

Soil for growing

For lavender, most used mineral mixtures(for example, Agricola-Fantasia) will be very concentrated. Dilute 100 g per bucket of water.

Weeding and soil care

Before planting, the soil must be carefully prepared. Clear weeds and make drainage. In the future, there is a need for inter-row weeding and hilling. These procedures must be regular. promotes the growth of young shoots. It is better to make mulch in spring and winter. But you should not mulch near the base of the bush - this will prevent the plant from rotting.

Pruning allows you to lengthen the life of the bush. In addition, with this procedure you will form beautiful bushes. Despite the fact that lavender grows slowly, pruning allows you to remove shoots that stray from the general order. They carry it out immediately after flowering and another one for the winter. Do not prune to woody stems. Be sure to leave 4-5 young shoots.