Growing Lavender in Containers
Why Grow Lavender in Containers?
There are varieties of Lavender that are tender perennials, which means that they cannot stand the cold temperatures and will not over winter planted outside in a particular region. You may buy many different Lavender plants online.
These Lavenders must be grown in planting containers that can be placed in a warm area away from the winter cold instead of outdoors in your flower garden.
Choose a growing container that is of appropriate size to the plant you are potting and also easily movable.
The container must have holes in the bottom to allow for good water drainage. You will be using a potting soil mix that easily drains water.
It is imperative that this plant not have it's roots sitting in standing water or the plant will face it's demise. Place pebbles in the drip tray to support the pot above any leftover water.
How to Grow Lavender in Containers
The best way to plant and grow Lavender in containers or pots is to replicate the growing conditions that the plant loves. This plant is a native of the Mediterranean region which is sunny, hot and dry.
Before you place a Lavender plant in a pot think about container placement. Your plant needs 8 hours of direct sunlight. This plant loves to sunbathe. Lavender loves hot and dry growing conditions. Your plant will need water and if you are growing it in a desert region it will need a daily soaking.
Good drainage is the key point to remember when growing Lavender anywhere and still true when planting Lavender in containers. Only water when the soil is dry and allow it to dry out between waterings. This does not mean allowing the plant to wither from lack of water. Limp leaves are sometimes too late to revive
The potting medium must allow for good water runoff. See the potting mix recipe for growing Lavender in containers here. The roots cannot sit in soggy conditions or problems will fast occur. You will need a good sandy potting mix which easily allows for the water to drain away from the root ball.
Choose a soil mix that is light and fluffy. Add some dolomite (about a tablespoon) and mix that in along with maybe a hand full of sand. Put some gravel in the bottom of the planting container before adding the mix. You might need to place a large piece of a broken clay pot or maybe a large pebble over the drainage holes to keep the planting medium inside the pot.
Those plants grown in containers will need a little fertilizer since the nutrients are being washed out of the pot by waterings. A hand full of good compost will work fine for this every six months or so. You may scratch this into the surface of the soil in a already established container plant.
Repot every year as to allow for the increased growth and size. Lavender likes its roots in tight spaces with good drainage so keep this in mind when growing Lavender in containers. Do this in early spring before the active growth season begins.
Now place your container in the sun and enjoy. Remember to keep that tender perennial out of the freezing cold and gradually move it in before the weather changes. Do not water as much during the winter as it is not necessary.
Move the plant outside again doing so gradually once the nice weather returns. The rest of the plant care such as pruning and the best time to cut back hard follows the same guidelines as those grown outside. This is true for harvesting the Lavender flowers as well.
Planting and growing in containers allows you to grow and enjoy Lavender varieties that are not hardy in your region and is something that can easily be mastered by most gardeners. Learn how to prepare permanent in ground plantings for winter conditions here.
Growing Lavender in the South
Growing Lavender Indoors
Growing Lavender From Seed
