HEALTHY LAVENDER: FALL HARVEST & WINTER CARE

Lavender flowers should be harvested just before the blooms open. At this time, the flowers will look like pregnant seeds on a stem. If they are cut at a later time, the flowers will fall off of their stems. When using lavender for culinary purposes, it is not as important that the stems be perfectly preserved, but they loose aroma with prolonged exposure to air and heat.

HARVESTING: lavender should be harvested early in the morning after the plants completely dry from the dew. Aroma will be strongest when plant is not yet in full bloom. Cut the stems as long as possible. The long length increases the possibilities for craft and gift use.

The drying process of lavender is essential for retention of flavor and fragrance. DO NOT DRY IN THE SUN--this causes the color to fade. Spread the stemmed lavender on a flat dry surface or hand them from hooks/thumbtacks upside down in a dark, dry place.

Store lavender buds in an airtight container away from heat and bright lights. Long stemmed lavender can be wrapped in tussue paper and then stored in an elongated airtight container. For economical reasons, an elongated cardboard box can be lined with tissue paper, then lay the tissue wrapped stems in the box, close lid and put the whole box in a tied trashbag.

CHECKING FOR MILDEW: THE DEADLY CULPRIT: To decrease the chance of mildew forming, completely dry lavender for 5-7 days and then store in a dry, dark, low humidity place. Turn them every week and check for mildew. Lavender should be stored loosely, not compactly. Look and smell for signs and symptoms of a musky odor and a powdery dust such as bread mold.

TRANSPLANTING lavender is best accomplished in late autumn/early winter and very early spring. Water plants well beore moving them to a new location. Cut back and trim damaged roots and remove any flowering material that may still exist. Prepare the new soil with a combination of 1/2 balanced compost and 1/2 bone meal. If your soil contains clay, add sand to lighten the texture of the soil and encourage proper drainage. Use sand around the base of the newly transplanted lavender to promote good drainage and to reflect light. More the heat--more the frangrance.

SOIL REQUIREMENTS: pH factor between 6.0 and 8.0 with a light, well drained soil. Add plenty of organic matter to promote soil aeration. Add lime to increase the pH of clay soils and make them more crumbly. Lavender tolerates heavy rains for a short time if the ground is free-draining ensuring fast water removal.

PRUNING: Trim lavender plants in the fall to 2/3 their size, leaving a couple of inches of green above the woody stems. Severe as this may seem, it will stimulate early spring growth. Trimming back the tall spindly spikes will encourage more lateral growth. Lavender should be pruned at least once a year during their life span. If done in fall, be sure it is well before the danger of a hard freeze. If the plant is 3+ yr and has never been properly pruned annually, it probably best to replace the bush. OVERPRUNING will most likely kill the plant! Never prune out old wood unless it is completely dead.

THE DREADED CULPRIT--Root Rotting Disease caused by mildew: high humidity and wet soils.

MULCHING: a couple of inches of coarse sand or grit around the plant pace helps promote drainage and avoid moisture accumulation.

WINTERIZE & ENERGIZE: After you have pruned and/or transplanted your lavender, place a mixture of dried, crushed leaves, used coffee grounds and sand around the base of each plant. This process will encourage drainage from melting snow and heat absorption on sunny winter days. Some gardeners prefer to plant their lavender in well draining containers. Remember to protect these from freezing to prevent container breaking. If an early frost is predicted before you get your plants mulched for the winter, cover them with a sheet or blanket overnight and mulch them the next day.

FROST DAMAGE: If plants are damaged by frost (young spikes blacken) remove the dead spikes by lightly pruning to encourage new growth. In cases of a severe winter, plants may experience stunted growth the next spring and may not be robust until later in the Summer.

THINGS TO REMEMBER: 2 basic requirements for successful lavender growing--full sun + good drainage/air circulation.

WINTERIZE & ENERGIZE: After you have pruned and/or transplanted your lavender, place a mixture of dried, crushed leaves, used coffee grounds and sand around the base of each plant. This process will encourage drainage from melting snow and heat absorption on sunny winter days. Some gardeners prefer to plant their lavender in well draining containers. Remember to protect these from freezing to prevent container breaking. If an early frost is predicted before you get your plants mulched for the winter, cover them with a sheet or blanket overnight and mulch them the next day.

FROST DAMAGE: If plants are damaged by frost (young spikes blacken) remove the dead spikes by lightly pruning to encourage new growth. In cases of a severe winter, plants may experience stunted growth the next spring and may not be robust until later in the Summer.

DO NOT PANIC: If the first snowfall comes before you get your lavender plants winterized the preferred way, you can put Plan B into action. Gently brush snow away from roots and pack a mixture of leaves and fine sand around base of the plants. with a spoon drizzle sand among the branches up the stem 4-6".cover the plant then with light layer of snow. The plant tips may show frost damage in the spring. If so, follow directions above for frost damage.

INDOOR SEEDLINGS:  To help pass the time of winter it is most helpful to start lavender seeds indoors in anticipation of Spring transplantation.  Choose quality organic seeds. Plant them in well draining containers with a mixture of topsoil, sand, dry used coffee grounds and compost.  Clay pots work very nicely due their porous nature.  Remember that your seeds will need lots of sunlight and temps above 70 with light waterings when the top of the soil feels dry.  DO NOT OVERWATER!!  Can't  you almost smell the alluring fragrance of lavender already???

As your outside lavender plants hibernate for the Winter, you can dream of the intriguing beauty, tantalizing taste and mystifying aroma of The Purple Connection Between Land & Sea in next year's gardens.  It is relaxing and anticipatory to watch Lavender Seeds  grow over the winter in anticipation of Spring Transplantation. Kits available at www.oceanescapesathome.com.

"Here's your sweet lavender--sixteen sprigs a penny that you'll find my ladies will smell as sweet as any. . ." Lavender Seller's City, London England.ca 1900.