U.C. Cooperative Extension, El Dorado County Master Gardener

In our Mediterranean style climate, lavender is a wonderful garden partner here in El Dorado County. Lavender is well suited to our hot dry summers and cold winters.

Lavender is relatively pest and disease free. The deer generally leave it alone, as do most garden insects. Bees are quite attracted to the flowers in the spring and summer, and in some areas of intense lavender plantings, one can find lavender honey.

Plant young lavender plants in full (at least six hours a day) sun. The soil should drain easily; lavender does not tolerate "wet feet." Young plants should receive regular watering and, once established, are droughts tolerant.

After the first year, other than pruning, lavender requires no care except infrequent watering. Home gardeners who fertilize their lavender find they end up with lots of new growth and not much in the way of flowers or fragrance. If you feel you must fertilize, do so with a weakened solution with a balanced composition, i.e. 10-10-10.

If you are going to harvest lavender, do it in the early summer as the flowers are just beginning to bloom. I would recommend that you consider cutting the flowers early in the morning while it is still cool and the bees are at rest. When harvesting cut the stems just above a leaf node. This is also a good time to shape your plant. Some lavender's will send up a second bloom.

Some experts say to prune in the spring; others say to prune in the fall. Fall pruning has the shrub in place and ready to grow regardless of when spring-like weather starts. If you wait until spring, you may have to scurry to get the pruning done before growth starts. When you prune, cut back about 1/3 of the size of the shrub. Yearly pruning helps prevent the shrub from becoming woody.

If growing lavender seems easy, try selecting the right lavender! That isn't so easy. Lavender has been a popular herb for eons. Over the course of time, it's botanical name and common names have changed many times. Add to that the current trend in hybridization and it's no wonder we can't get the names straight. Many nurseries and other purveyors of plants mis-label lavenders, calling them simply English, Spanish or French lavender. When selecting lavender carefully choose the right species (style) color and size for your location and your needs.