Lavender in a pot: planting and care at home is it possible to grow, pros and cons

Lavender is a well-known indoor crop that comes from the Mediterranean. This shrub needs a lot of free space and good lighting. Varieties of lavender for growing in a pot do not exceed 80 centimeters in height. They are characterized by silver-green leaves and purple flowers. In order for the culture to constantly bloom beautifully and delight with bright greenery, it is important to follow the rules of care.

Description of the plant

Indoor lavender is a herbaceous perennial plant from the Lamiaceae family. Aerial fragments of the culture contain many essential oils.The flower has strong shoots and opposite lanceolate leaves. In different varieties, they may differ in the severity of the outflow.

Foliage color ranges from cold and almost emerald tones to warm grassy hues. There are also bushes with silver-gray leaves. Depending on the type, the bushes can reach 50-80 centimeters or have a more compact size. In any case, they seem quite dense and elegant.

Lavender usually blooms in summer. However, flowering indoor plants can be found on sale in the spring. During this period, small tubular flowers appear on them, which form complex spikelets of inflorescences. Due to the sufficiently large distance between the whorls, they look very elegant. The color scheme of lavender includes a variety of shades of blue-violet, from pastel whites to dark saturated shades.

Suitable for cultivation

This thermophilic plant is perfect for growing indoors. It is important to provide the culture with enough water and light. Be sure to make sure that the room is warm and there are no drafts.

Which varieties to use

Not all types of plants can be grown at home. For planting in pots, you should choose the following varieties of lavender:

English - also often called narrow-leaved or spikelet. Culture reaches a height of 1 meter. Flowering occurs at the beginning of summer. This variety is an ornamental green shrub that looks great in a wide pot or planter.
Broadleaf - This hybrid is often referred to as lavandin. It is characterized by low resistance to cold. Therefore, the culture is often grown on terraces or balconies. It is not recommended to plant it in open ground. This type of lavender has large and beautiful inflorescences that appear on the bushes at the end of July.
Shanked - this lavender is characterized by a pronounced aroma. It has large, deep purple flowers. Under natural conditions, this species is found in Turkey and Spain. In Russia, it is grown only in pots.
Stehadskaya - this species is characterized by bushes of compact size. Flowering culture begins quite early. Decorative inflorescences appear from March to June. At the end of summer, this type of lavender may bloom a second time.
Toothed - this type of plant is characterized by neat small sizes. It has silvery leaves and large flowers. This variety needs warmth, so it is usually grown indoors.

Preparing conditions for the plant

Lavender is considered a rather demanding crop. Therefore, for its normal development, it is important to create optimal conditions. The following should be taken into account:

Pot Size - Lavender grows well in large containers. Their volume should be at least 2 liters. Ceramic pots are considered the best option. For single bushes, tall cylindrical containers are suitable. At the same time, for group plantings, it is worth choosing long containers. It is important that each container has drainage holes to remove excess moisture.
Soil quality - light and loose soil is suitable for planting a crop. A suitable substrate can be purchased at a gardening store. It can also be made by hand. To do this, garden soil must be mixed with sand and humus in a ratio of 3: 1: 2. The prepared substrate must be sieved and spilled with a solution of potassium permanganate. This will help disinfect it and make it looser.
Illumination of the room - it is important to provide the culture with enough light. Otherwise, it will not be possible to achieve its flowering. In cloudy weather, the plant needs additional illumination.In winter, it is also worth using artificial lighting. The best option for this would be a fluorescent lamp. It is important that the daylight hours are 8-10 hours.

Expert opinionZarechny Maxim ValerievichAgronomist with 12 years of experience. Our best gardening expert.Ask a QuestionThanks to the creation of optimal conditions, the flower will be able to maintain its decorative effect for a long time. In addition, it will help minimize the risk of developing diseases.

Planting methods

You can plant lavender in many ways - seeds, cuttings, layering. The seedling method will also be a good solution. It should be borne in mind that any of the options has its pros and cons.

Shanks

In this case, it is required to separate shoots from an adult bush and make cuttings from them. Subsequently, they can be planted in the ground. To plant a plant, you must do the following:

Cut annual shoots from an adult crop.
Divide the cuttings into small pieces 10 centimeters in size.
Cut off the bottom at a 45 degree angle. It needs to be treated with a root growth stimulator.
Plant cuttings in a substrate based on sand and peat, which are mixed in equal parts. They need to be covered with foil and left to take root.
After the formation of roots, prepare containers. To do this, you need to take clay pots with a diameter of 25-30 centimeters and place drainage on the bottom. Its functions can be performed by sawdust, nutshells, small stones or shards.
Prepare the soil. To do this, you need to mix leafy soil, sand and humus in a ratio of 3: 1: 2. It is also worth adding some lime to the composition.
Pour the prepared substrate into the pot.
Plant rooted cuttings.

This method has a number of advantages. These include the following:

easy to use;
no need for special knowledge or experience;
high seedling survival rate and fast flowering.

This method also has disadvantages. The main disadvantage is the need for an adult culture to obtain a cutting.

Seeds

The easiest way to grow lavender is from seeds. To do this, you need to do the following:

Carry out the stratification procedure in the cold. It takes 30-40 days. To do this, you need to shift the grains with moss or peat, slightly moisten and place in a cellar or refrigerator. The temperature should be +5-6 degrees.
Fill the seedling containers with a composition based on sand and peat.It is also recommended to add a small amount of crushed shells to the substrate. It is important to ensure that the soil has a uniform consistency. Therefore, it needs to be well kneaded and sifted through a sieve. If lumps remain in the soil, the seeds will not sprout.
Put lavender seeds 2-3cm into the ground.
Cover the crops with foil and put in a cool place.
After 2 weeks, move the container to a bright place. The temperature in the room should be +15-18 degrees.

Depending on the number of seeds, seedlings will appear after 30-40 days. Seedlings aged 2-3 weeks need to be dived to grow into a larger container. After that, they need to be transplanted into separate pots.

Seedlings

This method is used when buying lavender seedlings. Also, the technology is suitable in the case of growing crops by seed. Usually the bushes in this case are small in size.Therefore, they first need to use small pots. Their size should be 3-4 centimeters larger than the soil lump.

To plant lavender using the seedling method, you need to do the following:

Pour drainage into the bottom of the container. It can be expanded clay or gravel. It must be placed carefully so that the holes remain open. Thanks to this, water for irrigation will not accumulate in the pot, and air will remain below.
Fill container with substrate.
Make a hole in the center and water the soil.
Plant a bush in the hole and sprinkle it with a soil substrate.
Sprinkle lavender with growth stimulator. To do this, you can use "Zircon" .

This method is considered quite simple. It also provides fast results. Culture takes root in a short time.

Layers

Layers are the extreme shoots of the lavender bush, which are specially rooted in the ground. To propagate a culture in this way, you need to do the following:

Bend the shoot in March or April to the ground and secure with a special slingshot.
Sprinkle this place with earth and water it.
Root formation will start soon. After 2 months, this area can be separated from the mother plant.

This method has a number of advantages. It is characterized by simplicity and reliability. Reproduction of lavender by layering always gives good results.

The nuances of a transplant

Lavender needs regular repotting. In this case, the root system will be able to develop normally and will not rest against the bottom. Replanting the bush is required annually. This is done before active growth begins.

However, sometimes lavender is allowed to be transplanted at any time. In this case, the flower needs to provide quality care, moderate temperature and high humidity. Transplantation helps to rejuvenate the culture and activates its growth processes.

Expert opinionZarechny Maxim ValerievichAgronomist with 12 years of experience. Our best gardening expert.Ask a QuestionYou can determine the need for planting in a looser pot by visual signs of the culture. There are many new shoots near the container, and the bush itself lags behind in growth and development.

When transplanting a crop and choosing the optimal capacity, it is important to consider the size of the roots. The new container should be 5-7 centimeters higher than the previous one. It is important that the root system does not reach the walls of the container. This will ensure the normal development of the roots.

Minimum diameter of the pot is 30 centimeters and the volume is 2 liters. In depth, the container should be such that the roots can develop normally until next year. In this case, the depth should slightly exceed the capacity in diameter. It is also important to consider that natural pots are more suitable for lavender - made of clay or ceramics.The holes in them should be fairly large or frequent.

Speaking about the substrate, the plant needs a light and non-acidic alkaline soil. When compiling the substrate yourself, you need to use the following components:

universal flower primer;
sand;
peat;
lime or wood ash - added in the amount of 1-2 teaspoons.

Technology

For a successful lavender transplant, you need to prepare the following:

suitable size pot;
drainage - for this it is permissible to use expanded clay;
ground mixture;
growth stimulator "Zircon" - used to moisten the soil after transplantation.

First, you need to pay attention to the preparation of the pot. To do this, it is recommended to follow these steps:

Organize a drainage layer. To do this, you need to pour 2-4 centimeters of expanded clay on the bottom of the tank.
Add some earth and make a hole. It must match the diameter and depth of the previous container.

After that, you can start transplanting. To make it successful, you should do the following:

Pull the bush out of the old container. To do this, it is recommended to turn the lavender leaves down. It is desirable to water the soil beforehand.
Place the bush in the prepared recess so that the surface of the old earth is not covered with new substrate.
Sprinkle with prepared soil.

At the end, the transplanted bush needs to be watered. To do this, it is recommended to do the following:

Make a Zircon solution. To do this, it is recommended to take 10 milliliters of the drug for 5 liters of water at room temperature.
Water the soil generously. This should be done around the edges of the pot.
After the moisture drains, fill the voids with soil and tamp a little.

Lavender care

Mature plants need quality care. In order for lavender to develop normally and profusely in color, it needs to provide high humidity. If necessary, a small container of water can be placed nearby.

The air temperature in the room is of great importance. It should be +20 degrees. The room must be regularly ventilated. In winter, it is recommended to remove the flower away from sources of heating. Otherwise, the greens will start to turn yellow and dry.

Also, lavender care includes the following components:

Irrigation - It is recommended to irrigate lavender seedlings daily. This should be done with a spray gun. Mature plants are recommended to be watered less frequently.This is done as the soil dries up. For irrigation it is worth using warm settled water. After this procedure, the soil in the tank must be loosened. Thanks to this, it will be possible to avoid the formation of a dense crust and provide the root system with nutrients and moisture.
Top dressing - contribute to the preservation of the decorativeness of the culture. In the warm season, fertilizers are required at intervals of 15-20 days. With the advent of autumn, the use of top dressing is stopped. Combined flower preparations should be used as a fertilizer. In the spring, lavender is fed with nitrogen substances. At the bud stage, bushes require components such as potassium and phosphorus.
Pruning - Mature plants need systematic pruning. This stimulates the development of new shoots and flowering culture. It is worth using decontaminated tools for trimming.

Pest Control

Small pests are a big danger for indoor flower. The most dangerous parasites are:

Spider mites - get into the home on clothes and shoes. When the bushes are infected, a thin white cobweb appears on them. After some time, the plants dry up. Fitoverm and other similar preparations will help to cope with ticks.
Aphid - often attacks lavender. Folk remedies help to cope with insects. Usually the flower is treated with infusions of marigolds or nightshade. If this does not help, it is worth using chemicals.

Pros and cons of a plant

The main benefits of lavender include the following:

pleasant aroma - helps to cope with headaches and has a calming effect;
high content of essential oils - they are used in medicine, perfumery, cosmetology;
possibility of use in cooking - lavender is often added to salads, pastries, fish and vegetable dishes.

At the same time, the culture has practically no flaws. The only negative is the risk of individual intolerance to the sharp bitter aroma of flowers.

Lavender is a fairly common plant that can be grown at home. In order for the culture to develop normally, it is necessary to carry out planting work correctly and provide the plant with proper care.