LIGHT

• Demands full sun (at least 6-8 hours of direct light).
• If grown indoors, a grow light is often necessary to supplement natural window light.
• Lack of sun causes the plant to become "leggy" and prevents flowering.

WATER

• Prefers a "low and slow" approach to watering.
• Water deeply, then allow the soil to dry out almost entirely before watering again.
• Lavender is much more likely to die from overwatering than underwatering.

SOIL

• Needs lean, gritty, and alkaline soil.
• Use a potting mix high in sand, gravel, or perlite. Avoid "moisture-control" soils or those with high organic matter.

GROWTH HABIT

• Ideal conditions: Hot sun, poor soil, and very low humidity.
• Growth rate & size: Moderate growth rate; most varieties form a mound 1-2 feet tall and wide.

PROPAGATING

• Propagates best from semi-hardwood cuttings taken in the summer.
• Root in a sandy, low-nutrient mix to encourage the search for water through root growth.

PRUNING

• Pruning is vital for longevity; without it, the plant becomes a bundle of dry, dead-looking wood.
• Cut the plant back by about one-third after the first flush of flowers has faded in mid-to-late summer.

REPOTTING

• Repot in the spring only if the plant has become significantly root-bound.
• Use a pot with large drainage holes and consider adding a layer of gravel at the bottom.

FERTILIZING

• Generally does not require fertilizer.
• If growth is extremely slow, a one-time application of compost or a very weak liquid fertilizer in early spring is sufficient.

FLOWERING

• Produces spikes of tiny flowers in shades of purple, blue, or pink.
• Most varieties bloom in mid-summer, though some can have a second smaller bloom in early fall if pruned.

TOXICITY

• Contains linalool, which can be mildly toxic to cats and dogs if ingested in large quantities.

PRO TIPS

• If your soil is too acidic, add a small amount of garden lime to the pot to increase the pH.
• To harvest for drying, cut the flowers just as the first few tiny buds on the spike begin to open.