How to Grow and Use Lavender This Spring

What's not to love about lavender? It's low maintenance and drought-tolerant, once established. It attracts bees and butterflies but is deer- and rabbit-resistant. It can be used in cosmetics, medicine, and cuisine. And the beloved fragrance, prized for millennia, is refreshing, clean, and very soothing. David Salman of High Country Gardens grows this Mediterranean herb at his nursery in Santa Fe. Here, he offers TK tips for using this easy-to-grow herb.

1. Lavender, such as cultivars of tender L. stoechas, does well in pots. Choose a well-draining potting soil recommended for containers, such as the Perfect Start container mix from Gardens Alive ($15; gardensalive.com). Fertilize organically every other week.


2. Enjoy the fragrance of lavender year-round by drying this beloved herb. To preserve, hang small bunches upside down in a dark, dry room until the moisture has evaporated.

3. Lavender needs well-drained soil to flourish. If your soil is heavy, amend it by adding one part sand and gravel to one part native soil, and plant in berms to further help with drainage.

4. When cutting lavender, clip where the foliage begins. In mid-spring, prune winter damage and cut back about a third of it to keep it from getting leggy.

5. It is believed that lavender eases tension. Rub a few drops of lavender body oil on your temples to help you sleep.

6. Not all lavender is, well, lavender in color. Varieties of this fragrant herb come in shades of purple and blue ranging from light to dark, as well as white, red, pink, and even yellow-green. Group several plants of one color together for a strong visual impact.


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Reprinted with permission of Hearst Communications, Inc.