How to Harvest Lavender

By eHow Home & Garden Editor

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The aromatic fragrance of lavender has been used for centuries to soothe the soul with scented soaps, shampoos, sachets and oils as well as in cooking and baking. Lavender is an herb that produces calming, soothing and sedative effects as well as beautiful stocks of lavender, blue, pink and white flowers for your garden. Read on to learn how to harvest lavender.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Step1

Purchase small lavender plants from a nursery or garden center and transplant in your own garden. Lavender is a hardy perennial herb and likes lots of sun. You can grow lavender from seeds or cuttings, but the easiest way is to start with small, established plants.

Step2

Grow lavender in full sun and well-draining soil. Fertilize once or twice a season.

Step3

Harvest lavender around the end of June or first part of July in the early morning when the oils in the plant are strongest.

Step4

Choose stems that are almost fully in bloom. Cut the stems and spread them out loosely on a screen to dry or bind several stems together with a rubber band and hang upside down in a dry, airy space to dry.

Step5

Remove the lavender buds from the stems. This can be done by placing the rubber band-bound stems into a clean pillowcase. Roll it up and gently press and roll it like you would a rolling pin. Do this on a flat surface. Scoop the buds out of the pillowcase and sift through to remove any large debris.

Step6

Use the harvested lavender buds in stress-relieving sachet pillows, lavender eye pillows, dream pillows, drawer liners, soothing lavender bath soaks, lavender soaps and oils, a laundry booster, dryer sachet, carpet freshener and many other uses to soothe the soul.

Tips & Warnings

Use dried lavender for culinary treats to essential oils and soothing remedies. Lavender can be used in soups, salads, stews, breads, cakes jellies, sugars, ice creams, cheeses, teas, meats and bare lavender stems make wonder skewers.
Place lavender buds on the barbecue coals while grilling chicken to make aromatic lavender chicken. Also place a few lavender buds on coals or campfire embers to repel mosquitoes. Lavender is a natural mosquito repellent.
Lavender is not suitable for freezing.