How to Plant Lavender Vera
Lavender vera is known more commonly as English lavender. It is a perennial herb native to the Mediterranean. A bushy plant, lavender vera is hardy in zones 5 to 9. This evergreen, with its fragrant flowers and leaves, grows in full sun to a height of 1 to 3 feet and spreading to 4 feet. The flowers range from deep purple, such as the Hidcote variety, to pale pink, as in the Jean Davis variety. An excellent dried flower, lavender is often used in dried floral arrangements, wreaths and other crafts. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Choose a site with full sun and well-drained, alkaline soil with a pH between 6.4 and 8.2. If your soil is too acidic, add lime to amend the soil. Planting lavender should be done in the spring after danger of frost is past.
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Dig a hole for your lavender plant. If planting in groups, space the plants between 1 1/2 and 3 feet apart. Place the plant in the hole, spread out the roots and backfill with soil. Compact the earth and water thoroughly.
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Deadhead lavender vera after its first blooming to encourage more flowers. Clip the blooms at the base of the stems.
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Take cuttings for drying in late morning, after any dew has dried and flowers have just begun to open. Cut off the entire stem, assemble into bunches and hang upside down in a dark, dry place for one to two weeks.
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Cut back the entire plant to about 6 to 8 inches in the early spring to keep your lavender from becoming too leggy. In cooler climates, add a layer of mulch, leaves or grass clippings around the lavender to protect it over the winter months. Lavender vera may need to be replaced every six or seven years.
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