growing lavender
- Thread starter kesang
- Start date
Hello Sir
Lavender can tolerate moderate frost and drought. Spike lavender cannot tolerate frost. All lavenders are sensitive to high humidity. High summer temperatures adversely affect oil quality.Lavender can produce well with an annual rainfall range from 300 to 1 400 mm
per year. Allow the soil to dry well between irrigations and do not over-irrigate.
Lavender requires well-drained light, sandy, or sandy loam, or gravelly soils in full sun. Soil pH should be between 5.8 and 8.3.
Lavender is mainly propagated by seed, cuttings, layering, tissue culture and division of roots.
Plants grown from seed are variable in growth habit, colour and essential oil composition. If seeds are to be used, these should be sown in late spring or early summer. Germination rates are low and seedlings are slow to reach transplanting size.
Lavender is normally planted in row widths of 1,2 to 2,0 m apart, with 30 to 60 cm between plants, which gives a plant density of 8 000 to 28 000 plants per hectare.
Spacing is done according to available moisture and species, and cultivar size as well as for mechanical cultivation and harvesting. Higher densities mean higher establishment costs but also higher early yields.
Plants also tend to support each other, so are more stable and last longer.
A good vigorous plantation should be ready for harvest in the second year. Lavender plants can last for 10 to 15 years or longer if managed correctly. Seedlings should be hardened off before being put into the land.
In mild climates, autumn planting is best as the plants can get established just before winter and in spring will grow quicker. In areas with very cold winters, spring planting is the only option. Planting should be started as soon as danger of frost is past.
For the production of 100 kg of inflorescence, lavender extracts 0,8 kg of nitrogen, 0,2 kg of phosphorus and 0,8 kg of potassium from the soil.
Nitrogen rate is 80 to 100 kg/ha applied in 3 to 4 dressings throughout the growing season. Phosphorus and potassium requirements are low and will vary according to soil type and nutritional status. Periodic liming may be necessary to keep the pH at 6,0 or higher.
Irrigation is needed for the first 2 years until the crop has been established. If lavender is produced on lighter soil types where rainfall is unreliable or low, irrigation at crucial stages might still be necessary.
Generally, 2 to 3 weeding sessions are necessary during the year.
No serious diseases have been reported on this crop.
Flowerbuds should be pruned off in the first 2 years to assist the plants to develop to their best potential, and to create a sturdy plant framework. In later years, pruning will have to be carried out in a separate operation after harvesting,usually in autumn.
The harvesting of lavender for essential oil should be undertaken when the flowers are well developed and the lower half is starting to open. Harvesting is usually done at the end of December and early January, according to season. The harvest time may be 4 to 10 days and after that the quality will drop.
Harvesting should not be carried out in too hot weather and very windy conditions. Very cold weather prevents the development of esters, and harvesting has to be delayed until the weather is warmer. The flower spikes are cut 15 to 20 cm below the flowers.
Lavender can tolerate moderate frost and drought. Spike lavender cannot tolerate frost. All lavenders are sensitive to high humidity. High summer temperatures adversely affect oil quality.Lavender can produce well with an annual rainfall range from 300 to 1 400 mm
per year. Allow the soil to dry well between irrigations and do not over-irrigate.
Lavender requires well-drained light, sandy, or sandy loam, or gravelly soils in full sun. Soil pH should be between 5.8 and 8.3.
Lavender is mainly propagated by seed, cuttings, layering, tissue culture and division of roots.
Plants grown from seed are variable in growth habit, colour and essential oil composition. If seeds are to be used, these should be sown in late spring or early summer. Germination rates are low and seedlings are slow to reach transplanting size.
Lavender is normally planted in row widths of 1,2 to 2,0 m apart, with 30 to 60 cm between plants, which gives a plant density of 8 000 to 28 000 plants per hectare.
Spacing is done according to available moisture and species, and cultivar size as well as for mechanical cultivation and harvesting. Higher densities mean higher establishment costs but also higher early yields.
Plants also tend to support each other, so are more stable and last longer.
A good vigorous plantation should be ready for harvest in the second year. Lavender plants can last for 10 to 15 years or longer if managed correctly. Seedlings should be hardened off before being put into the land.
In mild climates, autumn planting is best as the plants can get established just before winter and in spring will grow quicker. In areas with very cold winters, spring planting is the only option. Planting should be started as soon as danger of frost is past.
For the production of 100 kg of inflorescence, lavender extracts 0,8 kg of nitrogen, 0,2 kg of phosphorus and 0,8 kg of potassium from the soil.
Nitrogen rate is 80 to 100 kg/ha applied in 3 to 4 dressings throughout the growing season. Phosphorus and potassium requirements are low and will vary according to soil type and nutritional status. Periodic liming may be necessary to keep the pH at 6,0 or higher.
Irrigation is needed for the first 2 years until the crop has been established. If lavender is produced on lighter soil types where rainfall is unreliable or low, irrigation at crucial stages might still be necessary.
Generally, 2 to 3 weeding sessions are necessary during the year.
No serious diseases have been reported on this crop.
Flowerbuds should be pruned off in the first 2 years to assist the plants to develop to their best potential, and to create a sturdy plant framework. In later years, pruning will have to be carried out in a separate operation after harvesting,usually in autumn.
The harvesting of lavender for essential oil should be undertaken when the flowers are well developed and the lower half is starting to open. Harvesting is usually done at the end of December and early January, according to season. The harvest time may be 4 to 10 days and after that the quality will drop.
Harvesting should not be carried out in too hot weather and very windy conditions. Very cold weather prevents the development of esters, and harvesting has to be delayed until the weather is warmer. The flower spikes are cut 15 to 20 cm below the flowers.