Grow Lavender in Pots – 5 Important Steps

Aromatic herbs like lavender are frequently used in cooking. It may be grown as a perennial in your garden, but if you’d rather avoid the cold and rainy weather that frequently accompanies spring and summer, you can also grow it as a houseplant. There are a few rules and guidelines to consider if you want to grow lavender in pots. In this article, we will guide you through the whole process to grow lavender in pots!

Lavender in Pots – Is it a good Idea?

Yes, you can grow lavender in pots. Ample sunshine and sufficient drainage are requirements for growing lavender. It will be easier to prevent the soil from getting too wet for the plant if the pot has a drainage hole. Lavender grows best in light, porous, well-draining potting soils. The type of soil you choose is also crucial.

5 Steps to grow Lavender in Pots

Want to grow lavender in pots? Stick to the plan! Here are the steps to grow lavender in pots!

• Choosing the right pot
• Finding the right soil
• Growing lavender from cuttings
• Watering your lavender
• Caring for lavender

Which Pot should I use for growing Lavender?

As always, the first step to grow lavender in pots is to choose the right pot. Consider the pot’s size and drainage while picking it for lavender. Large, well-draining containers are necessary for lavender plants to prevent the soil from becoming soggy. Clay or terra cotta pots work best because they allow for efficient water circulation around the roots of the plants. It will work just well if you have an old clay pot in your yard shed!

Which Soil goes best with Lavender?

To continue to grow lavender in pots you must consider choosing the right soil! There are many types of soil that you can use to grow lavender.

Growing lavender in pots requires high-quality, well-draining potting soil. If you want something more natural, you may also use a mixture of peat moss, perlite, and compost.

Coconut coir is another excellent choice for plants grown in containers since it is lightweight, drains well, and retains moisture when required. It’s also said to be simpler to work with than other materials like bark or clay pellets, which can be painful to handle repeatedly during planting season. Coconut coir is a great option if you don’t want any additives in your potting soil because it is manufactured from coconut husks. 

Additionally, since coconut husks don’t need any fertilizers or pesticides to be added, they are safer for pets to be around than normal potting mixtures that do contain some sort of artificial fertilizer/pesticide combination.

These products, which do not include soil but rather only the elements required for good plant development without any additional nutrients, are known as soil-fewer potting mixes. They are often created from a variety of mixtures, including sand, perlite, vermiculite, and other materials, along with useful additions like seaweed extract, which improves each cell’s oxygen transport process. As you see, there are many ways you can go to grow lavender in pots!

One of the most common problems is that soil can get hard. This situation can harm your plants or worst – it can destroy your plants! For this reason, we have prepared an article about softening hard soil. Have a look:

How to grow Lavender in Pots?

1. In the spring or summer, take a clipping from an old lavender plant. Cuttings should be made directly above a node and be around 3–4 inches long.
2. If you have to root hormonal powder or liquid, dip the base of your snip into it. In such a case, don’t panic; the lavender will still begin to root without it.
3. Substitute a potting mix that flows well but holds moisture for the cutting. Don’t overwater; only enough to keep the soil wet until roots grow.

Of course, you can also buy lavender seeds online or from your local stores.

One technique that helps your plants grow better and stay healthy is the method of companion planting. This technique is nothing else than planting plants close together to let them benefit from each other. The most common results of this method are the fast growth and the nutrient-sharing behavior of the plants. Lavender also has many companion plants; make sure to choose the right ones. In the following article we have listed the best and worst lavender companion plants:

When must I water my Lavender Plants?

One of the most important steps to grow lavender in pots is maintenance, especially watering. Watering your plant is an essential component of its proper maintenance. Both overwatering and underwatering of the plant can be problematic for lavender¹.

Lavender should be watered occasionally but not excessively. It’s crucial to keep your plant moist but not drenched in water, since this can promote the formation of mold and root rot in the soil at the plant’s base. Apply water from underneath rather than above to reduce the risk of disease or pest attack on roots that might occur if they are exposed to wet for an extended period. Also, remember to check the soil’s hydration before watering!

Depending on how hot it is outdoors throughout the summer, watering must be performed every two days. If at all feasible, make a plan ahead of time to ensure that plants won’t go without water while it’s hot out and temps can approach 100 degrees °F (38 °C).

The optimum times to water are early in the day or later in the day when it is cooler outdoors after sunset. This provides appropriate drainage and prevents excess moisture from accumulating around roots, which might result in bug infestation and other problems if watering is done incorrectly.

How do I Care for my Lavender?

The last and probably most important step to grow lavender in pots is to maintain it. You have to care for your plant as if it is your child. It needs attention and different techniques to keep it healthy and happy. One method we love to go after is the use of fertilizer. Nowadays there are thousands of different types of them and each one has other functions or special targets. You can buy them anywhere and they are not expensive at all! Here is also research about different fertilizers and their impact on lavender. TO THE PAPER².

What I prefer most is to make my organic fertilizer at home. Yes, this sounds crazy, but it is so easy and so much more effective than the bought ones! If you are also interested in making your fertilizer read our short instructions on the article below:

References

1. Du, B., & Rennenberg, H. (2018). Physiological responses of lavender (Lavandula angustifolia Mill.) towater deficit and recovery. South African Journal of Botany, 119, 212-218.
2. Komnenić, A., Jovović, Z., & Velimirović, A. (2020). Impact of different organic fertilizers on lavender productivity (Lavandula officinalis Chaix). Poljoprivreda i Sumarstvo, 66(2), 51-56.