Table of Contents
The many uses for lavender include traditional floral arrangements, dried lavender wreaths and making lavender oil, which has a host of applications from homekeeping to germ-fighting. Lavender uses don’t stop there. This perennial herb also holds its own in the kitchen—in desserts, grilled entrees and beverages.
What do you do with cut lavender?
Fresh, cut lavender bunches can be put in a vase of water for 2-3 days. They will last up to 10 days in water, but if you want to dry the bunches, remove from water after 3 days, cut off brown parts of the stem and hang to dry.
Can you use lavender after it has bloomed?
To enjoy dried stem bunches or dried buds for cooking, you want to cut the lavender when just a few of the buds on the stem have bloomed. This will allow you to enjoy a more vibrant color in the dried stems and the buds do not fall off as easy once dried.
What to do with lavender after flowering?
In late summer after flowering, snip off the flowering stems back down to the leaves (unless you live somewhere very cold, where the spent stems can act as a protective insulating layer, or if you prefer keeping them for architectural interest), and then in autumn do the real chop down to two or three buds of new.
What to do with lavender after it blooms?
Give them a trim after the first flush of flowers has faded. Do not cut them back hard as with other kinds of lavenders (it can kill them). Deadhead for the rest of the season. In late summer shape foliage into a mounded form.
How do you cut back lavender after flowering?
Light pruning is best after the first harvest, followed by a heavier one during summer or fall. Use secateurs for a single plant and a hedge trimmer if you have many. Prune one-third to one-half of each shrub back after the peak of flowering. Prune all the way down into the woody stems.
Should I cut off dead lavender flowers?
It is good to cut the dead flowers off your lavender plant. Cutting the dead flowers off your lavender plant (Lavandula spp.) is a good habit. Deadheading cleans up the appearance of the lavender plant, prevents the seeds from spreading and may prompt reblooming depending on the variety.
How do you save lavender flowers?
Insert your fully dried Lavender flower buds into zip lock bags, or airtight containers and store it away from light, heat, and humidity to preserve its fragrance, color and to avoid mold and rot. Generally, dried Lavender will keep its delightful fragrance for a season.
What month do you harvest lavender?
When to Harvest Lavender The best time to harvest lavender is: early, on many levels! Early spring, early bloom, early morning. Harvesting lavender flowers in the early spring will give the plant ample time to produce another flush of blooms to enjoy again in the late summer to fall.
Should lavender be cut back in the spring?
A. Unpruned lavenders tend to become woody and have decreased blooms. Unlike many perennial plants and shrubs that can be pruned now, it is best to wait to prune lavender until after bloom in spring or in early fall before any danger of frost. Pruning now can cause dieback that may kill the plant.
What happens if you don’t prune lavender?
An annual pruning is an important step for long-lasting lavender (Lavandula spp. and hybrids) plants. Without it they grow a large, lanky, woody base that can split open — it looks bad and shortens the plant’s lifespan.
How do you care for an outdoor lavender plant?
Plant lavender in full sun and well-drained soil (add organic matter to improve heavy soils). Starting with the proper conditions is essential for successfully growing lavender. Water plants deeply but infrequently, when the soil is almost dry. Prune every year immediately after bloom.
Can I prune lavender in October?
It is advised that you prune your lavender back at the end of September and beginning of October, before the first frosts start to appear. You also want to be pruning dead heads from old flower buds so more energy is put into growing new, stronger and more vibrant colored flowers for the next season.
How do you harvest lavender buds?
To pick the dried lavender buds off the stem, hold the stem flower side down over a bowl. Wrap your hand around the stem and draw it downward to dislodge the buds. Pick off any buds remaining on the stalks by hand and place them in the bowl with the rest of the removed buds.
Can I freeze lavender flowers?
Shape into a log and wrap well with plastic wrap and a freezer bag or use a small freezer container.) The flavour of the fresh herb goes into the butter itself. If there is butter in your cookies, you might try this method. Okay to freeze up to 6 months.
Does lavender grow back?
Lavender will not grow back from old wood. This is a basic fact that makes it difficult to simply cut it short, since it won’t grow back. It’s very different from other plants. For instance, you can even sprout winter mimosa from a piece of bark!.
How many times a year does lavender bloom?
English lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) is most common and hardy to Zone 5. There are hundreds of varieties available in many colors and sizes. It often blooms twice in one season.
How many times can you harvest lavender?
Lavender not only looks beautiful and bushy when planted in your yard, but it can be harvested for crafts, cooking, and decor. A full-grown lavender bush can give you 7 to 8 bundles of lavender each season, which you can dry and store for months to come.