Growing Lavender

Lavender is one of the most favored flowers, and scents, around the world. This is because growing lavender is so easy to do, and it has so many uses. Throughout history lavender has been a favorite ingredient for many perfumes, and even been used as an ingredient for many teas and health additives. What is even more attractive to the gardener is just how easy growing lavender can be. Often it seems that all you have to do is plant a little lavender and step back. Unfortunately, even though it is easy to grow, there are still a few things you need to do.

• Choose your flower. Before you begin growing lavender, you will need to pick the specific kind that you are going to be raising. There is a wide selection for you to choose from, since there are over 30 different types of lavender plant that you can grow. The kind that you pick should depend on your growing zone, and your climate. This means that you will need to do a little research, though the most common choice is English Lavender and is one of the hardier types of lavender to grow.
• Choose your location. Drainage is the single most important factor for growing lavender. This means that the location that you choose to plant your lavender in will need to be able to provide plenty of drainage. A good rule of thumb is that the looser the soil, the better. However, you need to also choose a sunny spot if at all possible, since lavender loves sunlight.
• Prepare the soil. Once you have chosen your location, and checked to make sure the soil is loose enough, it is time to prepare for planting. This means that you will need to dig some holes at least two feet apart, and about 12 to 18 inches deep. Having the holes prepared like this will allow for strong roots, while also allowing for plenty of room to grow for the plants themselves for air circulation.
• Maintain the plant. Pretty much all that you really need to do to maintain lavender is to water it regularly and ensure that it is receiving enough nutrients. On average you will need to only really need to water the plant when the bed has gotten dry to a depth of about three inches. In addition, you want to be careful about using fertilizer for the first two years of the plant's life, since it is too easy to over fertilize them.
• Enjoy the beauty. The final step in growing lavender is to simply sit back and enjoy the natural beauty that the plant brings.