Tips for Growing Lavender in the Pacific Northwest
These tips do not apply to every growing situation or climate in Oregon.
- Plant lavenders in full sun so they receive at least 6 to 8 hours of sun a day
. - Provide excellent drainage. Plant in gritty or sandy loam.
- Grow lavenders on mounds, in raised beds or on slopes for better drainage.
- Space plants so they will have good air circulation, usually 3 to 4 feet apart.
- Water plants well for the first season so they become established.
- Lavenders are drought tolerant plants, but occasionally, during dry, windy days in the summer, they may require more water to stay healthy. They prefer a drip system or water at the base of the plant. Soaker hoses work well for lavender planted in rows.
- Prune lavender plants hard at least once a year in the spring. Lightly prune again when they finish flowering in the summer or early fall.
- Fertilize with low nitrogen fertilizer before watering or before it rains.
- Mulch for weed control. Use light colored mulch, placed away from the base of
plants. - Grow tender lavenders in pots. The varieties that will not survive a winter outside
can be placed indoors during the coldest months each year. Dwarf English lavender
cultivars grow well in their own pots and can remain outside in winter. - Lavenders grown in pots will require more water, fertilizer and pruning. Use pots with several large drain holes and a potting soil that will to drain well.
