One of the most beautiful plants, most photographed, painted, copied and imagined, is lavender. Those little lilac flowers.
There is although not everyone knows it, a lot of confusion because there are some plants that resemble it even if they are not the same plant or the same flower (although they are very similar). In fact, in some florist’s confusion can occur due to the great resemblance but despite these similarities, if you look better, you can quickly detect both the stem and the flowers, color intensity and smell, which is not the same variety. We will tell you later, so you are not mistaken.
Up to a total of sixty kinds of lavender type can be found. And that, surely it is difficult to differentiate one from the other. But we will tell you that for example, there are types of this plant that are extremely fragrant and suitable for, for example, making essential oils. In fact, precisely, lavender if it has something, is that it is well known for its multiple benefits. And be from cosmetics, such as those that have to do with health, beauty and even with the culinary. Because yes, lavender is also used in cooking.
But let’s go for the beginning, if you want to have and/or plant your own lavender plant, what should you do?
Instructions
- This beautiful plant that at first glance may seem very fragile, you have to know that it is only appearance. In fact, it is a shrub and it is quite robust. Well cared for and with the basic and necessary care (it does not demand too much), in an ideal area, it can grow up to one meter high and become wide… until it stops growing. It can be made very wide.
- When it comes to choosing where it is best to plant it, you are lucky. Because basically, lavender can grow almost anywhere. It can be planted or grow or germinate, from areas already prepared with soil, pots and / or pots, as in the rockeries, in the massifs or even on the edges. Of course, you must take it into account so that later when it grows, it does not bother and you see the need to have it start or transplant.
- Another thing you should know and that is essential: it needs sun. In fact, that’s why it holds up so well and adapts so easily in areas like the Mediterranean. That climate is ideal for lavender. But you can also have it and keep it in not so warm areas. That if, in cases that you live in places with a cold temperature, you have to look at what kind of lavender is best suited. Not all of them resist frost, for example. Others can resist and be up to sub-zero temperatures.
- Now you may ask, the million-dollar question, and when do the flowers come out? Well, calm because you can have it throughout the year (if you take good care of it) and depending on where you live. But flowering, as such, is in hot weather. From summer to September, usually. Although you already know that with the climate that exists in recent times, it can start its flowering with the heat, a little earlier and last a little longer.
- With the earth, as we have already mentioned, you must be calm because it is very grateful and usually grows well in almost any type of land. Of course, the only one that does not take well is the one that is of the clay type. The ideal is those that are well watered, drained (they do not carry stagnant water well) in case there is an excess of water can end up drowning and rotting the roots.
- The soil can be normal and even throw a thin layer of sand so that it drains well or make a small mantle around the root ball for cold seasons.
- Care must be taken when pruning. Because one of the most common mistakes when you have a lavender in the bush, is to sin of wanting to let it grow. So, to the wild. Because its natural shapes, the beautiful flowers in lilac tones, the smell, wanting there to be many, etc. In the end, this can be a great disadvantage and grow so much that really the part of the bush that are the carving, becomes too dry and becomes woods. If you look at some huge lavenders, surely, the lower parts, inside among so many flowers and green leaves, you can see the woods of the branches. They can be cut even with the hand of how hard it is and if you give yourself unintentionally, you can even scratch and prick yourself. All this in the end, is bad for the plant. This is what gardeners call – lignification.
- Because it takes away strength, it does not let it grow well, that part of the plant will not be able to grow more and will be pulling for others, and may even die. In fact, when pruning again, in these cases you have to be very careful because you usually have to sacrifice a large part of the plant and make new cuttings with the rest to get a new plant.
- To make your own plant or transplant the same or new cuttings, it is very simple. The truth is that if you have a little patience in a month, you can have a pot with new cuttings ready to grow and bloom. What is necessary will be and it will be enough to have soil and a pot that although it may be small at first, you must bear in mind that as soon as it begins to hook, it will take root and needs twice what its root ball measures so that it has space and does not drown when its roots grow (it will not take long) and take very long and large roots.
- Cut them (piece of lavender for the green part that is what it smells) and plant in the ground. Just a few centimeters is more than enough. Water a little and wait for a small root to come out and grow.
- The trick of gardeners to always look as leafy and full of lilac lavender flowers, is to prepare during the first year. That is, whether the plant has been bought, made with cuttings or transplanted, as soon as the lavender has grown and has already cast flowers for the first time, it has to be pruned. It must be taken into account when pruning because doing it in very cold times, for example, will not benefit you at all, rather, on the contrary.
- It is best to do it in hot weather, from spring, in May, for example. And now comes the problem for lovers of this plant because they do not want to cut for the healthy and hence, they get a little out of hand, you have to cut approximately half of its size. But beware, although it may seem that you “run out of your plant” which is, which most usually think, you can make a lot of new plants with all these cuttings that you have just cut. Imagine the new lavender plants that you can do again. And pruning it as it has to be done, is not synonymous with running out of plant, simply, it is giving it life and sprouting again with more strength, more vitality and better.
- Some lavender leaves can also be used to give a different touch in the kitchen. If you have a barbecue or grill, once the meat is almost at its point, place a little on top or before, on the fire, add a little lavender. That smell will make the meat aromatize and it is delicious.
What You Need
- The lavender chosen.
- Water.
- Fertilizer.
- Earth.
- Pot, pot, flowerbed, parterre, etc.
- Scissors.
Councils
This plant has many uses. From beauty, used in aesthetics, in cooking, in drinks, in ointment tricks, as an air freshener, in candles, etc. And of course, in the decoration.
The leaves so characteristic of that lilac color, should be cut and more when they remain dry. Well, it is the perfect time both to use it in bags and close it, making them as an air freshener, to decorate as a bouquet of dried lavender flowers, you can put lacquer on top of the flowers so that they do not stain with dust and wither, you can throw them in the water, save the flowers and place them in frames, in pictures, etc.
You can prepare all-natural drinks with lavender. It will be enough to cut a little lavender, take a saucepan and boil it. When boiled, everything is strained and that liquid that will now be dark can be drunk. It also goes very well to use in aesthetics. For the most delicate skins, the sensitive ones, that totally natural lavender liquid is great. You can wash with it. Of course, being natural, it can only be kept for a couple of days. But it’s as simple as repeating the operation and doing more.
For fungi or intimate problems, hygienic baths with lavender water is also great. And even for hair issues, such as rinsing with lavender water, to treat dandruff or dehydration of the scalp.