You Don't Need A Big Garden To Grow Lavender - Here's How To Easily Plant It In Pots

With its dreamy hues of purple and nostalgic scent, lavender (Lavandula) is a timeless shrub. It evokes cottage gardens and quaint countryside villages with its charming simplicity. But you don't need a perfect cottage garden to bring the vibe into your home. Lavender can be grown in pots both indoors and outdoors. All you need to do is create the right environment for this herb to flourish. 

With around 47 species available, picking a lavender variety that suits your home climate and container growing allows you to create a thriving potted garden full of color. Smaller varieties, such as Thumbelina Leigh (Lavandula angustifolia), do best in containers. If you are keeping your pots outside on your patio, you need to ensure that you select a variety that is hardy to your USDA Hardiness Zone. Most lavender varieties fall between Zones five and nine, and this number determines how well the plant can survive your area's coldest winter temperatures without damage. Also, consider the aesthetic you want from your potted lavender! Spanish lavender (Lavandula stoechas) forms a denser, tighter mound of greenery and flowers when planted in containers, which looks neat and tidy.

Once you have selected your lavender, find a pot that is slightly bigger than the size of the root ball. Don't worry if your lavender plant can grow bigger than its current size, as you can repot it year after year. Ensure that the pot you are using has drainage holes, as lavender shrubs can experience root rot if left to sit in water. Use a potting mix and add some slow-release fertilizer to the soil. Then, place your lavender bush into the pot and cover any gaps. 

Now that your lavender is in its pot, it's time to find the best location for it! If you are placing it outside, pick somewhere that gets full sun. Lavender shrubs often need six or more hours of sunlight a day to really thrive. If you are keeping your lavender inside, choose the sunniest spot in your home; a south-facing window is best. 

Potted plants do need a little bit more attention than those in garden beds since they have limited space and soil. Regular watering and feeding is essential when looking after lavender in pots. In the first week after you have potted it up, you should water every other day to help it settle in. After that, make sure that you are watering it every time the soil feels dry to the touch. Give it some feed once a year in the spring using a slow-release fertilizer. Pruning every year after flowering helps lavender stay healthy, too. 

When looked after, lavender shrubs can live up to 15 years. Whether you are using it to create a dynamic container garden on your patio or simply want some in your home to cheer you up on a gloomy day, lavender can thrive in pots and bring beauty into your life year after year.