Many of you have been asking; I bought a lavender plant from Calyx Creek; now what? Here are some tips for growing lavender successfully.
Prep the Location
Full Sun - if you want a great bloom every year, lavender needs a lot of sun.
Crappy Soil - if your dirt is that traditional Iowa black dirt or heavy in clay, you should add sand to the primary area you'll plant. Your goal is to make sure water can run away from the plant's roots. Mix sand into the soil to make up at least 30% of the soil at the base of the plant.
Wind Block—If you're in town, the houses and trees around you should provide adequate wind protection for the plant. Otherwise, try to put the plant in a location that's not fully exposed to the wind. It will help tremendously with how your plant does through winter.
Give yourself 3-4 feet around the center of the plant for expansion. You can trim it to contain its size, but when it blooms, it will double in size or more.
Planting
We put our plants in our sandy soil, so you should be able to take the plant and stick it in the ground. Once it's in the ground, push down on the soil around the plant to ensure there are no air pockets surrounding the root system.
Care
Fertilizer - only add once a year and use a natural fertilizer like a 2-2-2 or something close. Lavender doesn't need much.
Trim - you must cut all the flowers off the plant each year; it cannot go into winter with spikes on it; otherwise, you'll significantly impact its strength through winter and its bloom in the spring.
Wishing you all the best to enjoy such a beautiful plant!
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