Table of Contents
- Facts About Growing Lavender Indoors
- The Right Amount of Light for Growing Lavender Indoors
- Types of Lavender that Grow Indoors
- Growing Lavender Indoors from Seeds
- More Tips on Growing Lavender Indoors
- You May Not Know Lavender Very Well
- Growing Lavender Indoors – The Wrap-up
- FAQ
If you’re wondering how to grow lavender indoors, it is possible, although challenging. By growing lavender, your home can have the delightful natural scent of this plant. Lavender is an herb that can be eaten and used in various ways in cooking.
Lovers of lavender find it worthwhile to follow a few easy tips to have fresh lavender in their home. Lavender can calm the nerves and is known for its relaxing effect. Besides, its blossoms are a beautiful purply lavender color that adds charm to any decor.
Facts About Growing Lavender Indoors
It is helpful to know that lavender needs abundant light in order to grow. It also requires a warm environment, generally between forty to eighty degrees Fahrenheit. Adding limestone to the soil often will help the plant bloom and thrive.
You can add ground-up eggshells to your lavender pot. The eggshells will add more alkalinity to your soil. Lavender does best when planted in terracotta pots; terracotta pots allow for optimal drainage conditions, which is preferred since lavender does not like sitting in water.
The Right Amount of Light for Growing Lavender Indoors
Lavender needs at least three to four hours of light per day. To assist with limited lighting conditions, add a grow light to the area where your lavender will be homed. Lavender likes as much light as it can get.
Make sure to turn the lavender pot so that the plant grows evenly. If you never rotate it, the flowers will not grow properly on the side that doesn’t get kissed with sunlight. Studies suggest rotating the plant 90 degrees every time you water it. Placing lavender plants in front of a window facing South will also help it get adequate sunlight it so desires.
Supplemental Light May Be Needed for Growing Lavender Indoors
Unfortunately, lavender that is grown indoors may need artificial lighting to grow. One light source to consider is fluorescent tubes that can hang about six to twelve inches above the plant.
There are also plant growth lights available in garden centers or online. Plant grow lights are made in many different styles and typically cost anywhere from $20 to $50. You can arrange about ten plants on a table and direct the light toward the flowering plants or have a different grow light for every plant you keep, depending on necessity.
Types of Lavender that Grow Indoors
Different species of lavender can be grown indoors. If you want to learn how to grow lavender indoors successfully, you first need to select a hardy variety of lavender. English or French lavender types are two of the more common choices if you opt for successful indoor plant growth.
English lavender has a much more potent scent than its French cousin. The beautiful blooms will grow indoors if you have the proper light, temperature, alkalinity, and pots that prevent overwatering.
Other Types of Lavender
One lavender species that is unique is the Canary Island Lavender. It has thin stalks of flowers, growing up to four feet high. It continually flowers, making it a delightful addition to any room. When it blooms, the colors will be bright and beautiful, hands down a statement piece you must have.
French lavender also has a beautiful scent and can be grown indoors. However, it is not as strongly scented as English lavender. The positive side of French lavender is that it grows longer than other species, so if you’re searching for longevity, French lavender is the best choice. French lavender not only lasts the longest but can grow very large with proper care.
More to Know When Choosing a Lavender Species
Different species of lavender vary quite a bit. English lavender has the most potent scent, and each variety grows to a different size. When you want to know how to grow lavender indoors, consider that smaller types may be best.
Some varieties grow to be three or four feet tall. Consider whether your home or apartment is large enough to accommodate a plant of this size. Small types of lavender are French or English lavender; their compact size can make the care requirements not seem as overwhelming.
Growing Lavender Indoors from Seeds
It is much more economical to grow lavender from seed rather than buying lavender plants. Most new lavender plants are grown from cuttings of a presently blooming plant. Sometimes lavender seeds are hard to find, so ask your garden store for help.
Seeds need to be sown in a sterile seed starting mix. Each one needs only a shallow covering of soil. This is because the sunlight needs to reach each one to stimulate growth.
Ways to Get Seeds for Future Use
When your lavender plant is mature and blooming, you will probably cut some flowers off to put in a vase or give someone as a gift. You can get seeds from cut flowers by shaking them over a paper bag, and seeds that fall into the bag when “harvesting” should be dried out before planting.
Lavender cuttings can also be hung upside down outside to dry out. When you shake the dry flowers, dry seeds will easily fall out, ready to be planted for new growth.
Add Compost and Transplant Your Seedlings
Transplant the seeds when they begin to grow. Once they reach a height of about three inches, they are ready for transplanting. Placing compost over the soil in the potted plant will ensure a healthy plant.
Some gardening experts believe that lavender does well in poor soil. Fertilizing them is vital once a year after you cut off the flowers, and they can also have compost spread on their topsoil twice yearly.
More Tips on Growing Lavender Indoors
The lavender plant should be watered thoroughly when the soil feels dry to the touch. The soil should not be so dry that it is cracked and completely dried out but dried enough that puddling does not become an issue. If you place a dish underneath the flowerpot, it can catch the extra water as it drains; just be sure to empty the container after allowing a little time for draining.
Once your lavender begins to bloom, you may want to prune or cut it down a bit. This will help your plant to spread out while stimulating additional new growth. Repot the plant occasionally as it grows larger. Maintaining a lavender plant is easy because you do not need to prune or repot very often, only when it appears to be outgrowing its current pot.
You May Not Know Lavender Very Well
Besides being a beautiful plant, that smells magical, lavender has been around for several thousand years. Lavender is part of the mint family. Lavender oil can be used for sore muscles and to aid in relaxation.
Long ago, personal hygiene was not what it is today. Lavender was rubbed onto clothes to freshen them and applied to the body to eliminate odors.
Another interesting fact about lavender is that its flowers are usually blue or purple. It is rare, but other colors of lavender do exist, such as yellow or pink. Mice and various insects do not like the smell of lavender and stay away from areas with lavender scents. Adding lavender to your kitchen can help keep any pests and insects away from where crumbs typically gather from time to time.
Growing Lavender Indoors – The Wrap-up
It is easy to know how to grow lavender indoors. All plants can be fussy if their needs are not met. The problem is that we don’t always know what the plant requires. If the bottom leaves are yellow, it is probably getting too much water, and if the leaves are crispy, your plant could be getting too much direct sun. If you are sure that your plant is getting adequate water, but not too much, a lack of flowers may mean that the plant is not getting enough light. Lavender needs light to bloom, so it is likely not getting enough light if you have leaves with no flowers. Temperature and whether the plant is near a window or door in cold weather are other factors to consider.
FAQ
Some people believe that lavender grown outdoors can grow in clay. Wild lavender, for example, grows in many areas and in all types of soil. Growing lavender inside is very different, though. Indoor lavender should be nurtured with adequate light and water and grown in soil with the proper pH.
Yes, the plant needs the nutrients to continue blooming and producing new flowers. Fertilizer only needs to be applied once a year. Compost can be added to the soil on top of the potted lavender twice a year.
It is safest to buy a lavender plant that is grown and blooming because lavenders are actually low maintenance once they are grown; the seedlings require extra TLC. Also, you get to enjoy the scent and beauty of the flowers immediately rather than what might take several tries until you get to enjoy the lavender that you try to grow from seed at home.
Yes, many of the seeds never take off, and there are many reasons for this, like they may not grow if the soil is too deeply covering them. It is helpful to know that each seed needs sunlight to shine directly upon it.
Most specialists would say that it is a safe plant for pets, and some others believe that pets should never be allowed to eat lavender plants. Gardeners and veterinarians disagree on this subject. It is always best to error on the side of caution and keep plants out of reach of pets.
