From our perspective as lavender plants, the question of whether we are "easy" to grow is not a simple yes or no. It depends entirely on whether you, the gardener, can provide the conditions we inherently crave. We are not high-maintenance divas, but we are stubbornly adapted to a specific way of life. Get our basic needs right, and we will thrive with minimal fuss. Get them wrong, and we will simply give up. Here is a realistic guide to our care, spoken from the plant's point of view.
First and foremost, we demand sun. We are children of the Mediterranean sun-baked hills, and we need a minimum of six to eight hours of direct, unfiltered sunlight daily. Without it, we become leggy, weak, and produce few of those fragrant flowers you desire. More critically, we need the right kind of soil. We despise wet feet. Our roots will quickly rot in heavy, water-retentive clay. You must plant us in very well-draining soil. We prefer a gritty, sandy, or even rocky mix that mimics our native home. If your garden soil is dense, please plant us in a raised bed or a container with excellent drainage holes. A little bit of gravel mixed into the planting hole is a welcome gift that helps keep our roots dry and happy.
This is where most gardeners go wrong. When we are young, newly planted seedlings, we appreciate consistent watering to help our roots establish. But once we are settled in, we are incredibly drought-tolerant. Our silvery, fuzzy leaves are designed to conserve water. You must learn to neglect us a little. Water us deeply but infrequently, allowing the soil to dry out completely between waterings. A good rule is to wait until our leaves look just slightly wilted before giving us a drink. Overwatering is a death sentence for us; it is the single fastest way to kill a lavender plant.
We are not heavy feeders. In fact, rich, fertile soil loaded with nitrogen will make us produce lots of floppy, weak green growth at the expense of our famous flowers. We prefer our soil to be on the lean side. A little compost mixed in at planting time is plenty; avoid high-nitrogen fertilizers. As for climate, we are happiest in zones 5-9, but this varies by species. English Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) handles colder winters better, while French Lavender (Lavandula stoechas) prefers warmer climates. Good air circulation is also vital to prevent fungal diseases, so please don't cram us in with other plants.
To keep us from becoming woody, leggy, and sprawling, you must prune us. This is not just for your aesthetics; it is for our health and longevity. The key is to prune us lightly right after our first bloom in the summer to encourage a possible second flush. Then, give us a more significant haircut in early spring, as new growth begins. Crucially, never cut back into the old, bare wood where no leaves are growing, as we often will not regrow from there. Always leave some green foliage on the stems. A well-pruned lavender plant can live and be beautiful for many years.
