Lavender is a nice plant to grow indoors because it thrives in containers and requires little care. It is a native of the Mediterranean region. With their purple blossoms and energizing perfume, lavender plants can also add brightness to your home.
However, if you don’t want your lavender plant to spend the entire year indoors, it’s simple to bring it inside from late fall to early spring and then move it back outside to your herb garden in the summer to get some strong sunlight.
Continue reading for more information on how to take care of your indoor lavender plants.
How should a lavender plant be cared for indoors?
Europe is the origin of lavender. These plants are prized for their aromatic gray-green foliage and fragrant lavender blossoms, which are used to make perfume and sachets.
It might be difficult to grow it indoors, so use these suggestions to maximize your success.
Placement
Lavender needs as much light as possible to flourish indoors. It will thrive in a south-facing window or somewhere with at least three to four hours of daily direct sunlight. To ensure regular development and flowering, rotate the pot every week. The lavender plant will grow weakly and spindly, stop flowering, and become more prone to disease if not given enough light. While proper ventilation and air circulation are essential indoors, avoid placing the plant in an area where it will be directly exposed to forced-air heat. 50 to 55 degrees Fahrenheit at night and 70 degrees Fahrenheit during the daytime are the ideal indoor temperatures from spring through mid-fall. Temperatures should be lower from late fall through winter, averaging 60 to 65 degrees F during the day and 45 to 50 degrees F at night. After all threat of frost has passed, it will be beneficial to transplant the lavender plant into a partially shaded outdoor location. It might be planted outside in a sunny spot in the spring. The plant, when fully grown, can withstand temperatures as low as 10 degrees F.
Watering
When watering, soak the soil completely and let it get just a little dry in between applications. Use your finger to probe the ground to check the moisture level. Rot can develop in the soil if it is overwatered or kept permanently damp. However, do not let the soil entirely dry out; else, the lavender will react by turning its bottom leaves yellow. In the spring, if the lavender is transferred outside, keep in mind that it will dry out more quickly and require more frequent watering.
Pruning
Cutting branches to collect flowers encourages bushiness by causing new growth to develop. If you want your plants to be bushier, occasionally tip prune. Be aware that branch tips are where blooms are created, and frequent pruning of the tips can restrict flowering.
Which variety of lavender grows best indoors?
French lavender is the best variety to cultivate indoors. French lavenders flower for a longer period of time and can withstand changing indoor temperatures better than other lavender species. Select a smaller type that will fit easily indoors on a window sill, such as Lavandula stoechas ‘Anouk’.
English lavenders frequently do not flower to their full capacity when grown inside, whereas French lavenders can flower for several months.
Is it possible to grow a lavender plant in my bedroom?
Join us as we discover the greatest indoor plants to enhance the decor of your bedroom and enhance your sleep, from Jasmine to Aloe Vera, Snake Plants to Lavender:
Jasmine
White flowers on jasmine plants are tiny and charming. They emit a pleasant aroma that is frequently used as a calming essential oil.
According to studies, this smell can help you sleep better and feel less anxious. Jasmine plants thrive in pots and look beautiful in bedrooms. Put yours on the windowsill and give it regular waterings while it is in bloom. To avoid overwatering, you can allow the soil’s surface to slightly dry out when there are no flowers.
Snake plant
The mother-in-tongue law’s or snake plant is a natural air filter. At night, it emits oxygen that promotes restful sleep. It is also known to eliminate various hazardous compounds from the air, including formaldehyde, toluene, benzene, trichloroethylene, and xylene. This is a fantastic plant to keep in the bedroom because formaldehyde, which is frequently found in hairspray and can cause respiratory issues, can be harmful.
Valerian
The little pink and white blossoms on a valerian plant can make your bedroom appear lovely. Apart from the pleasant aroma, valerian herbs have been used for millennia to treat insomnia and other sleep disorders. It has been demonstrated that inhaling the aroma of valerian root helps with both sleep induction and sleep quality. Add a few petals to your bath or make sure to give them a good sniff before bed. Keep these plants on a sunny window sill because they require about six hours of sunlight each day.
Lavender
Everyone knows that the scent of lavender is a wonderful way to unwind. Lavender is ideal for the bedroom because research shows that it lowers heart rate, blood pressure, and stress levels. According to a study from the Miami Miller School of Medicine, the aroma of lavender in bath oil soothed infants and helped them fall asleep faster while also relieving the mother’s stress. Place your lavender plant on a sunny ledge with minimal watering because lavender plants need warmth and sunshine.
Does lavender thrive in containers?
Due to the good drainage, all lavender plants thrive in pots and containers. However, some lavender cultivars are better suited to growing in pots than others.
The English lavenders (Lavandula angustifolia) are my preferred variety of lavender and are what I suggest for container gardening:
- ‘Hidcote’
- ‘Munstead’
Since both of these lavenders are English varieties, which are cold hardy to USDA zone 5, they can withstand colder temperatures and the pot can stay outside all year.
In addition to having the best smell of any lavender, Hidcote and Munstead lavender also bloom beautifully in the midst of summer.
The larger varieties of lavender, like “Vera,” which can grow 3 feet across and is therefore better suited to growing in garden boarders, can grow to a size that works great in pots without having to repot them too often because they stay a relatively compact size of around 12 inches (with annual pruning).
The majority of French and Spanish lavender varieties, include well-known types like:
- Borland pink
- ‘Anouk’
The appropriate conditions allow these lavenders to produce flowers for up to three months while maintaining a reasonable size that doesn’t overwhelm a pot. However, compared to English lavender types, the scent is less overt.
They should be brought indoors for Winter protection as they are not as cold-hardy as English lavenders and can perish in a severe frost.
While French lavender frequently dies after 5 years even in ideal conditions, English lavender can thrive for up to 15 years or longer with proper care.
How many years can a lavender plant live?
Many gardeners in Sonoma County are delighted by the easy-to-grow lavender’s many wonderful attributes. It takes little water and is exceptionally deer resistant. Snakes avoid it. Butterflies and bees adore it. Flower wands fill any space with a wonderful, pleasant, fresh smell. A lovely seed product made from dried flower heads has been used for ages to freshen clothing and ward off insects. Even delicate meals and drinks can utilize it as a flavour.
Over 40 recognized variants of the three main forms of lavender exist. Lavender blooms may adorn gardens for months if a variety is planted.
The Spanish lavenders, Lavandula stoechas, and its several named cultivars are the first to bloom in the spring; ‘Otto Quast’ is a well-liked and frequently planted variety. These have the smallest, pineapple-shaped tufts, though not the most floriferous, and are crowned with upright, ornamental bracts in shades of purple, periwinkle, or even milky white. Spanish lavenders typically have a second or even third bloom cycle later in the summer when spent blooms are routinely deadheaded. Of all the lavenders, they can withstand droughts the best.
Lavandula angustifolia, commonly known as English lavender, is native to southern European hilly regions rather than England. It is the most resilient, but it only lasts for three to five years before needing to be replaced. Early summer brings forth blooms on thin flower spikes that are significantly more delicate and sweet-smelling than any of the Spanish lavenders. Named cultivars produce mounds between 11/2 and 2 feet tall and broad that are covered in flowers in hues of blue and purple, white, or pink. In order to keep a compact shape and to encourage some varieties to repeat bloom, faded blooms and stems can be sheared off. Popular cultivars with vibrant blue-purple flowers include “Hidcote,” “Munstead,” and “Jean Davis,” which have pinkish-white blossoms.
Lavandula x intermedia, also known as lavandins or English lavender hybrids, bloom for the longest from mid- to late summer. Depending on the cultivar, these grow rather shrub-like after a number of years in the ground, reaching heights and widths of 2-4 feet. The most popular among them are “Provence” and “Grosso,” which are renowned for their potent fragrances and suitability for harvesting, drying, and tying flower wands into bundles. The cosmetic business uses oil from “Grosso,” while many lavender products utilize oil from “Provence.” From a 1-gallon plant, both plants grow fairly quickly, but a 4-inch pot will grow to the same size in roughly a year. Regular pruning is necessary to keep the bottom stems from turning ugly woody on these hybrids.
The two most crucial conditions for planting lavender are choosing a location with at least six hours of direct sunlight each day and offering sufficient drainage. It dislikes wet environments. To promote soil aeration and allow roots to absorb nutrients without drowning, use compost and grittier materials like lava rock or perlite thoroughly mixed with the soil.
To prevent rain from puddling if the soil is dense or compacted, it is advisable to build a little berm or mound for each plant. Lavenders should last for five to seven years if they are properly sited and pruned. Although lavender can tolerate some drought, it needs enough rain to grow all season. After planting, it is very important to watch out that the soil doesn’t dry out around the rootball.
Lavenders can be pruned more severely in the late fall but never to bare wood. On lower stems, look for little green buds and make a cut right above them. In this manner, plants are pruned annually or more frequently to maintain their dense, green branching. As long as there are buds, some can even be clipped almost to the ground.
Lavender plants grow either indoors or outdoors.
French lavender (Lavandula dentata) cultivars are another option. which are
tiny plants thrive in indoor planters. Alternatives include using Canary Island lavender (Lavandula canariensis),
Lavender plants have a scent.
Lavender has a soft, sweet aroma that is simultaneously flowery, herbal, and evergreen. Additionally, it contains subtle, powdery, or smoky undertones. Some lavenders smell more like medicinal camphor and are more reminiscent of rosemary’s balsamic resin.
Crushed lavender blossoms are used to make lavender essential oils, which are used in items like candles and perfumes. Commercial producers are able to extract considerable amounts of oil from the flowers with the aid of high-temperature steam distillation equipment.
Does lavender deter insects?
Additionally, they provide beauty to residential landscapes. Here are nine popular plants that attract insects:
First, marigolds. Although they bring color to landscaping, these flowers also have a distinct scent that keeps mosquitoes and other plant pests away, such squash bugs and tomato worms. A natural ingredient found in marigolds is employed in numerous insect repellents.
Along with your squash, melons, and tomatoes, plant some marigolds in your yard. You may also place marigolds close to open windows and doorways where mosquitoes can be drawn in.
2. Lavandin Bees are essentially the only insects you encounter near lavender. Other bugs avoid them because they enjoy the flowers.
The essential oils in the plant’s leaves give lavender its lovely aroma, but pests detest it. You won’t have to worry about moths devouring your clothing if you hang some dried lavender in your wardrobe.
Why should plants not be in your bedroom?
You often hear people say that houseplants shouldn’t be kept in bedrooms because they pose safety risks. This is based on the fact that while you’re sleeping, most plants will emit carbon dioxide and collect oxygen from the air.
Many houseplants do this, and it is absolutely true. However, in practice, there is little Oxygen taken and Carbon Dioxide exhaled (figures will be given and explained a little later). This demonstrates that having plants in your bedroom is completely safe.
Actually, I’m going to go a step further and argue that having plants in your bedroom is generally really advantageous, and I’ll be giving you the reasons why.
The Mother-in-Tongue Law’s or Snake Plant is the ideal bedside table plant. One of the greatest bedroom plants that can tolerate both direct sunshine and indirect light and doesn’t require much care.
How do I keep my lavender plant in a pot blooming?
- Lavender can withstand droughts fairly well once it is established. However, with routine watering, especially when grown in pots, it grows larger and is more floriferous. Water when the soil is dry, and then thoroughly soak the area so that water readily drains from pots.
- For increased flower color and more prolific flowering, feed once a week with a liquid fertilizer.
- Overwintering: To safeguard your potted lavender plants if you live somewhere with a harsh winter, keep them inside or in a garage. From November to February, the plants hardly ever need to be watered. Water only the top of the compost and wait until the pot becomes considerably lighter or even until the plants begin to droop. During the period of dormancy, avoid fertilizing.