Matt James reveals how to pot a lavender plant in 2013
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Although lavender plants prefer the abundant sunshine and breeze of a summer garden, you can successfully grow indoor lavender with proper placement and care. Known for its tremendous shrubby growth outdoors, lavender can be challenging to adapt to indoor growing. Lavender is undeniably alluring for any houseplant-lover who wants an aromatic, low-stress plant to add to their collection. Although it’s not a traditional houseplant, it can still thrive in the bright sunlight of a south-facing window or even beneath grow lights. Here are a few essential tips for growing beautiful lavender in your home.
Find the brightest areas possible
For indoor growing, lavender should receive as much light as possible. It will do best in a south-facing window or where it can get a minimum of three to four hours of direct sunlight.
Organic gardening expert and former organic lavender farmer Logan Hailey said: “The most important thing you can do for your indoor lavender plant is to provide it with as much light as possible to thrive.
“A south-facing window is ideal. Lavender is naturally a sun-loving plant that looks pretty pathetic in the shade.”
Gardening experts at Gardeners Supply shared that if plant owners give lavender enough light this will “avoid the production of weak, spindly growth, and diseases”.
Logan agreed as she said: “Pale foliage, fewer flowers, and less fragrance are common symptoms that your plant isn’t getting enough sunlight.”
She suggested if needed, gardeners can always supplement with grow lights. If a home is shaded with trees or other structures, artificial lighting, particularly LED lights, can “drastically increase indoor growing success”.
Opt for terracotta or ceramic pot
Indoor lavender plants will grow better in a breathable earthen pot. Logan explained: “Terracotta, clay, or ceramic are the best materials because they are natural, thick, and durable.
“Unlike plastic or metal, these pots won’t bake the roots in the summer or freeze them in the winter. They provide the perfect amount of insulation from both heat and cold while simultaneously ensuring airflow through the root zone.”
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Gardeners should also be sure that their pot is large enough to allow for future growth. Lavender pots should be a minimum of 12 inches in diameter and depth, according to the expert.
If gardeners don’t want to repot for a year or more, make sure the container is at least twice the size of the existing root ball.
Lastly, ensure that the pot has a large bottom drainage hole and catchment saucer. Logan urged gardeners to avoid “self-watering” containers that have an attached bottom saucer, as these can cause water to pool up, leading to root rot.
Plant in well-drained soil
Lavender is renowned for its tolerance of poor soils. Unlike common houseplants and garden vegetables, it actually prefers soils that are sandy, gravelly, and low in fertility.
The gardening pro explained: “In an indoor pot, the drainage of the soil is especially important. You need to ensure that water passes through the pot as quickly as possible and doesn’t become waterlogged or soggy in the process.
“Avoid using potting soil or compost. Instead, look for soil mixes.” These include peat moss, perlite, pumice and horticultural sand.
Alternatively, gardeners can add clay pebbles or pea gravel in the bottom of the pot as an added insurance against root rot.
Avoid cold air drafts
While there are some varieties that are more cold hardy than others, lavender in general doesn’t love extreme cold.
Logan said: “During the main growing season (spring, summer, and fall), potted lavender shouldn’t be exposed to cold air drafts from nearby doors, windows, or air conditioning units.
“This can slow the growth or cause it to go into dormancy, which means no flowers.” Instead, keep the plant slightly back from a south-facing window that is well-insulated from drafts.
Prune twice a year
Like outdoor lavender, plants grown indoors need to be pruned. The gardening expert explained: “Giving your potted lavender a twice-annual haircut will ensure that it stays compact, non-woody, and aesthetically pleasing. It also encourages more lush foliage and floral growth.”
The first pruning should occur in the spring after the first flush of flowers. Once the blooms begin to fade, cut the plant back by about half. Use this opportunity to shape the soft, green growth into the desired form. Some indoor gardeners prefer a conical shape or a spherical mound.
In autumn, gardeners should prune again after its last flush of flowers begins to fade. This can be a little bit harder to determine with indoor plants, so you may want to monitor the daylight and perform this pruning around the time of the Autumn equinox, the expert suggested.
Cut back by up to two-thirds of its growth, leaving just a couple inches of green stem above the woody crown. Again, take this chance to train the plant in a specific shape. Be careful not to cut into the woody portions of the plant.
It’s also recommended to prune the plant back by about one-third before transplanting it into a new container. This encourages a focus on root development in the pot.
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