Lavender is an ornamental herb native to the Mediterranean and southern Europe. Flower lovers grow it on plots with single bushes, use it on alpine slides and as a border in flower beds.
Lavender is a shrub without a central stem from the Lamiaceae family. On the shoots, spike-shaped inflorescences of white, blue, purple or pink are formed. The name of this plant comes from two Latin roots "lava". They say that the flower got this name in connection with its use in ancient times as an additive during bathing. Lavender exudes a pleasant, light aroma, therefore it is often used as perfumery fragrances.
Some growers are sure that lavender is a capricious plant and requires increased attention. But knowing some of the secrets allows you to grow it on your own site, without much effort. If lavender is grown in a pot, home care also has some peculiarities and nuances. One of the main conditions is choosing the right variety for growing in the room.
Potted lavender - home care
Homemade lavender pleases flower growers not only with its appearance, but also with its properties:
- Its pleasant scent is able to fight headaches, aches and germs in the room.
- Flower essential oil is used in medicine and to create perfume compositions.
- Burns are treated with lavender oil.
- Lavender oil is used for massage.
- The dried flowers can be added to tea or baked goods for a special, charming scent.
Indoor lavender
Pots with these flowers help to create a unique atmosphere of warmth and comfort at home.
Description
Lavender enjoys a well-deserved popularity among gardeners all over the world, as well as pharmacists, adherents of traditional medicine, and perfumers. Her homeland is the warm regions of the Mediterranean.
It is a perennial plant with evergreen properties. Outwardly, lavender is a semi-shrub, strongly branching. It reaches a height of about 50-60 cm.
Health Benefits:
- lavender has a beneficial effect on the nervous system, soothes;
- relieves insomnia;
- useful as a prophylactic against heart and vascular diseases;
- has a beneficial effect on the articular tissue;
- improves the functioning of the digestive tract;
- relieves inflammatory foci, has an antimicrobial effect.
In addition to the above, the plant has many other useful qualities.
External description
It will not be difficult to recognize lavender in a common flower bed: it has a characteristic shape and color of leaves, recognizable flowers look cute, have a specific aroma. The foliage is not green, as usual, but a grayish-silvery shade, the flowers are small and painted in blue-violet shades, blue color is often found. The inflorescences are shaped like ears.
Armat is strong, rich, very pleasant. For insects, the smell is frightening: with the help of lavender, you can protect the area from mosquitoes and other gnats.
Lavender blooms in summer. Almost all of its varieties are thermophilic, and only one single one is able to withstand our cold. This winter-hardy variety is propagated by both cuttings and seeds: the article will focus on the second option.
What does indoor lavender look like, which family does it belong to?
Potted hyacinth: home care
Indoor lavender, just like garden and wild, belongs to the Yasnotkov family. The plant has no main stem. One bush consists of several stems, on which spike-shaped inflorescences are located. The color may vary. The most common is purple, but there are also white, pink and blue hues.
Lavender of different colors
Common varieties for indoor cultivation
In natural conditions, there are 20 species of this plant. But not all are suitable for growing at home. Some varieties only grow outdoors. Among florists, the most common types are narrow-leaved, broad-leaved and serrated lavender.
Narrow-leaved lavender (English)
This variety is characterized by:
- height up to 30 cm;
- narrow leaves of gray-green color;
- purple elongated inflorescences;
- resistance to low temperatures.
Narrow-leaved cultivar growing in a pot
Lavender broadleaf (French)
It is characterized by:
- wider leaves than the English variety;
- short inflorescences can be of various shades, but most often lavender;
- subtle, but slightly repulsive scent.
On the basis of the broadleaf variety, many different hybrids have been created, suitable for indoor cultivation.
Lavender toothed
Serrated lavender has the following characteristics:
- leaves are soft, silvery;
- flowers are large, bright blue-violet;
- thermophilic variety, suitable only for home cultivation.
Varieties of pots
When lavender blooms
Before you can grow lavender yourself at home, you need to choose the right pot for it.
Pots
A cache-pot is a decorative container in which a pot with a plant is installed. Benefits:
- Aesthetic appearance;
- The ability to immediately purchase a large planter, which will fit the grown lavender;
- No need to choose expensive pots that will change frequently.
Wooden pots
Flowerpots
Vases are called decorative pots made of stone, plaster or metal, which stand outdoors. There are vessels made of clay, ceramics or concrete. Vases for planting lavender can be mobile, so that with the onset of cold weather they can be easily moved indoors.
Flowerpots on the street
The size
Lavender grows well in spacious pots, the diameter of which is at least 25-30 cm. The shrub grows quickly, so you can choose a container "for growth". The height of the pot should be 5-6 cm more than the length of the central root, the volume should be at least 2 liters.
Material
It is advisable to choose breathable materials such as clay, wood and ceramics. The use of metal and pots with a glossy surface with drainage openings is allowed.
Note! The pot must be light or medium in tone. Dark surfaces heat up faster and retain heat, which is unacceptable for lavender.
Price
The price depends on the material and size, as well as on the appearance of the pot and the amount of decor. Prices for pots vary from 1 thousand rubles. up to 7-9 thousand rubles * and more. Vases made of clay or ceramics will cost from 300 rubles on average. up to 4-5 thousand rubles *
* Prices are valid for July 2020.
Designer pots
Indoor flowers play a significant role in the interior decoration of an apartment; the planting pot should be combined with the overall concept. In pursuit of unusual design solutions, functionality should not be forgotten. Before buying, you need to pay attention to the following criteria:
- The material must be breathable or have holes for airing the soil;
- The shape of the vessel should be elongated, you cannot choose low and wide pots;
- A prerequisite is the presence of drainage holes;
- A lavender pot shouldn't be dark, even if it's a stylish design.
Fancy pot
To give preference to an ordinary pot or a designer one is everyone's personal choice, but it must be borne in mind that in a year the lavender will have to be transplanted to a new place.
Note! A more rational solution is to purchase a designer pots, in this case the appearance of the pot does not matter.
Specialized (other types)
In addition to traditional flowerpots and flowerpots, there are a number of unusual containers for flowers, these include:
- Hanging pots and pots are an alternative to regular flowerpots that allow lavender shrubs to be lifted up;
- Backlit cache-pot - a design solution for decorating gardens and verandas;
- Silicone flowerpots and pots are one of the latest design decisions. In such a flowerpot, you can bend the edges, as the flower grows, bend it back and increase its volume;
- Florariums are vessels made of transparent glass. Only light-loving plants that are resistant to dry weather can grow in them;
- One of the latest developments is smart pots with an automatic watering system. The development is relevant for plants that require regular moisture.
Briefly about the history of appearance
Lavender in a pot on a windowsill
Lavender is an ancient plant, the exact date of its appearance is questionable. It is believed that these flowers appeared before the appearance of man. It was also used by the inhabitants of Ancient Egypt for mummification and in the field of perfumery. The plant got its name in ancient Rome, where flowers were added to baths, in translation lavender means “to wash”.
Interesting! From the middle of the XVI century. English florists began to create new varieties of plants. From there, the flower spread throughout Europe, and then appeared in Russia.
Features of caring for room lavender at home
When lavender blooms
Some people still think that lavender is an annual plant, but in fact it is a wonderful perennial. For flower growers, potted lavender (home care for a flower) causes some problems. The plant is quite capricious. For normal growth and development, the creation of certain conditions is required.
Interesting! Florists who are constantly growing the plant have noticed that it grows best in light-colored pots.
Temperature
Lavender's southern origin explains its temperature cravings. During the growing season and flowering period, the plant requires a high air temperature. In the second half of autumn, the temperature should be reduced to + 15 ° С. At this time, a period of dormancy begins, which will last until spring.
Lighting
Lighting is a major factor in properly growing indoor lavender. This flower needs a lot of light. If it is not enough, the growth of the plant will stop. Flower pots should be placed on southern windowsills. In the summer, it is better to identify them on the balcony, and if possible, take them outside. In winter, lavender needs additional lighting, since its daylight hours must last at least 10 hours.
Watering
Watering is carried out regularly with warm, settled water. The soil should not dry out and become waterlogged. Watering should not be root, water must first fall on the leaves, and from them smoothly drain into the soil. In the warm season, the plant is watered 2-3 times a week, in the fall - once every 2 weeks, in the winter - once a month.
Attention! This flower should not be poured and moisture stagnant should be allowed. Because of this, the plant may die.
Spraying
Spraying is necessary only in hot dry weather. It will help maintain the overall moisture level at the proper level.
Humidity
Lavender is insensitive to changes in air humidity. She needs constant ventilation, but without drafts. In hot dry weather and during the heating season, spraying will be needed once a week.
Homemade lavender primer
Planting and caring for lavender at home starts with choosing the right pot and soil selection. The pot should be voluminous, at least 3 liters, and wide - about 30 cm in diameter. The soil will need loose and nutritious. It is best to buy a ready-made mixture for flowering plants. When self-preparing the soil composition, it is necessary to mix turf, river sand and humus in a ratio of 2: 1: 1. Before planting a flower, this substrate must be disinfected with a weak solution of potassium permanganate.
Important! Be sure to put a drainage layer on the bottom of the pot. Expanded clay is the best solution.
Top dressing
Top dressing should be done regularly. From mid-April, nitrogen fertilizers are introduced into the soil, and after flowering, potassium-phosphorus mixtures. Fertilizers are bought at the store. The choice should be stopped on liquid options. Top dressing is carried out twice a month after one of the waterings. In winter, during a dormant period, this process stops.
May or June - planting seedlings in the ground
Since lavender grows in mountainous areas, it likes good lighting and sandy loamy alkaline soils. When digging a bed, add a glass of dolomite flour for each square meter of the bed if the soil is neutral and three glasses if it is acidic. Be sure to add sand to the soil (one bucket per 1 sq. M).
It will be interesting for you to know: How to grow chrysanthemums from seeds, planting and care rules
The lavender planting holes should be slightly wider and deeper than the glass. The distance between the holes depends on the height of the future adult lavender bushes. To create a lavender hedge, plant the bushes at a distance equal to half the height of the plants.
Attention! Perennial lavender grown from seeds will increase the green mass in the first year, and will bloom only in the second year.
Remember to water the plants after planting.
When and how indoor lavender blooms
Lavender blooms are lush and incredibly beautiful. The room during this period is filled with a wonderful aroma. You can cut the inflorescences for winter bouquets. This is done after all flowers have opened. In order for the plant to dry properly and not lose its shape, it is sent to a cool, well-ventilated, dark room.
Dried lavender inflorescences
Types and forms of flowers
Flowers of indoor lavender varieties are monosymmetric with a double perianth. This type of flower is typical for most members of the Yasnotkov family.
The flower corolla is double-lipped or tubular.
Flowering period
The flowering period lasts from mid-spring to early autumn. Midsummer is its climax. Some inflorescences need to be cut in order for the plant to renew itself and develop faster.
Preparing for winter
Even though homemade lavender grows into an evergreen ornamental plant, it still preparation for wintering is necessary... After flowering, dry stems should be removed and the bush should be slightly trimmed (several nodes above the beginning of leaf growth).
Winter is the time for the plant to rest, therefore, it needs to be watered less - maximum once a week... Keep the pot in a cool place away from heating appliances.
If you notice that the overgrown leaves begin to drop and wither - do not be alarmed. This can be in poor lighting, and not from a lack of moisture. The plant accumulates water only in thick grayish leaves, so try to resolve the issue with lighting as soon as possible.
What types of philodendron are suitable for indoor keeping, our article will tell.
How easy it is to care for indoor violets, read here.
Sometimes lavender blooms in winter, but this not good for her health... If lavender has bloomed, you need to remove the growths before taking it out to the balcony in spring. Spring flower can transplant into another pot.
How indoor lavender reproduces
Most commonly, lavender is grown from seed.They should be purchased only in trusted stores, where all storage rules are followed. Planting is carried out from the beginning of March. Indoor seeds can be sown until late spring.
Germinating seeds
Before planting seeds in the ground, they need to be stratified within a month. They are laid out on a layer of moist peat or marsh moss, the thickness of which is 7 cm. From above, they are covered with the same layer and removed to a cool room with a temperature of + 5-7 ° C.
Next, the seeds must be sown in one pot and germinated until the first three leaves appear. In this case, the following rules must be observed:
- In the container where the seeds will grow, a drainage layer with a thickness of at least 5 cm should be laid on the bottom.
- Fill container with nutritious moist soil.
- Deepen the seeds 2-3 cm into the soil, cover with a layer of sand on top.
- Cover the box with foil or glass, put it in a warm place and monitor the constant moisture of the soil.
- When the first shoots appear (after 1-1.5 months), the film must be removed and the daylight hours must be increased to 10 hours.
Transplanting young plants to a permanent place is carried out after 2-3 weeks of growth and development. But this procedure is optional. Fertilizers are applied one week after transplanting.
Important! Lavender will bloom only in a year.
Transplanting room lavender
Transplanting is recommended annually before the start of the growing season. But if necessary, you can do this during the flowering period. Thanks to this, the lavender will be rejuvenated and its growth rate will increase.
By the flower itself, it becomes clear that it needs a transplant. Growth slows down and new shoots appear at the edge of the pot. The plant is transplanted into a new pot by reloading. The new pot must be more spacious than the previous one. The voids are filled with fresh soil.
Transplanting room lavender
Possible problems in growing indoor lavender
Even if all the basic rules of care are followed, and the florist knows how to care for room lavender, force majeure can always arise. First of all, these are pests and diseases that rarely attack domestic varieties. Most often, gray rot occurs. It occurs when the soil is waterlogged. It is necessary to destroy damaged stems, replace the soil with a new one, adjust the irrigation regime.
Growing indoor lavender takes some effort. But the result is worth it. This plant is unusual, unlike others. It fills the room with coziness, light and delicate delicate aroma. Self-grown flowers can be used in cooking, medicinal purposes, as a fragrant additive for bathing, and dry bouquets from them are simply delicious.
Is it possible to grow lavender from seeds
Lavender is common in the highlands of the Alps. There, as in most Russian regions, there are cold winters and dry summers. This is what gave reason to believe that this modest fragrant flower may well take root not only in the Crimea and the Caucasus, but even in the Moscow region, Siberia and the Urals.
To grow lavender from seeds on your site, you should choose varieties that are resistant to frosty winters. These include plants belonging to the subgroup of narrow-leaved lavenders:
- Munstread;
- Voznesenskaya 34;
- Lublin Semko;
- Royal Blue;
- Felice;
- Crimean woman;
- Isis
If growing from seeds is practiced for these varieties, fragrant flowers grow without shelter for many years, and they are not afraid of long winters. Moreover, sowing lavender seeds is considered the most productive method of plant propagation.
The best conditions for growing lavender
Next, you should pay attention to studying the question of how to plant lavender seeds and care for seedlings. Any non-compliance with the plant's requirements for light, humidity and temperature can lead to the death of plants even before planting in the ground. Strict adherence to the rules described below will help to avoid such errors.
