Large, lavishly blooming lavender bushes are not a matter of course, but the result of good and professional care. The subshrub can get quite old, eight to ten years are standard - but 20 or 30 years is not uncommon. In order for your lavender to reach such an impressive age, however, growth conditions and care must be optimal. The sensitive Mediterranean resident is not so quick to forgive mistakes.
The optimal location
Lavender, a perennial subshrub, originally comes from the mountainous or, in the case of French lavender, from the coastal regions of the Mediterranean. It is very sunny there all year round, the summers are long, hot and dry and the winters are comparatively mild. Although the temperatures can sometimes drop below zero, permanent low values such as in some regions of Germany are an extreme exception. In our latitudes, lavender only feels at home when it finds these conditions. That means:
- Lavender needs a location that is as sunny as possible - the more sun, the better.
- In addition, the selected cookie should be protected, i. H. no drafty corner.
- The soil should be as barren and dry as possible.
- Lavender does not tolerate a lot of moisture and especially waterlogging at all.
Sometimes the shrub can also thrive in partial shade, provided the soil is not damp and there is enough light - sun only in the morning or evening is not enough.
The right care
When it comes to care, you have to pay particular attention to dryness, although of course the lavender cannot do without water. Potted lavender, in particular, does not forgive a lack of water on very hot summer days. However, finding the right amount is not that easy: It is best to water lavender in the bucket whenever the substrate has dried on the surface. Planted lavender, on the other hand, only needs to be watered when the temperatures are really very hot and it has been dry for a long time - the wide-ranging and deep-reaching roots of the plant get what they need.
Prune perennial lavender regularly
It is also important to prune the shrubs vigorously at least once a year. Like so many perennial shrubs, lavender also becomes lignified with age - it wilts, as the gardener says, because no fresh green or flowers sprout from the lignified shoots.
tips and tricks
Also, be extremely economical with manure - especially stable manure and other nitrogenous fertilizers.
IJA