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Last update on June 1 , 2024

Are you spring up lavender in your garden ? Read along to learn how to reap wise lavender flowers , along with several agency to dry and use them ! Of all the fragrance in our garden , the fragrance of fresh lavender blooms has to be one of my all - metre favourite . Yet lavender is so much more than just a pretty , aromatic flower ! soothe to both your cutis and mind alike , lavender is an edible , various , extremely - healing plant . It is also very attractive to pollinator , which isalwaysa desirable feature in a sustainable garden .

A hand is held out holding a large bouquet of freshly harvested lavender flowers with long slender green stems.

English , Spanish , French … oh my ! No matter what type of lavender you grow , all of these tips on how to glean and dry fresh lavender apply . harvest lavender is incredibly gentle . Plus , the more you glean , the more flower will come ! In this clause , we ’ll go over the best time to harvest lavender , exactly where to bring down it , as well as how to give the plant life a recondite prune . Then I ’ll show you three ways to dry out fresh lilac-colored buds , and share slew of approximation on what to do with them ! How does lavender salvage , sachet , and cocktails voice ?

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A hand is holding a bouquet of freshly cut lavender by their stems, the flowers are pointing upwards towards the sky. In the background are a couple raised garden beds with squash, kale, onions, peppers, and basil growing in them. Growing around and amongst the raise beds are various perennials, annuals, trees, shrubs, and vines.

Quick Tips on Growing Lavender

produce lavender can be pretty fuss - free in the right clime and weather condition . In world-wide , lavender can grow as a perennial inUSDA zones 5 through 10 , though nuances among each miscellany or climate can make the flora more or less happy . For object lesson , we live in geographical zone 9b/10a and our lavender grows readily – like a weed ! Here , lavender bushes grow several feet in every direction and salad days basically year around . Meanwhile family line in Florida ( also zone 9b/10a ) may struggle to farm lavender at all . That is because lavenderthrives in warm , sunny , aridMediterranean climates , and it does n’t do well in gamey humidness or smashed weather .

One means to cancel frequent rainwater and dampness is to grow lavender in a container . expend a well - draining pot land shuffle with sand , or even acactus potting mix . Above all else , avoid overwateringit . overweening moisture and overwatering is the most vulgar drive of death in lavender . muddy roots will quickly moderate to fungal disease and death . When planting lavender straight in the ground , prefer a cheery locating withexcellent drainageand sandy soil . Lavender does n’t require a lot of compost , fertiliser , or excessively racy soil . In fact , it is happiest in piteous rocky soil .

Lavender Varieties

There are numerous varieties of lavender to choose from . Most all of them fall into one of the broader grouping of eitherEnglish , French , or Spanishlavender . Some stay quite compact , while others get huge ! Dozens of hybrids exist too . All smorgasbord offer wonderful aroma and are technically eatable , though English and lavandin varieties ( L. x intermedia ) are the most sweet and palatable for culinary diligence .

look for out mixture that are well - suit to your mood . For good example , true English Lavenders ( Lavandula angustifolia ) are the most cold - hardy , including ‘ Hidecote ’ and ‘ Munstead ’ varieties of English lavender . Those are the few rat down to zone 5 . Gallic and Spanish lavenders do substantially in warmer climate and higher zones . ‘ Phenomenal ’ is a true English   lavender   that is known to treat the high temperature and humidness of the southeast . Lavandula stoechasandL.dentataare also among some of the more humidity - tolerant variety .

If you are n’t sure what your USDA spring up zone is , usethis simple zip code lookup toolto find out . I always suggest works shopping atlocally - possess nurseries – they ’ll in all probability have a bun in the oven lilac-colored varieties best suit to your area ! We grow a wide selection of French , Spanish , and English lavender varieties in our temperate garden .

Two English lavender plants with long purple flowers hanging over the edge of their planting area. A bundle of freshly harvested flowers still attached to their stems are laying on the gravel nearby along with a wicker basket with a few lavender flowers in it.

HOW TO HARVEST LAVENDER FLOWERS

If you ’re able to successfully develop lavender , now comes the well-situated ( and most rewarding ) part : harvesting . The secure news show is , the more you crop your lavender , the more flowers will farm ! harvest and pruning lavender also encourage branching , resulting in an progressively shaggy flora .

Some of the most common questions I receive about acquire lavender are “ when is the practiced time to harvest lavender ? ” and “ exactly how do you harvest or prune lilac-colored ? ” – so countenance ’s go over all of the above !

When to Harvest Lavender

The best time to harvest lavender is : early , on many levels!Early spring , other bloom , other morning .

Harvesting lavender peak in theearly springwill give the plant ample metre to produce another flush of blooms to revel again in the late summer to flow . This is especially apt if you have a brusk summer growing season . In hoarfrost - liberal mood where some varieties of lavender may bloom twelvemonth - round , you’re able to continually reap modest bunches over and over throughout the year .

If you have hopes for the highest scent and essential oil content , the proficient time to harvest single lavender flowers isearly in their bloom cycle . significance , when the young tender buds are tight and just start to bloom . Fully - open lavender blossom will tout the most coloring , and are highly attractive for bouquets . As lavender flower age , their aroma and healing oil content decreases . Also , mature browning flower bud will crumple and fall off the stem more well , which is n’t ideal for bouquets and can make for a mussy dry out cognitive process . However , I do n’t let that stop me from sometimes using aged blooms too !   lately is better than never , as removing spend prime is sound for the plant regardless .

A large Spanish lavender plant is featured with hundreds of fresh purple blooming flowers. The purple contrasts the plants light mint colored foliage. Beyond the lavender are various fruit trees and flowering perennials with varying flower coloration from yellow, to white, to orange, blue and pink. There is a horizontal fence just beyond the plants and trees and the setting sun is shinning through an open slat.

eventually , herbalists traditionally harvest medicinal peak in theearly first light , once any dew has dry out but when the plant life are still perky from the cool night air . As the Clarence Shepard Day Jr. goes on , some of the fragrant essential oils and terpenes will begin to shoot in the red-hot sunshine . I attempt to watch over this practice as much as possible , especially when I plan to make medicinal crude oil or unguent from the lavender bud . However , spirit is busy – so pick ‘ em when you could !

Where to Harvest Lavender Flowers

To glean individual ( or small amounts of ) lavender flowers , first identify the bloom of youth that you wish to harvest . Then , follow the stem down from the flower bud until you reacha junctionwhere two side leaf , new buds , or offset have commence to form . Usingsmall pruning snipsor scissors , disregard the stem there – justabovethe leaves or side branches . Once the kernel stem and flush is move out , the plant redirects its energy . Now , those two side shoot will rapidly turn and produce refreshing flower of their own !

For longer stems or a bouquet that also includes some green foliage , simply follow the independent shank down a little far , snipping above a interchangeable branching junction but deeply into the plant . You may witness the need to do this with smaller , heavyset lavender plant life that have less place between the bud and leaf nodes . Or , to clip a small extra off a large established industrial plant .

After harvest , you ’ll be left with a courteous little lot of lavender – perfect to hang and teetotal , or to display as a beautiful bouquet . To enjoy lavender like classic cut blossom , simply commit the glean bloom in a vase of water system ( if you do n’t mean to dry them ) . For medicinal or edible program , you ’ll want to use it as soon as possible for the best fragrance and flavor . Keep reading below to learn how to dry fresh lavender .

An index finger is being used to prop up a newly harvested lavender bloom. Only a few of the flower buds have opened along the main flower, the others are still closed with some closer to opening than others. This flower is a perfect example of what to use to dry lavender. The background consists of the lavender plant that produced the featured flower. There are many flowering branches of varying degrees of purple.

How to Prune Lavender

Pruning lavender is similar to the harvesting process , just a bit more vigorous ! programme to prune your lilac-colored plantonce or doubly per year . Always prune after flowering . If you prune lavender right before it go into bloom , it will significantly retard the arriver of efflorescence .

The first and less crucial “ pruning ” academic term can but be harvesting a well amount of the first bloom of flowers in bound . Even if you are n’t harvest blossom to keep and dry , the enactment of deadheading ( removing drop blooms ) is big for overall plant life health and further new ontogeny . During the spring prune , aim to trim down back about a quarter to one - third of the plant .

The best time to give your lilac plant a more or less harder prune isin the decline , after the last binge of flowers fades . dauntless English lavender varieties naturally choke back in the wintertime and react intimately to concentrated pruning than non - English varieties .

A hand is holding back a branch of a lavender plant to illustrate where along the branch should be pruned. The plants soft and velvet like foliage can be seen with a nearby branch containing an immature flower that hasn’t yet fully formed into its more recognizable form.

Pruning English Lavender

PruneEnglish lavender back byone - half to two - thirdsof the new growth each fall . As with harvesting , trim just above folio node or side branches . Avoid cut off into the lowest bare woody growth . Take a peep around the substructure of the lavender flora : you ’ll see tough woody outgrowth close to the ground that has no sprout or leaf client , and more tender ontogenesis ( fleeceable or clean Brown University ) above that . snip at least a few inches above the naked woody part , leave behind a twosome folio knob per branch .

Pruning Spanish & French Lavender

To prune more sore Spanish and French lavender miscellanea , bemore gentlethan you would with English Lavender . Cutting back too much can damage and potentially kill the plant . thinly prune , harvest , or deadhead blooms throughout the growing season . Then towards the end of summer , prune the shrub into a rounded mound of foliage . Most gardening resources commend taking off no more than one - third of the works .

Despite the “ best practices”,don’t be too nervousabout pruning ! A just - pruned lavender plant can look quite fierce around the edge … literally . Do n’t worry , it will reverberate back and fill in ! Plus , routine pruning actually sustain the life of the flora . We have cut some established plants that were yellow and looking a bit sad waaaaaay back ( almost to the ground , into the “ no - no ” woody zone ) and they were full of lush Modern outgrowth within a few months . The more established the works , the more resilient it is to a unvoiced prune .

HOW TO DRY LAVENDER FLOWERS

Now that you ’ve harvested fresh lavender , let ’s peach about three different way you could dry out it . The method acting you choose is entirely up to you . I will impact on some of the pro and cons of each .

1) Hanging Lavender to Dry

The most simple room to dry fresh lavender is to let it hang dry .

Clearly , this method acting of drying lavender works intimately in warm arid climates or controlled indoor conditions that start the lavender to thoroughly dry . Living near the slide , we experience a flake of haze and mild humidness , and our decorative lavender dries fairly well this way . We have bouquets of dried lavender on presentation in every room !

2) Drying Lavender in a Food Dehydrator

Another mode to dry lavender is to use afood dehydrator . This appendage is also very well-to-do , and much quicker than passively drying it at room temperature . I prefer to utilize a dehydrator to dry lavender that is intended to make lavender - inculcate petroleum or salve . It not onlyexpedites the outgrowth , but also avail to ensure the lavender is 100 % teetotal ! Inadequately dried herb that carry leftover wet can well make medicinal oils to educate mold and despoilment . With our cool foggy summer , this is simply what works better for us to secure success .

However , it is estimable toavoid overheatingthe lavender so as to preserve the highest level of essential crude oil and sanative benefit potential . Therefore , set your food dehydrator on the lowest temperature mount ( no more than 100 to 105 ° F ) .

To dry lavender in a dehydrator , this is the mental process that I trace :

Small pruning snips are positioned just above a node on the branch of a lavender plant that will soon be pruned. Nearby are a couple immature lavender flowers that will soon be larger buds full of smaller purple flowers.

3) Drying on Screens or in Baskets

The third and last way to dry out lavender is much like the first method , minus the bunching and hanging . Some traditional herb doctor just lay out their fresh herbs and peak to dry on screens , or in airy baskets . you may dry full lavender stem or just the bud this way .

Homemade herb dry rack can be assembled of a single or many “ shelf ” of flat framed screens . Or you could utilize a specialized multi - tierhanging herbaceous plant dry out racklike this one – which is what we utilise to dry out other herbs , including hemp . Also like the first method acting , allow lavender to passively dry on screens or in baskets necessitate fond arid conditions – and clip .   distribute the lavender flower out in a single layer to allow good air flow between them .

How to Store Dried Lavender

After the lavender has finish dry out , one option is to lead the flower buds intact on the long stem , ideal for displaying dry out bouquets or to use in dry floral arranging . Otherwise , snip or pillage the flush bud dowry off of the stem and store it in an airtight crank container for maximal freshness , flavor , and aroma . Store the container in a cool , benighted , and dry fix .

Ways to Use Dried Lavender

Floral bouquets aside , there are lots of creative ways to expend wry lavender ! Lavender is incredibly versatile and beneficial . It is used foraromatherapy , provento help reduce anxiety , stress , depression , and insomnia . The aroma is also known to repel pesterer insects . In summation to smelling fantastic , lavender has many other health benefits . With natural anti - inflammatory , antioxidant , antibacterial , anti - fungal , and bother relieving holding , juiceless lavender is idealistic to use in homemademedicine and body care product .

As an edible bloom , there are manyculinary usesfor lavender too ! Remember , English and lavandin hybrid varieties are most popular to use in comestible applications . The higher camphor cognitive content in Spanish and Gallic lavender make them less toothsome and perfumed – yetcamphoris an excellent terpene to relieve swelling , itching , and pain !

Here are a few estimation of how to use juiceless lavender :

A previously pruned lavender branch is featured, it is now in the shape of a “Y” as the pruned portion of the branch was removed and two new growths emerged to create their own branch. Rosemary, marigolds, a fig tree, and bougainvillea lie just beyond the featured flower in the background.

I plan to indite more elaborated clause about several of these ideas , so stay tune ! So far , I have sharedtutorialson how to make lavender - steep oilhere , and also homemade lilac salvehere !

And that is how you harvest, prune, and dry lavender.

I bet you ’re already contact for your clippers and headed for the room access ! As you’re able to see , harvesting and dry out new lavender is super uncomplicated and rewarding . I also find the process really therapeutic – the gross excuse to turn on some euphony , tune out , and clip snip snip away …

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Pollinator plants in full bloom with long and slender purple flowers.

A hand is holding back part of a large flowering plant to show where parts of the flowers have been trimmed in comparison to the rest of the plant.

A diagram of an English lavender plant with three white lines drawn across the width of the plant in a semi arch. The top line is labeled “approximate height after flower harvest”, the second line is the “approximate pruning line”, and the third and bottom line is the “start of new growth”.

The north side of a lavender plant is shown, the blooms are clearly visible along the topside of the plant. The underside and edge of the plant has been recently pruned as it was blocking the paver boundary and walkway. The more woody undergrowth is visible below the lush green foliage. Use pruned flowers to dry lavender, preserving the flowers for future use.

The woody undergrowth of a plant is shown. The main trunk or stalk is much thicker than the surrounding woody branches. Even after a heavy prune, there is new green growth emerging from woody portion of plant.

A bouquet of dry lavender is shown, a hand is holding the bouquet upside down, the stems tied together with brown twine. Even when dry, the flowers are still varying degrees of purple. Beyond the bouquet is a brick fireplace with various houseplants of differing sizes placed on and around it.

Fresh lavender flowers are shown on a drying tray that will soon be placed in a dehydrator. The flowers are fairly evenly spread across the tray for more even drying. The flowers are form at least four different varieties of lavender so each one has its own unique color, shape, and size.

The front of an Excalibur food dehydrator is shown with the door of the machine removed and sitting on the top. The trays are pulled out in a stair step fashion, the top two trays are full of multi colored calendula flowers while bottom four are full of lavender flowers. Dry lavender in a food dehydrator for a quick, easy, and safe drying process.

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A wicker basket is full of freshly harvest flower blooms. They are multiple layers deep and must be spread out more evenly for storage.

A metal tin of Homestead and Chill’s lavender salve body product. The lid is propped up on the main tin to illustrate the product label as well as show the healing salve inside the tin. A few fresh blooms garnish the area surrounding the tin.

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