Growing and Drying Lavender
Lavender plants are a beautiful and fragrant addition to any garden. The bees love it and the subtle fragrance the lavender plants releases when brushing against it while weeding or walking by the blooms is the sweetest of scents. It’s beautiful as both fresh lavender and the aroma in bundles. While lavender can be a fussy plant, growing and drying lavender isn’t as hard as you think! If you live in colder zones and want a few growing tips, make sure to watch the video that goes with this post.

The first trick to growing lavender is that Lavender likes really well-drained,sandy soil.
My grandma would have said, “they like to keep their feet dry…” very similar to the herb Rosemary… Which makes sense because they both grow very well in places such as Italy and California. I have mine on the western sun exposure on a slight slope in slightly sandy soil.

 Every year I add a few new plants; occasionally with a really wet,damp winter I lose a few and have to replace them. You can grow your own lavender plants by using a layering technique to propagate new plants instead of always buying new ones.

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We are zone 5A/5b here and I think it does so well where it’s at, it’s kind of a micro-climate and runs slightly warmer than the rest of the yard. There is a raised bed behind it and the house in front of it and it is sheltered by a fence. When growing lavender micro-climates are really important.
There are different lavender varieties including lavandula angustifolia (English lavender), Lavandula stoechas (French Lavender also called Spanish lavender or Butterfly lavender), and Lavandula intermedia (Lavandin). Which lavender variety to grow depends on your growing zone.


 Lavandula Augustifolia (Traditional English Lavender)

When you are ready to harvest lavender, the best time to clip the stems is early in the morning before the full sun hits them and evaporates much of their essential oils.

 Gather them in bunches and wrap with a rubber band or twine. Hang them upside down, or spread out on an herb drying rack in a single layer. in a plain paper bag that has some slits cut in the side for air circulation. I like this method best because it allows for plenty of air flow and catches any lavender buds that fall off of the bunches as they dry. While they are super flexible, you can also twist the stalks into fragrant wreaths. You can use this technique.
When using the paper bag technique, hang them to dry in a cool area away from direct sunlight for a few weeks. Any flower buds that fall off are caught in the bottom of the bag and be removed when the lavender bunches are completely dried. make sure they are completely dried and throw out anything that could seem even possibly moldy. You don’t want any moisture left. Even though lavender stems aren’t as fragrant as the buds, you can still use them for potpourri or sachets. Store any dried buds or leave in tight jars with a lid until ready to use.

The best thing is, you can use the entire plant. You can make lavender sugar for baking in recipes, or making lavender syrup. The left over lavender stems can be used for laundry sachets orpotpourri, and the dried buds and leaves can be used for salt scrubs or sachets.
Even a few lavender stems or purple flowers by the bed at night in a vase are a sweet addition to your sleeping routine.

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Thanks for sharing. I grow lavender as well and
love the aroma. Great for small sachets.
Thanks so much for sharing how you do this. I love lavender as well and had no idea how to dry it. I have a lavender sachet next to my bed that I rub on my pillow before I go to sleep at night. So relaxing…
Thanks again and God bless.
I give all new Mom’s a lavender sachet pillow.
I have never used a bag to dry…thank you for this tip, Jen.
~Lynne
w/L.
I give all new Mom’s a lavender sachet pillow.
I have never used a bag to dry…thank you for this tip, Jen.
~Lynne
w/L.
I give all new Mom’s a lavender sachet pillow.
I have never used a bag to dry…thank you for this tip, Jen.
~Lynne
w/L.
I give all new Mom’s a lavender sachet pillow.
I have never used a bag to dry…thank you for this tip, Jen.
~Lynne
w/L.
I give all new Mom’s a lavender sachet pillow.
I have never used a bag to dry…thank you for this tip, Jen.
~Lynne
w/L.
I give all new Mom’s a lavender sachet pillow.
I have never used a bag to dry…thank you for this tip, Jen.
~Lynne
w/L.
I give all new Mom’s a lavender sachet pillow.
I have never used a bag to dry…thank you for this tip, Jen.
~Lynne
w/L.
I give all new Mom’s a lavender sachet pillow.
I have never used a bag to dry…thank you for this tip, Jen.
~Lynne
w/L.
I just planted some Lavendar this year, all along the edge of my south facing deck. I am hoping it will grow tall enough to hide the ugly ‘under the deck’ area, and add some pretty color and scent there.
How long does it tend to take to really ‘take’ and start growing and filling it?
I wonder if my West facing, mostly shaded area long the basement walkout would be a good place to plant some more?
Ang
SoLongFarm.blogspot.com
Oh I am so dearly jealous. I have a hard time growing lavender here, and I was just visiting my sister; walking down her lavender scented garden path, and feeling horribly envious. Your lovely post just puts that intoxicating scent all around me. Thank you – and now I want to make lavender syrup! I have never tried that one before 🙂
I’m new to planting lavender and I really appreciated this post. I too love the smell in just about any way. Can you split your plants or how do you propagate them? Thanks
Aw I love Lavender! We have Lavender farms near by, commercialised, but the gift shop is gorgeous!
I tried once but it didn’t do well but you have inspired me to try again. I started a new garden last Fall and everything I have planted in it seems to do very well so I’ll try that spot. I always include a handmade lavender sachet with any vintage linens I sell. And love that tip in drying in paper bags. Your hanging bags are a fabulous photo! xoxo Lynn
P.S. Looking forward to being at your party Friday. 🙂
I’m so jealous. I have not had good luck with it at all. I can grow anything but Lavender. Yours looks beautiful!
Lovely post and pictures! I love lavender and a few years ago, I visited the lavender fields in Provence, France. I was in heaven!
So with you. My favorite scent next to the sea.
Hi Jen, Great idea to hang the stems in the bag. I have had success on the south side of the house, the dry soil and reflected heat from the house seems to be the perfect combination for a good harvest.
Hi Jen, Florida’s not good for growing lavender and I’ve never seen it actually growing. It’s so pretty in the pics and I love my sachets, they’re so good for sinus problems. It must be an aquirred scent. I remember first smelling it and thinking it was awful and now I love it!
Have a great day…Tracy @ Cotton Pickin Cute
I love lavender also. And have various varieties in my gardens. Love to spray on my pillow at night too.
Brenda
Great tips, Jennifer. Lavender is a mainstay with me. I love it.
Have you made Lavender Cheesecake? Delish!!! A gorgeous & inspiring post!
Jenn,
I just bought a really big bag if dried lavender at a yard sale with two dozen canvas bags. Now I just need to figure out what to do with it 🙂 Thanks for the inspiration.
blessings,
karianne
Thank you so much for sharing how to dry lavender…I love it, and had wondered about how it is dried…I only grow a pot filled with it each year, so this is helpful information for me….
Geri Lawlis
My plant have just had nice buds this year lneed more info on what to do with it next year.