Step-by-Step Growing Guide
Lavender is a Mediterranean sub-shrub that genuinely thrives on neglect — the worst thing you can do is overwater or overfeed it. Plant in the poorest, most freely draining soil in your garden, pH 6.5–7.5. If your soil is clay or retains water, raise beds by 30cm and incorporate 50% coarse grit and sand before planting. Space English lavender 60–90cm apart; Spanish and French types 90cm apart. Plant at nursery pot depth. After planting, water in once; thereafter water only when the plant shows the first sign of wilting (roughly every 10–14 days in summer, not at all in winter). Fertilising is counter-productive — it produces lush, soft growth that is prone to disease and winter die-back. Prune once immediately after the main flowering flush ends: cut the flower stalks and about one-third of the previous season's growth, shaping into a neat dome. Never cut into old, grey woody wood — lavender does not regenerate from bare wood. In humid climates, plant on a slope or in raised beds where air circulates freely around the base.
