Growing aromatic lavender in pots indoors
Growing lavender indoors allows you to enjoy its calming fragrance and vibrant blooms without needing a garden. This article guides you through selecting the right variety, potting, watering, and ensuring your indoor lavender plants receive adequate light. With proper care, your lavender can flourish indoors, bringing a touch of nature's beauty and soothing aroma into your home.
Selecting the right lavender variety
Not every lavender variety is suitable for indoor cultivation. It's best to opt for compact types such as 'Munstead' or 'Hidcote,' which are better suited to the conditions of pot growing. These varieties are specifically advantageous because they maintain a manageable size, making them perfect for indoor environments. Additionally, their compact nature significantly reduces the risk of them becoming leggy when grown inside.
Potting your lavender correctly
Select a pot that has plenty of drainage holes to prevent water from pooling at the bottom, which is harmful to lavender's health. For the soil mix, combine two parts of regular potting soil with one part coarse sand or perlite to improve drainage. Lavender thrives in a pH-neutral or slightly alkaline soil environment, making this mixture ideal for its growth and flowering.
Watering techniques matter
Lavender prefers conditions that are more dry than wet. It's essential to let the soil completely dry out before each watering session. Then, water the plant deeply, ensuring water flows freely from the drainage holes. A common error is overwatering, which can cause root rot. To avoid this, make sure the soil's top inch feels dry to the touch before watering again.
Ensuring adequate light
Lavender needs at least six hours of direct sunlight daily when grown indoors. South-facing windows are typically the best source of natural light. If this is insufficient, supplementing with grow lights is advisable. These should be placed 12 inches above the plants for 14-16 hours per day, ensuring your lavender receives the necessary light for optimal growth and flowering.
Fertilizing sparingly
Indoor lavenders benefit from minimal fertilization. At the start of spring, feed your plant with a balanced liquid fertilizer, diluted to half strength. This prevents excessive foliage growth, which can overshadow flower production and fragrance. Over-fertilizing is a common mistake that leads to lush leaves at the expense of blooms and scent, so moderation is crucial for optimal growth.
