Fertilizing lavender and lime: when, how much & with what?
The lavender is used to poor soil. You can find out here whether it still has to be fertilized and what the liming of lavender is all about.
Lavender is a fairly undemanding plant, but it can grow even better through fertilization [Photo: bane.m / Shutterstock.com]
The real lavender ( Lavandula angustifolia ) does not make great demands on the soil in which it is planted and does not take much to take root. Its home is in the Mediterranean, which is why it is used to arid, nutrient-poor and stony soils. In the following we will show you how you can still give your purple darling a little help with fertilization.
Should you even fertilize lavender and, if so, when? Which fertilizers are suitable for lavender and what is the best way to fertilize them? We have summarized the answers to these questions for you in this article.
Why fertilize lavender?
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Like any other plant, lavender needs enough nutrients to thrive. In its original homeland, the coastal regions of the Mediterranean, it grows on dry and rocky slopes. Basically, the Mediterranean herb prefers nutrient-poor soils. So do not fertilize too much, otherwise the lavender will be sensitive to frost and lignify more quickly. In the worst case, over-fertilization can even lead to the death of the plant. Therefore, one should know exactly what lavender needs. A need-based fertilization will thank you the lavender with a magnificent growth and many fragrant flowers.
Lavender prefers low-nutrient, rocky soils [Photo: Catalin Petolea / Shutterstock.com]
Fertilizing lavender: when and how often?
Generally speaking, lavender does not actually need any fertilization, as it is used to soils that are poor in nutrients. Regular fertilization is therefore not required under any circumstances and can even be more damaging. If there is an excess of nutrients, the shoots shoot through and the lavender loses its winter hardiness. It also becomes more susceptible to pest infestation. A single fertilization with the preparation of the bed before planting is more than sufficient. In the following years, an annual application of fertilizer at the beginning of the growth phase (March / April) is sufficient. The best way to do this is to use organic long-term fertilization, such as that made possible by our Plantura organic universal fertilizer. These provide your lavender with sufficient nutrients in the long term and are also particularly gentle on plants, soil and animals in the garden.
In pot culture, an additional second fertilization at the beginning of summer (end of June / beginning of July) supports your lavender optimally. In addition, when cultivating in a pot, you should make sure to transplant the lavender annually into a larger pot and fill it up with fresh substrate.
Summary: when to fertilize the lavender?
- When planting
- Basic fertilization in spring (March / April)
- Second fertilization (June / July) in pots
It is enough if the lavender bed is fertilized once [Photo: Kotkoa / Shutterstock.com]
Fertilizing lavender: how and with what?
There are various options available to you to fertilize your lavender according to your needs. In addition to the use of organic fertilizers and mineral fertilizers, you can also support the development of the Mediterranean herb with natural fertilizers.
Organically fertilize lavender: application recommendation
If you want to fertilize your lavender with your own compost, a single dose in late autumn or early spring is completely sufficient. Nitrogen-containing fertilizers such as rotted manure should only be used sparingly. You should avoid mulching completely, for example with lawn clippings. The organic mulch material stores too much moisture, which the lavender, which does not tolerate waterlogging, does not like at all.
If you don't have natural fertilizers in your own garden, you can also use organic long-term fertilizers from specialist retailers. These have many advantages when fertilizing lavender, for example:
- Long-term nutrient supply of the lavender through slow decomposition via microorganisms in the soil
- Promotion of healthy, active soil life (good for microorganisms, earthworms, etc.)
- By dispensing with chemicals, it is particularly gentle on the environment
Instead of natural fertilizers, long-term organic fertilizers can also be used
Our Plantura organic universal fertilizer consists predominantly of organic raw materials. Due to its nutritional composition, it is ideal for supplying your lavender. The high nitrogen content promotes plant growth and leaf formation, especially at the beginning of the growing season. Sufficient phosphorus and potassium then ensure abundant flowering later in the year. The production from plant residues from the food, feed and luxury food industries is also particularly sustainable and resource-saving.
Of course, when it comes to fertilization that is tailored to your needs, it is not just the nutrient composition that counts, but also the amount of fertilizer. So that you supply your lavender with the right amount of nutrients, we have prepared detailed fertilization instructions for you below.
Long-term organic fertilization: Instructions & dosage amounts for lavender
- Before planting: Work 40 – 60 g / m² (3 to 5 tablespoons) of our Plantura organic universal fertilizer into the upper soil layers
- Pour the soil and the freshly used lavender well so that the granules can dissolve
- Annually in spring (March / April) fertilize about 30 – 50 g / m² (2 to 4 heaped tablespoons)
A second application of fertilizer (June / July) optimally supports your lavender in the pot culture.
Fertilize lavender minerally: blue grain and Co.
In addition to organic long-term fertilizers, various mineral fertilizers such as blue grain or liquid fertilizers are also available from specialist retailers. However, these are only partially suitable for fertilizing lavender. Mineral fertilizers contain many nutrient salts in concentrated form, which can be absorbed directly by the plant from the soil solution in a very short time. However, the high solubility means that excess nutrients are washed out into deeper soil layers and can contaminate the groundwater there. In contrast, organic fertilizers work much more slowly, but also provide lavender with sufficient nutrients over the long term. They also promote soil life and sustainably improve the soil structure.
There are various mineral fertilizers, but they are only partially suitable for lavender
Fertilize the lavender with coffee grounds
In principle, conventional coffee grounds are also suitable as fertilizer. This occurs in almost every household anyway. The actual waste product contains many nutrients and at the same time keeps pests away from the plants. However, caution should be exercised when fertilizing lavender. The Mediterranean herb prefers calcareous soils with a neutral to slightly basic pH value. The acidic coffee grounds can reduce the pH value of the soil in the long term and should therefore only be used very sparingly.
Liming lavender: when, how often and how much?
It is more important to make sure that the lavender prefers chalky soil. It is therefore a good idea to use a handful of commercially available garden lime to help out in the spring, especially with soils that are poor in lime, such as sandy soils. You can simply sprinkle this evenly around the plant and work it in with a hook. Over time, the rain ensures that the lime is evenly distributed in the root area. But it shouldn't just be whitewashed straight away. The optimal pH value for lavender between 6.5 and 8 must of course be adhered to. You can get a good clue from inexpensive soil pH meters. But be careful: Make sure that you really have real lavender in your garden. There are close relatives such as the lavender ( Lavandula stoechas ), for whose growth calcareous soils are more of a disadvantage. You can read and compare the lavender varieties in our special article.
You can also find more information on cutting and caring for lavender in this special article.
