Thank you for buying a young lavender plant from us. Here are some tips for planting and caring for it.

Lavender is originally from the Mediterrean region, so a sunny spot with loose, well-drained soil is best.

If you have dense, compacted or clay-based soil, dig in some sand or gravel or anything that will help to drain excess water away. Lavender hates ‘wet feet’. The same rule applies for planting lavender in a pot: make sure there are plenty of drainage holes and take care to not over-water it.

(Ironically, over-watered lavender tends to look yellow and a bit limp and desperate, as if it needs more water! Do NOT water it if it looks like this!)

Make sure to give your young plant a good drink when it first goes in.

But, as soon as it is established and feeling happy, don’t give it any more water and don’t use any fertilizer.

Prune your young plant gently at first, snipping off small branches to help keep a rounded, even shape. As it becomes larger and fully mature (in 2 or 3 years), you can cut back the growth more strongly. Do this in mid-winter after flowering, when the bush is dormant (not actively growing).

Use a tree guard or a cylinder of chicken wire to protect your young plant from rabbits if they are a problem in your area. They do not eat the leaves but they will disturb the roots with their scratching.

Otherwise, ‘benign neglect’ is the way to go. Let your lavender plant get on with growing up; it knows what to do!