Expert: C.L. Fornari - 1/29/2004

Question
I LIVE IN GA. AND I AM WANTING TO PLANT LAVENDER. IS THERE A SPECIAL BREED I NEED TO GET AND HOW CAN I TELL IF MY SOIL AND AREA IS RIGHT FOR THIS PLANT. THE AD STATES THAT IT IS VERY HARDY, BUT OF COURSE THEY ARE IN THE SELLING BUSINESS. I JUST LOVE THE SMELL OF LAVENDER AND THINK THE PLANT IS BEAUTIFUL DRIED. THANK U

Answer
Jan,
I love lavender too - it will be hardy in Georgia, and will take hot summers, but it MUST be planted in well-drained soil.  Lavender likes lots of sun (6 plus hours) and a neutral pH soil.  Have your soil tested for pH and add lime if needed.

If you have poorly drained soil or clay you should dig in large quanities of sand (dig it 2 feet deep and at least 3 feet wide per plant) and mulch with a thin layer of fine gravel.  Or, plant on a slope and dig in sand around the planting area.  

To keep plants thick and bushy the longest (most lavender has to be replaced after it gets older - 6 to 8 years)  prune the plants back by about a third every spring, and lightly shear off the stems and top inch of the plant after the blooms fade.  Given this deadheading/shearing (you can use scissors) after flowering, the plant often blooms again in early fall.

I hope this helps!
C.L. Fornari