# Lavender



## Davarm

My daughters have requested that I plant a patch of lavender in the garden so last month I ordered an ounce of seeds(Common English) and have had them in the freezer getting them ready to plant.

Question 1, for anyone that has ever grown it, how much freeze time do the seeds need to germinate?

Question 2, what can you do with the stuff besides use it as a fragrance? I've seen on the "Food Network" that some peeps flavor salt with it but that doesn't really sound too appetizing to me.


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## Wellrounded

Davarm said:


> My daughters have requested that I plant a patch of lavender in the garden so last month I ordered an ounce of seeds(Common English) and have had them in the freezer getting them ready to plant.
> 
> Question 1, for anyone that has ever grown it, how much freeze time do the seeds need to germinate?
> 
> Question 2, what can you do with the stuff besides use it as a fragrance? I've seen on the "Food Network" that some peeps flavor salt with it but that doesn't really sound too appetizing to me.


I use most of my dried lavender to make cola....

Edit:
Here's the recipe I use
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/06/dining/cola-syrup-recipe.html?_r=3&partner=rss&emc=rss&

I make mine a little stronger (same amount of sugar and water bot about 30% more of everything else) and I don't add caramel.

It's not coke but a really nice refreshing drink, I mix with soda water.


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## talob

I tried to get Lavender started this year didnt take I think I read it's hard to get started (for me it is) I'll try again this next spring, from what I read it's good for insect bited and stings, for burns, Lavender oil for headaches, respiratory illness, relieve stress, aches and pains, tired feet or body, looks like the oil is the way to use it.


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## mdprepper

Lavender tea, sachets, lavender sugar (adds a delicate aroma and sweetness to sugar cookies), tincture, add it to a warm bath before bed.


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## Lake Windsong

Davarm, we grew a tub full of lavender this year, but it ended up dying on us during the summer. We did manage to dry some of it.
I don't care for many culinary uses of lavender personally. But we are using what we dried in some homemade sugar scrubs, bath sachets and drawer sachets for gifts this Christmas. The sugar scrub we make is basically a cup of sugar to a half cup of coconut oil, adding some lavender to some of the batches. Makes a good hand scrub, if you use it as a body polish or in the shower, careful because the oil can make the floor slippery. The bath soak ingredients are equal parts oatmeal and powder milk, with some lavender added, tied up into muslin to add to a bath when drawn (I think that's all we put in them, we have been making little batches of a variety of gifts the last few days).


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## goshengirl

Davarm, to me it's worth it to invest in seedlings when trying to grow lavender. I've never had much luck with seeds, but the seedlings have always 'taken off' for me and grown quite well.

My favorite variety for drying is Provincial (or Province) - it has long stalks with good-sized flower heads on top - easy to cut and hang for drying. They've grown very well for me here in OH in top soil augmented with potting soil (any variety). I don't know how well they'd do in TX, though. :dunno:

Among other things, lavender is a bug repellent. I have small cotton drawstring bags filled with lavender and bay leaves scattered all around the house - in the pantry, in the closets with the stored clothes, downstairs with the food storage... They work well. 

Lavender is also a sleep aid. I generally use essential oil for this, but dried lavender can be put in pillows or eye masks. For years my youngest (he's now 11) likes to have lavender near when he's having a hard time sleeping. We use lavender essential oil to aloe vera gel and rub that on his chest (think Vick's Vapor Rub) - if I were to use dried lavender instead of lavender oil, I would boil some water and add the dried lavender, then just let that steam in his room. Just be careful with the young ones - too much lavender can have the opposite effect and rev them up. Less is more. 

Lavender is also good for burns. We keep a container of aloe vera gel that's had lavender essential oil added to it in our fridge - feels good on a sunburn. If I had dried lavender instead of the essential oil, I'd make a very strong 'tea' from the lavender and keep that in the fridge. Chilled lavender tea can also be used on minor cooking burns.


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## Lake Windsong

Good point, goshengirl. Davarm, I did not start my lavender from seeds. An herbal friend gave me some plantings.


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## Davarm

I appreciate the input on uses, I had just never heard of it being used for anything except scents. My youngest daughter did use the oil in the grandsons baths when he was younger but thought it was just to make him smell good, lol.

I read that the seeds need to go through a number of freeze/thaw cycles before they would germinate, could be the reason some have trouble getting it to grow from seeds.

I'm going to plant it in the perennial part of my garden, between the rosemary and sage, bet that will be a fragrant place to take a break and drink a glass of ice tea.

Wellrounded, I'm going to try that "Cola" recipe, when we buy "dry ice" to "play with" on Independence Day we usually make soda's with it and it will be a fun thing to try.

Thanks All


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## Genevieve

I can not grow lavender even tho I've tried a half dozen times and used every instruction on how to do it I could find.
I also can not grow roses and hydrangeas

I wish I could grow the lavender and roses. I'd like to have my own rose hips to use and I wear only lavender perfume year round and would love some to have to make my own

I have a recipe for lavender cookies somewhere in my documents I think. They very delicate and buttery.


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## Hooch

our local cheese factory makes a Lavendar Jack cheese. It is actually an amazing pairing of flavors.


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## CulexPipiens

Genevieve said:


> I can not grow lavender even tho I've tried a half dozen times and used every instruction on how to do it I could find.
> I also can not grow roses and hydrangeas
> 
> I wish I could grow the lavender and roses. I'd like to have my own rose hips to use and I wear only lavender perfume year round and would love some to have to make my own
> 
> I have a recipe for lavender cookies somewhere in my documents I think. They very delicate and buttery.


No problems growing roses or hydrangeas here... I just might add lavender to my list for next year.


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## Wellrounded

Our climate is perfect for lavender, even grows on the roadsides. They come up all over the place, we only dip below freezing occasionally so the seed doesn't need too much cold. 
I propagate from cutting though, I grow about 20 named varieties of different species. Takes about 3-4 weeks for the cuttings to root well, no hormones (never used them even when running the propagation nursery) and root zone temp of 20 deg C (70F). I mist a dozen times a day until roots are growing well then only a couple of times a day to prevent fungal problems.

Edit: I should have said that when I add a lavender to the collection I buy one in early spring and then propagate from that one. By the end of summer I can have a few hundred ready to plant out. This way it's cheap and I get a variety with the attributes I'm looking for, for example height, high oil content, long flower stems, good disease resistance etc


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## Davarm

I haven't seen lavender at any of our local green houses, guess there isn't much demand for it around here.

If I can get any growing from the ounce of seeds I have I can experiment with cuttings, if I cant get a patch going I'm going to catch H*** from the daughters who are looking forward to having it in the garden. lol They are already talking about scenting soap and tallow candles(both home made) with it so I'm going to have to make it a part of the garden one way or another.

If I dont I may have to set up a cot in the tool shed.


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## Wellrounded

Davarm said:


> I haven't seen lavender at any of our local green houses, guess there isn't much demand for it around here.
> 
> If I can get any growing from the ounce of seeds I have I can experiment with cuttings, if I cant get a patch going I'm going to catch H*** from the daughters who are looking forward to having it in the garden. lol They are already talking about scenting soap and tallow candles(both home made) with it so I'm going to have to make it a part of the garden one way or another.
> 
> If I dont I may have to set up a cot in the tool shed.


You have no idea how much distance frustrates me LOL. I'd love to share .


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## goshengirl

Dave, I'd be more than happy to send you some lavender this spring. 

The fact that it isn't in your local greenhouses might not be an indication of demand, but rather an indication that it doesn't do well in your area. But there's no reason why you can't give it a try, all the same.


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## sgtrunningfool

I have grown it in the past and used most of it In an essential oil form


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## weedygarden

*Checking in*

Davarm, I am wondering how your lavender growing went this summer?

I have some in my backyard and this summer added some to my flower garden in the front. I have tried planting it from seed with no luck. I seem to do better when I buy seedlings.


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## tsrwivey

Dave ask ETxgal. I'm pretty sure she has a bunch of it, likely different varieties. Maybe she could be persuaded to bring a start to the meet up


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## Davarm

weedygarden said:


> Davarm, I am wondering how your lavender growing went this summer?
> 
> I have some in my backyard and this summer added some to my flower garden in the front. I have tried planting it from seed with no luck. I seem to do better when I buy seedlings.


Well............... I wound up with about a dozen plants and they did pretty well until we had heavy rains for a 3 or 4 day period and lost about half of them. The rest are dragging along now and haven't put on much growth since the die off - but they are still alive!.

We did try it with a few dishes, the 2 best were "Lavender Peaches" and "Lavender Rice". The rice would definitely be an aquired taste for most but I liked it.

The DD's made some scented oils that were kinda nice, we put it on the filter element of one of our HEPA units and it was kinda nice for about 20 minutes then the smell dissipated.

Definitely going to try to get more growing next spring.



tsrwivey said:


> Dave ask ETxgal. I'm pretty sure she has a bunch of it, likely different varieties. Maybe she could be persuaded to bring a start to the meet up


Thanks, I'll PM her if she doesn't visit the thread.

ETXgal, you out there?


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## ETXgal

Dave, I have the Spanish Lavender. It is the only type that did well for me. Lavender is not easy to grow in Texas, with the heat and humidity. I have tried a few varieties, but none did as well as this kind. I bought one plant several years ago. It now has taken up an area, inside my rose garden. I used the same dirt as roses require. Plant in early spring, or later in the fall. My lavender does not get full sun all day either. 

I don't know where the round up is. But if it is fairly close, I could bring some cuttings for you. The seed is all gone. I could get some seed after the flowers bloom, next spring. My lavender does not like to be too wet, or too dry. It can rot on you, if you get it too wet. But if it is hot, you will have to water it good, but in well draining soil. It will not grow in red clay. Morning sun, a little early afternoon sun is fine. But I wouldn't have it in full sun all day. I also have my roses, and lavender in a raised bed. After it is established the first year, it requires very little effort to keep the Spanish Lavender going.


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## Davarm

Mine is English Lavender, was a bear to start from seed.

I read that the seeds had to go through a number of freeze/thaw cycles to germinate reliably but guess I didn't do quite enough, out of 1/2 ounce of seeds only about a dozen came up and I lost a few when I transplanted them.

I do have sandy red clay soil but I worked in A LOT of compost before transplanted them. They grew fast and did pretty well until the rains came, are in full sun with nothing planted in the bed for cover/shade.Was thinking if I get more plants that I would plant them in with my sage for some cover.

Did you start yours from seed? If so what is the trick to getting them to sprout?

I didn't much care for lavender before I grew it myself but have gotten kinda fond of it this year.


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## weedygarden

Davarm said:


> Mine is English Lavender, was a bear to start from seed.
> 
> I read that the seeds had to go through a number of freeze/thaw cycles to germinate reliably but guess I didn't do quite enough, out of 1/2 ounce of seeds only about a dozen came up and I lost a few when I transplanted them.
> 
> I do have sandy red clay soil but I worked in A LOT of compost before transplanted them. They grew fast and did pretty well until the rains came, are in full sun with nothing planted in the bed for cover/shade.Was thinking if I get more plants that I would plant them in with my sage for some cover.
> 
> Did you start yours from seed? If so what is the trick to getting them to sprout?
> 
> I didn't much care for lavender before I grew it myself but have gotten kinda fond of it this year.


This is good to know. I have tried to plant lavender in the spring with no luck. There are a few perennials I haven't been able to grow. My guess is that for us who live where it freezes and thaws a number of times in the winter, it is a good thing to plant in the fall.

Lavender would be a great fresh cut flower to have in our homes.


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## Davarm

weedygarden said:


> This is good to know. I have tried to plant lavender in the spring with no luck. There are a few perennials I haven't been able to grow. My guess is that for us who live where it freezes and thaws a number of times in the winter, it is a good thing to plant in the fall.
> 
> Lavender would be a great fresh cut flower to have in our homes.


When I talked with my dad about planting lavender, he told me that the best way to do it was to plant in the fall but since we dont have consistent/reliable freezes - I just put the seeds through the cycles.

I'm going to keep experimenting with it, gonna take ETXgals advice and find seeds for Spanish Lavender and see if that does any better next year.


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## ETXgal

No, I did not start it from seed. I bought a very small plant. I tried probably 4 varieties, and only the Spanish Lavender thrived, for me. The English variety may make it here, under the right conditions. You will have to baby it, until it gets a solid root system going. The heat and humidity are killers for young lavender plants. Where I live, the humidity is suffocating in the summer. If I were going to try to start it from seed, I would start them VERY EARLY in the spring. Keep them in a covered location, and then baby them, even in the right conditions. I have so many varieties of plants, it is pitiful. So I am not an expert on any ONE. I just stick with what does well for me. I have had certain plants where in one area, they did quite well. In another area, they just flat out croaked. I've also had plants one or two feet apart, in the same garden bed. One plant did well, another did not. Companion planting would probably help with that too. Seriously consider a raised bed, if you live in Texas. (especially if you have a lot of red clay) Red clay is wonderful stuff, if it is mixed in with compost, and other good material. Just don't bother planting lavender in solid red clay. It will die on you, in no time flat.


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