Culinary Lavender

English lavender prefers lean, sharply drained soil around pH 6.5–7.5 and generally needs little or no fertilizer. Give plants a full establishment season before substantial cutting, and keep crowns dry while pruning lightly to maintain leafy, compact growth.

Sun

Full sun

Water

Low once established; avoid wet roots

Spacing

24 in

First harvest

1–2 years

Tips

• Choose a food-use cultivar of English lavender, not an unidentified ornamental.
• Plant with the crown clear of mulch and water young plants deeply but let soil dry between soakings.
• Avoid high-nitrogen feeding and inspect poorly growing plants for root rot before adding fertilizer.
• Trim lightly after bloom without cutting into bare old wood.
• Harvest flower buds for light culinary use; never ingest essential oils.

Plant identified culinary nursery plants in spring, or in early fall where mild conditions allow roots to establish.

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