Lavender in a pot: here’s how to grow it correctly according to the gardener
Lavender is a beautiful plant, to grow in the ground or in a pot, it has a delicious smell and the flowers are beautiful. If you want to start gardening, this is the right plant to try because it doesn’t need much care.
Lavender in a pot: how to grow it
It is a resistant plant and easy to grow. Here are the steps to grow:
- Choose a sunny area : Lavender needs at least 6 to 8 hours of sun a day, so choose an area that receives plenty of sun.
- Prepare the Soil: Grows best in alkaline, sandy, well-drained soil. Opt for this type of soil and a large pot, at least 10 cm in diameter.
- Planting lavender: can be planted in spring or fall. Dig a hole slightly larger than the pot and plant the lavender at the same depth as the pot. Space lavender plants about 30-60 cm apart.
- Watering: Plants should be watered regularly during the first year of growth so that the roots become established in the soil. From then on, it only requires occasional watering.
- Fertilizer: Does not need much fertilizer. However, you can provide a phosphorus-based fertilizer to encourage flowering.
- Pruning: Prune in early spring or after flowering to keep it healthy and prevent excessive growth.
By following these steps, you can successfully grow it and enjoy its beautiful aroma and healing properties.
Lavender essential oil: how is it obtained?
Lavender essential oil is extracted from the flowers of the plant through a steam distillation process. Here’s how you can do it:
- Collect fresh flowers in sufficient quantities to produce the oil.
- Remove the stems and place the flowers in an alembic for steam distillation.
- Add water to the still and turn on the heat to bring the water to a boil.
- Boiling water creates steam that passes through the flowers and extracts their essential oils.
- The vapor containing lavender essential oil is passed through a cooling tube where it cools and condenses into a liquid.
- This liquid, which consists of water and lavender essential oil, is collected in a separate container.
- Finally, the essential oil is separated from the water using a separatory funnel and pure lavender essential oil is obtained.
This is the basic procedure for making lavender essential oil. It is important to note that essential oil production requires special equipment and specific knowledge to ensure the quality and purity of the oil produced.