Planting Lavender in Containers
Planting lavender in containers is easier than you may think, with the right soil and care you can grow lavender! I show you step-by-step how I plant lavender in containers. This is great if you love lavender but live in a zone with harsher winters. This post contains affiliate links.
I love lavender, it’s so classic and fragrant. Every year, I have planted lavender in my garden beds in front of my house. Nearly every year, I lose at least half of the plants over the winter. We are in zone 6. Essentially, I have been using them as annuals. My plan for a huge garden of lavender is just not coming true in this yard. This year I am trying something different. My hope is that by planting a few lavender plants in containers; I will be able to keep them alive in the heated area of the barn throughout the winter as well.
What Does Lavender Love?
Lavender loves sun and heat. It actually needs at least 6 hours of full sun every day–8 hours is even better. Lavender is pretty happy even in dry, almost drought-like conditions. If you bring your lavender indoors, keep it in a sunny place and turn the plant toward the light; so that it grows evenly. Sandy soil is also something that lavender loves.
Lavender does not love…
Lavender does not love cold. Depending on your variety, many cannot tolerate very harsh winters. If you live in a zone that gets lots of snow cover, that can actually help a bit…from what I understand. Perhaps I haven’t found just the right variety for my zone, but winter has not been kind to my lavender.
Wet roots are also on the list of things that lavender does not love. So, drainage is very important to growing lavender successfully in containers.
Choosing a container for lavender
I found this galvanized container at Ikea. I could just picture lavender growing in it. We will see if the lavender likes it as much as I do. Whatever you choose, it should be fairly large, as mature lavender can be 24″ tall. The variety I chose is Hidcote. Hidcote is a smaller variety; growing 12″-24″ tall. The roots are actually shallow, so the pot doesn’t need to be terribly deep. There also must be drainage holes. This is super important because as we learned above, lavender does not like soggy roots–they will rot. If your container doesn’t have holes, make sure you can drill some.
The steps
Prepare your container. We used a 3/8″ bit to drill the holes.
Fill the bottom with bits of broken terracotta, pebbles or gravel.
This helps to keep the soil in, but still allows for drainage.
Mix some potting soil with sand. Two parts soil to one part sand.
Fill your container part of the way–enlist a cute helper if you can!
Remove the plant from its container, gently loosen the roots and place it in the soil.
Care
Fertilize
You should add a few cups of good compost to the container. A nitrogen-rich fertilizer, compost tea, or fish emulsion is also good. Remember, this should be done monthly, as the soil’s nutrients get washed away when you water.
Mulch
I have not mulched my lavender yet, but plan to. A light-colored or white pebble can be used for mulch or even straw. This helps with air circulation and promotes growth.
Water
Do not over-water your lavender. Let it get dry between watering. However, don’t let it get so dry that it wilts. Just make sure the soil is dry to the touch before watering again. I have to watch my little ones with this, they get a little over-zealous with watering new plants!
Pruning
Cut the flower stems right at the base after the flowers open. Doing this regularly will promote more growth and less need for major pruning. Then you can dry the lavender and use it all year. At the end of the season, cut the plant back by half.
Enjoy your beautiful and fragrant plant!
I hope you give planting lavender in containers a try. Let me know if it works out for you!
Love Lavender? Check Out These Posts!
Homemade Lavender Simple Syrup
DIY Lavender Sachet | Great Beginner Sewing Project
Fresh Lavender Lemonade Recipe | Refreshing Summer Drink
Get My Garden Planner
Some cute containers
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this looks so beautiful! I love lavender but have failed THREE YEARS IN A ROW to get my seeds to germinate. I am going to just buy some plants and do this tomorrow!
It is so hard to germinate! I also quit after trying for two years, it’s just so easy to buy the plants. I don’t have to make everything hard! Ha!
How do you try to germinate them you know they need to be put in the fridge for about 2months right
Thank you for the tip!
Lavender is so awesome, so are your pictures! Lavender is fickled, but rewarding in the end.
If you have a bulb jar, while not necessary, lavender can be easily rooted using this method. If you find the lavender is going downhill, snip some of the hardest, (older the better) stalks, strip most of the leaves off so they do not touch the water and you’ll have plenty of new plants for next year. While this can take almost a month to root, plan ahead while the weather is decent or do this indoors where the temperatures are warmer.
Thanks for a great article; what a great helper too! Please post a follow-up at the end of summer, I would love to see all your lavender 🙂
Thanks for all of the tips Jersey! So helpful!
Love me some lavender! I have never tried to grow my own. I wii have to give it a try. Would be wonderful on my front porch!
Yes, nothing beats the smell!
Love your photos!!!! Lavender is so wonderfully fragrant! I have never tried growing it and I don’t know that I’ve ever seen anyone grow it here. We are in zone 7 so maybe it would work!
The smell of lavender… mmmmm! This is a great tutorial!
Thank you Angela!
This is such a great tutorial! I love the smell of lavender and I need to plant some this year!
Happy day friend!
karianne
Thanks for stopping by!
Hi Jennifer…I love your photos and this potted lavender looks amazing! I have thought about growing some in a pot to bring indoors for the winter and this looks like something I can handle!
I saw your post on the Simple Homestead Hop and wanted to invite you to share it on Farm Fresh Tuesdays! Hope to see you there!
Thank you Lisa! I would love to hop over there!
Thanks so much for sharing on the hop! I hope you’ll come to visit again next week. 🙂
Hi Jennifer! Love lavender and this idea! Will definitely be potting some this spring. I have had lavender in my garden for several years now. For some great ideas for using your lavender, check out my posts on lavender macarons, lavender wands, lavender soap, lavender ice cube sticks, and sparkling lavender lemonade! https://myhumblehomeandgarden.com/?s=lavender.
Thank you for those ideas Debra! Thank you also for stopping by!
How do you propagate lavender? Can you cut it down and root it in a jar and transplant? Have you tried it?
I found a great article on the topic from Get Busy Gardening, How to Propagate Lavender Plants from Cuttings
I luved this idea! Thank you so much for Sharing with Charming Homes and Gardens😍. Pinned🙌🏻
Thank you for hosting Ann!
I love lavender and was so happy to see your tips! Thank you for joining us at Charming Homes & Gardens!
Thank you Kim!
I love this fabulous idea. I can’t wait to try it. Thanks for sharing with us at Charming Homes & Gardens.
Rachel
Thank you Rachel!
Thanks so much for the tips Jenn! I love lavender, and have a few scrawny plants in my yard. Now that I know what they need, I’ll go out there and make sure they get it! 😉 Really appreciate it! 💗
I’m so happy to hear the tips helped you! Thanks for the love!
I potted some lavender on my patio- it smelled so wonderful when I bought it, but the scent went away almost immediately when I potted the plants. I’ve had them for about six weeks now and still no scent. Any ideas why?
I live in northern British Columbia in zone 2b. I have two lavender plants that I’ve overwintered for several years. They are in a south facing bed so protected from the north wind. I always cover them with snow when I shovel the sidewalk. Both are Munstead. Last year a friend gave me a seeding from her garden and it overwintered in my very exposed perennial bed, albeit with snow cover. When I’ve had potted ones I mulch them with turkey grit that I get from a farm supply store. Years ago I read a good article which I’ve since lost but it suggested the turkey grit and also to mix in a handful of lime. Ive read that they don’t like humidity and maybe that has helped me too as it is very dry here. I hope these hints can help someone.
Thank you these tips are so helpful! I have read that a covering of snow helps, so glad you can verify that!
Hi, love this post. I noted you planted theee lavender plants in one container, I’ve planted three lavender plants in a galvanised planter too but I started thinking whether I should have just planted the one in the middle as they can get very bushy, would you separate them?
Mine haven’t grown terribly big in the container. Of course I think our kittens using them as a litter box doesn’t help!! Without seeing yours, it’s hard to say. You could always move one if it starts to get too crowded.
I just love lavender-both the look and the smell of it! This was so smart to put it in containers! It grows fairly well where i live, but I’m horribly allergic to it.
Oh no! What a rotten allergy! I’m glad you like the post!
I love lavender, it’s so classic and fragrant. Every year, I have planted lavender in my garden beds in front of my house. Nearly every year, I lose at least half of the plants over the winter. We are in zone 6. Essentially, I have been using them as annuals. My plan for a huge garden of lavender is just not coming true in this yard. This year I am trying something different. My hope is that by planting a few lavender plants in containers; I will be able to keep them alive in the heated area of the barn throughout the winter as well.
Yes! I can’t seem to remember to care for it like I should through the winter, but I hope to every year!
Jenn, thank you for these helpful hints. I’m starting to think about planting and getting the back yard in shape. And we do get lots of sun here in the Southwest. So I’m going to give lavender a try.
Thank you for stopping by to visit Donna!
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