How to Grow Lavender at Home to Relieve Stress and Anxiety

Lavender is probably one of the most well-known and widely used herbs in the world. Also, it is a gardener’s dream, with its lovely foliage and aromatic flowers.

It may seem intimidating, but lavender is actually an incredibly forgiving plant, as long as you give it a little care and attention. Additionally, it can be used to reduce stress, combat anxiety, and ease headaches.

Place it in your bedroom to improve sleep and give your bedroom a spa-like feel.

Growing Lavender indoors

Of all the different kinds of lavender out there, English Lavender (Lavandula Angustifolia) is one of the best choices. It’s also the most commonly planted.

Here are a few varieties of English Lavender to consider:

• Munstead – Compact growth with green foliage and lavender/blueish flowers.
• Hidcote – Compact growth with silver gray foliage and deep purple flowers.
• Imperial gem – Silver foliage with thicker purple flowers.
• Twickel purple – Grey/green foliage, long deep purple flowers & heavily fragrant.
• Mini blue – Very compact growth for containers or edging.Silvery-green foliage with lots of purple/blue flowers.

Planting

Lavenders in general, need 8 hours of full sun, great drainage and good air circulation. Once matured, it is even drought tolerant.

Therefore, it’s important to avoid wetting its foliage by letting the soil dry out between watering and only watering the plant at its base.

Because drainage is so critical, planting lavenders in raised beds or in containers with lots of drainage holes is a great idea. Choose a large container as the root systems of these plants are much bigger than the plants themselves.

As far as soil goes, lavender prefers a mix of peat, vermiculite, and perlite, but it will tolerate regular potting soil. Spoil it by placing mulch at the base of the plant to create a barrier between its foliage and freshly watered soil.

Pruning

Lavender doesn’t require a lot of care, but it does require yearly pruning.

Since the plant is a semi-shrub, it will start to get a woody over time. A little wood is okay but too much and your plant won’t survive.

The goal of pruning your lavender is to slow down the process of the soft green foliage turning to wood with age and encourage new growth.

Once it’s about a year-and-a-half old, prune it yearly, cutting down 2/3rds of the plant. A good rule of thumb is to prune down to the 3rd node above the old wood.

Keep in mind

Lavender will go through blooming periods, meaning that it won’t hold its flowers year-long. However, the plant does have fragrant foliage, so picking a stronger-scented plant will ensure that you can still enjoy the lovely smell of lavender even when your plant is not in bloom.

On the other hand, if you’re prone to scent-related headaches, pick a softer-scented variety. Lavender can smell very strong when in bloom, which can be unpleasant for people with a sensitive sense of smell.

Lastly, lavender is toxic to cats and dogs, so make sure to place it out of the reach of reach of children and pets.





Stay healthy and positive! Share and make your loved ones aware!

Source: My Soulful Home