Luscious Lavender

Lavender in Containers
Plant lavender in a container made from a material that breathes, such as terra-cotta. Repot to a larger container every spring to allow the plant to reach its full blooming and growth potential.

Use a sterile potting mix, or try this one from V. J. Billings, owner of Mountain Valley Growers, an organic nursery in Squaw Valley, California: Mix approximately 60 percent peat moss with 40 percent perlite, with a couple of handfuls of homemade compost thrown in. If you don't add compost when you pot, you'll need to fertilize every three weeks or so with a diluted fish or seaweed emulsion.

5 steps to perfectly dried lavender

• Harvest stems when you see the first couple of blossoms have opened.
• Avoid mildew by harvesting on a dry, sunny day after the dew has dried but before the sun is blazing.
• Cut each stem back to the first set of leaves.
• Make a bundle of about 50 stems and secure it with a rubber band.
• Hang them upside down in a dry, cool, place out of direct sun. They'll be ready to use in about a month.