Lavender is one of the most popular Mediterranean herbs in the garden or on the balcony and not only inspires with its flowers. When you grow Lavandula, you can use the essential oils within the plant in cooking or to make perfumes, soaps, and scented candles. So that they can grow effectively and remain vital, it is necessary that you fertilize the lavender. It is a good idea to fertilize naturally or to use home remedies.
timing and frequency
The question of when to fertilize depends on the type of husbandry for all Lavandula species. Lavender plants do extremely well in planters if you don't have enough space in the garden or have to switch to the balcony. Due to the small amount of substrate in a pot, the fertilizers have to be applied at a different time of the year than for planted specimens. The following points make this clear:
Fertilize planted lavender
If you have decided to use Lavandula in the garden, you only have to once a year Fertilize if the location meets the needs of the plant. Since solid fertilizers are used for outdoor lavender plants, this method is very suitable because they cannot be washed away by the rain. Fertilization is done here before the beginning of the vegetation phase, i.e. early March to mid-April. Rarely you can fertilize a second time if the location is not ideal but permeable.
pot farming
When kept in pots, lavender is on constant fertilizer additions dependent on the growing season, i.e. from April to September. In contrast to specimens in the field, the fertilizer is mainly applied via the irrigation water administered or is itself in liquid form, which makes the application much easier. The liquid fertilizer is in a rhythm of two to four weeks administered. However, lavender does not always depend on this frequency, especially if the plant has a lot of sun and an ideal substrate.
It is particularly important to pay attention to the growth and vitality of the plant. If you see that potted plants are growing a little too quickly, you should carefully reduce the amount of fertilizer to prevent possible balding. Since the mints are not dependent on many nutrients, a smaller amount is often recommended. Sun and a dry location is much more preferred.
tip: Lavender plants planted in the container can also be supplied with solid fertilizers as long as the planter is large enough. If this is the case, the fertilizer is mixed into the substrate as with planted lavender and thus supplies the plant throughout the growing season, which means that no additional fertilization is necessary.
Fertilize lavender
preparation
Important before fertilizing planted specimens is the right one soil preparation, especially if you want to plant a new lavender in the garden. While potted plants can simply be placed in an appropriate substrate, the garden soil must be adjusted accordingly so that the lavender is not supplied with too many nutrients. You also have to be careful with compacted, damp, heavy or loamy soil, as the plant does not feel comfortable there and has difficulty absorbing the fertilizer. By properly preparing the soil, you can maximize the effect of fertilizers outdoors. This should be as follows:
- sandy
- permeable
- not compressed
- stony
- prefers alkaline soils
If, as described above, heavy or clayey is, you should prepare the site in the following way before applying the annual plant fertilizer:
- dig a planting hole
- mix the excavated earth with soil additives;
- Sand, grit and expanded clay are suitable for this
- alternatively use bedrock powder
This measure makes the location pleasant for the plants permeable and does not weigh down the roots, which like to grow quite deep into the ground in search of water and nutrients. If you want to plant entire rows of lavender and have no other plants nearby, you can also work the surrounding soil in the same way. This makes the mints feel extremely comfortable.
tip: If you feel that the substrate for your potted plants is too heavy or does not allow water to drain properly, you can treat it in the same way. It is also worth laying a drainage layer of gravel and garden fleece over it to improve drainage and direct the liquid fertilizer well to the roots.
Home remedies and natural fertilizers
If you're looking for a fertilizer for your lavender plants, you don't have to go straight to ready-made products. There are numerous fertilizers that are natural and available as home remedies, which makes application much easier and also does not have a negative effect on the soil.
Unsuitable fertilizers
When choosing the fertilizer, it is important to note that Lavandula species should not receive too much nitrogen. Nitrogen causes the plants to become bare because they sprout too quickly due to the excessive nitrogen content and thus have a significant impact on the vitality of the plants. For this reason, you should avoid the following fertilizers:
- horn shavings
- blood meal
- manure and animal manure
- urea
- guano
- mulch
- coffee grounds
In addition to horn shavings, be careful not to use any other horn-based fertilizers, such as horn meal or semolina. These are also extremely nitrogenous and for this reason not really recommended. In addition to these fertilizers you should also use blue grain do without, as this is an artificial fertilizer that often leads to an excess of phosphate in lavender plants. Since it is advisable to fertilize your own garden naturally anyway, you should avoid the classic.
10 Natural Fertilizers & Home Remedies
The following remedies are an effective alternative if you do not want to use horn shavings, blue grain or other inorganic and nitrogenous fertilizers:
1. Compost
It is the classic fertilizer for your lavender plants. Compost from your own production is ideal for enriching the soil or the substrate of the plants in spring. The use of the fertilizer is even very suitable for potted plants, since the compost can be used effectively with the lean soil used. It doesn't matter what kind of compost it is, as long as you don't use coniferous compost. This acidifies the soil, which the Lavandula do not like at all.
2. Bone meal
Be careful with bone meal. Unlike coffee grounds or horn shavings, bone meal has less nitrogen and offers more phosphorus. However, large amounts of flour can have a negative effect on the substrate, so you should use it sparingly.
3. Egg shells
Egg shells are effective for lavender plants as they contain a lot of calcium and lime, which benefits the plants. They also raise the pH value, which is recommended for soil that is too acidic. However, eggshell is not directly a fertilizer in its own right, but an additive that can be used effectively with compost. To do this, they are ground as finely as possible in a mortar and incorporated into the substrate.
4. Bedrock meal
Another soil additive that works well with compost is rock dust. For lavender you should use about 150 grams per square meter. It is best to sprinkle your compost with the rock flour at regular intervals. This improves the absorption of trace elements from the compost, which has a positive effect on the growth of the lavender plants. If you only use primary rock flour, there will be a nutrient deficiency. For this reason only use as an auxiliary agent.
5. Vegetable water
Vegetable water is an ideal plant fertilizer for potted lavender. Potato water in particular has established itself here and presents itself as an ideal fertilizer with its numerous nutrients, as it contains high amounts of potassium. However, you should be careful not to use salt water for cooking, as this can damage the plant.
6. Plant manure
Plant manure can be used in a similar way to vegetable water and, despite its liquid form, can be used to fertilize planted lavender. In this case, you only have to administer the plant manure every two to four weeks. This is made from nettles, horsetail or camomile by fermenting them in water for two to three weeks and then skimming them off.
7. Worm tea
Worm tea is also excellent. It is a liquid form of compost created by worms. These decompose the plant materials, excreting liquid that is collected in a worm composter. The liquid is then applied in the same way as the manure. However, do not administer this together with compost, as this would lead to an excess of nutrients.
8. Banana peels
You can divide the shells and distribute them directly at the location of the plant. Banana peels are extremely high in potassium and phosphorus and have very little nitrogen. The shells therefore go well with small amounts of nitrogen fertilizer, including horn shavings. Alternatively, you can use onion skins as an additive. The onions are like the bananas. Break up the shells and put them in the ground along with compost. This provides a calcium and potassium boost.
9. Wood ash
Untreated wood ash is an ideal fertilizer that pairs well with lavender. Ash contains a lot of potassium and can be mixed directly into the soil or substrate. You can even use the ash from your fireplace as long as the wood is additive-free.
10. Algae
Algae Fertilizer is a new form of liquid fertilizer that works well with Lavandula. These fertilizers can be bought ready-made and are added to the irrigation water once a month from April to September in a mixing ratio of 1:500. Even planted lavender can be effectively supplied with nutrients, as these mainly contain potassium.
tip: It is worth supplying lavender with magnesium lime once during the main growing season, since the Mediterranean plants are hungry for lime. Potted lavender in particular needs this, since the substrate has difficulty storing lime and is therefore dependent on the additional portion.
