Lavenders are perennial plants. They will grow all year round in hot and dry climates. In other climatic conditions, lavender usually blooms in summer or early spring.
Lavenders are easy to cultivate, they don’t require much work. However, lavenders are slow to grow and may take up to one year to fully bloom. The best time to grow lavenders is in spring.
Can You Grow Lavender in a Greenhouse?
You can grow lavender in a greenhouse very well, especially during winter. Lavender requires direct sunlight for at least six hours daily, and moist soil, which can be available in a greenhouse. But, it may be challenging as Lavender plants are considered outdoor plants, and need lots of direct sunlight.
Lavender requires direct sunlight and moist soil. When growing lavenders in a greenhouse, they should receive as much sunlight as possible, a minimum of six to eight hours of direct sunlight daily.
When lavenders don’t get enough sunlight, the plant becomes more susceptible to disease and will produce a weak growth that would not produce any flowers.
You could opt to grow the French Lavender varieties, they grow well indoors. Although, they are not as fragrant as the English lavender.
To grow lavenders in a greenhouse, plant lavender seeds in spring, and space them 12 to 14 inches apart, to give the plants room to grow.
Requirements to Grow Lavender Plants Indoors
To successfully grow lavender plants in a greenhouse, you would need to create the perfect and ideal conditions for the plants to grow.
You need the right amount of water, temperature, soil, lighting, and climate for your plants to grow.
Here is what your lavender plants need to grow successfully and thrive:
Water
Newly planted Lavender plants need regular watering until they begin to grow. You can water your plants twice a week after planting until your plants start thriving.
Lavender plants are drought-tolerant, mature lavenders can survive without water for up to three weeks.
They don’t need to be watered all the time because too much water can cause root rot and fungal disease.
When leaves start yellowing, that is a sign of overwatering. Lavender plants will struggle to survive once they are waterlogged. With lavender plants, less water is always ideal.
You can use the spraying method to water your lavender plants. You just want the soil moist, and not wet.
Soil
Lavender plants require good drainage and air circulation. The plants would thrive well in low fertility soils.
Extreme heat, excessive soil moisture, and high humidity would cause a fungi attack on the plants. It is ideal to grow lavenders in soils like sandy, gravelly and sandy loam soils.
They are well-drained and allow for good air circulation.
The soil pH for growing lavender is between 6.5 and 7.5, a slightly alkaline soil.
You could add lime, or crushed egg shells to the top soil of your plant bed once a month to add alkaline to the soil.
Climate
lavender plants originate from Mediterranean climates with warm and dry summers and mild winters. Lavender plants thrive well in dry conditions.
When growing lavenders In a greenhouse, you need to expose the plants to at least 6 hours of direct sunlight. Only English lavenders will survive in extreme cold.
Lighting
As stated before, lavenders need at least 6 hours of direct sunlight. Where this is unavailable, you can substitute with LEDs or light-emitting diodes.
Temperature
Lavender seeds germinate in temperatures of 65 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit, within 14 to 21 days. Growing lavender plants need temperatures of 68-86 degrees Fahrenheit during the day and 50 to 55 degrees Fahrenheit at night.
How to Plant the Lavender in a Greenhouse
Growing lavender can be easy and simple. It doesn’t need lots of care and watering. But growing from seed can be difficult especially if you are new to gardening.
It will take a year for your lavender seeds to fully bloom. Here is a step-by-step guide to planting lavender in a greenhouse.
Here are a few simple steps to plant lavender in a greenhouse:
Step 1: Choosing a variety
The First Step in growing lavender is choosing a variety. There are three main varieties of lavender seeds: Spanish, English, and French.
Picking a variety of lavender to grow that will suit your climate and soil is a Step in the right direction.
Step 2: Prepare lavender seeds for planting.
Prepare lavender seeds for planting using a process called “cold stratifying” to help seeds germinate.
Place seeds between paper towels, or moist soil. Put in a sealable plastic bag and store in the refrigerator for at least 3 weeks.
You should only do this when you harvest the lavender seeds yourself. If you bought the seeds, then there isn’t any need to go through this process.
Step 3: Prepare the soil.
Prepare the soil for planting. You could use sterilized soils that are specifically formulated for starting seeds, and add a light mix of vermiculite for good drainage.
Step 4: plant the seeds
Start by planting lavender seeds in a seed tray. Since lavenders tend to grow unevenly, it is recommended to plant 2 or 3 lavender seeds in a hole.
Place the lavender seeds on top of the soil. You could also cover the seeds with a thin layer of dirt, not too deep. Remember lavenders need light to grow and germinate.
Space each seed about 12 inches from the other and place the seed tray in sufficient sunlight.
Step 5: Water the soil
Water the seeds, using spray methods. You don’t want too much water in the soil, it should be evenly moist.
Step 6: Cover seed tray
Put a lid on the seed tray to retain moisture during germination.
Step 7: Monitor Regularly and wait for germination.
Monitor the seeds regularly and check soil temperature using a soil thermometer. You should keep soil temperature at 65 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
Some seeds take about two to three weeks to germinate, and some may take up to a month. Be patient.
Step 8: Pot the plants
When lavender plants grow up to twice the height of the seed tray, you can now pot them into deeper containers.
Do Lavenders Grow Better Indoors or Outdoors?
Lavenders are considered outdoor plants because they need direct sunlight to grow and warm temperatures to grow. You can grow lavenders in a greenhouse, under the ideal conditions lavenders need to grow outdoors.
