A Gardening Expert’s ‘Simple’ Homemade Recipe to Make Lavender ‘Bloom All Year’

Lavender is a favorite among gardeners for its beauty, fragrance and ease of growth, provided it is properly fed. It’s also great for pollinators.

The best time to plant lavender is in the spring months of April or May, minimizing the risk of frost damage to the roots and giving the plant enough time to establish before the heat of summer. Gardening expert Stephaine LeBlanc, who founded Celebrated Herb, revealed that while growing lavender might be simple, the most “essential” aspect of ensuring they stay “healthy” and “blooming all year round” is applying the correct fertilizer.

She advises: “Organic fertilizers such as composted manure, worm pieces and bone meal are excellent choices as they provide a balanced mix of essential nutrients and improve soil structure. These organic materials can be added to the soil or used as topsoil. dressing to provide a slow release of nutrients to the root zone of the plant,” reports the Express.

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However, you don’t need to spend a penny to fertilize lavender, as this plant thrives even when fed with kitchen scraps. Stephaine said: “Lavender plants don’t require a lot of nutrients, you can still use some kitchen scraps to give them extra food.”

For those looking to give their lavender a boost, saving vegetable scraps like carrot tops or lettuce leaves to create homemade compost is a smart move.

Stephaine shared her gardening knowledge, saying: “Simply layer the scraps with dry leaves and grass clippings in a compost bin and wait for them to break down into rich compost.”

Not only are banana peels a fantastic addition to enrich your lavender soil, but they also benefit many other plants in your garden due to their high potassium content, which is crucial for flower growth.

To use banana peels for your lavender, simply chop them up and bury them at the base of the plant, which will greatly increase its resistance.

For those looking to give their lavender a boost, Stephaine has a “simple recipe” for homemade fertilizer that not only promotes flowering but also improves soil quality, a common problem gardeners face when growing lavender.

According to Stephaine, this homemade fertilizer mix provides magnesium and sulfur from Epsom salt, neutralizes soil acidity with baking soda, and provides additional nutrients through fish emulsion.

Homemade Lavender Fertilizer Recipe:

• One tablespoon of Epsom salt
• A spoonful of baking soda
• A spoonful of fish emulsion
• A gallon of water

The instructions are simple: mix all the ingredients in a large container, such as a bucket or water can, until they are completely dissolved. Carefully pour the fertilizer around the base of the lavender, avoiding the foliage, then water the plant as usual.

While it’s important not to over-fertilize, giving your lavender a single feed as it begins to grow can give it the boost it needs to ensure your garden thrives through the summer months.

Stephanie noted, “It’s important to note that lavender plants don’t require heavy fertilization, so use this homemade fertilizer sparingly once every few months. Overfertilization can harm plants.”

Get more gardening tips and advice here.