Lavender Plant Care & Growing Guide

Lavender needs free-draining, slightly alkaline soil with a pH of 6.5–7.5. In New Zealand, the biggest risk is heavy clay soil that holds moisture around the roots — lavender will rot in wet feet within one growing season. If your garden has clay soil, raise your planting bed by 15–20 cm or work in coarse sand and lime before planting. In pots, use a cactus or succulent mix with extra perlite. A gravel mulch around the base helps drainage and reflects heat onto the lower stems.

The best pruning time in New Zealand is immediately after the main flowering flush — late February to early March for Lavandula angustifolia varieties, and February through April for Lavandula × intermedia 'Super' in Waikato and warmer North Island regions. Never prune in spring before flowering. Cut back to just above the lowest green leaves, removing one-third of the plant each year. Do not cut into bare woody stems — lavender will not regenerate from old wood.

Established lavender in New Zealand needs very little watering — in most regions, natural rainfall is sufficient from autumn through spring. In summer, water deeply once every two to three weeks rather than lightly and frequently. In the first season after planting, water weekly until the plant shows signs of active new growth. Container lavender dries out faster — check the top 3–4 cm of soil and water when it is fully dry. Yellow leaves are most often a sign of overwatering, not underwatering.

English lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) has narrow grey-green leaves, long straight stems, and a sweet, high-linalool fragrance — it is well suited to culinary uses such as teas and baking. French lavender (Lavandula stoechas) has a distinctive pineapple-like bloom with petal wings and a stronger camphor scent — it is primarily ornamental and blooms earlier in NZ from October to December. For dried flowers, sachets, and essential oil, lavandin varieties such as Lavandula × intermedia 'Super' are preferred for their higher yield and robust fragrance.

Yes — lavender grows well in pots in New Zealand, provided the pot is at least 30 cm diameter, has excellent drainage holes, and is filled with a free-draining mix. Lavandula angustifolia 'Pacific Blue' is the best variety for pot growing — it stays compact at 40–60 cm. Use a terracotta or unglazed ceramic pot rather than plastic. Place in your sunniest position. Feed with a slow-release low-nitrogen fertiliser in early spring only — too much nitrogen produces leafy growth at the expense of flowers.

Harvest lavender in New Zealand when approximately half the buds on each stem have opened — this is when the oil content is at its peak. For Lavandula angustifolia 'Pacific Blue', this window falls in late December to late January in the Waikato. For Lavandula × intermedia 'Super', harvest runs from mid-January to mid-February. Cut in the morning after the dew has lifted. Use sharp, clean secateurs and cut stems at least 15–20 cm long.

Lavender goes woody when it is not pruned annually. If your lavender is mildly woody with some bare stem but green growth present throughout, a hard prune back to just above the lowest green leaves in late February will usually restore it. If the plant is severely woody with no green growth on the lower two-thirds of the stem, it cannot be recovered by pruning. Take cuttings from the healthy green tips in late summer, root them in sandy compost, and replace the old plant next season.

Cut stems when half the buds are open, tie in small bundles of 20–30 stems, and hang upside down in a dry, well-ventilated space away from direct sunlight. In New Zealand's summer humidity, drying takes two to four weeks. The bundles are fully dry when the stems snap rather than bend. Store in a cool, dark place — an airtight glass jar or cotton bag preserves colour and fragrance for 12 months or more.