How to Grow Lavender
Lavandula angustifolia
Fragrant, silvery, sun-baked perennial spikes that bees can’t resist.
By the Plants by Zone Editorial Team · Reviewed June 1, 2026
About lavender
Lavender is a woody Mediterranean perennial grown for its aromatic foliage and spikes of purple bloom. It thrives on heat, sun, and lean, sharp-draining soil — its one true requirement is that it never sits wet. Given those conditions it’s long-lived, drought-proof, and endlessly attractive to pollinators.
When to plant and harvest lavender
Timing is relative to your frost dates. Find your USDA zone for exact dates, or browse the month-by-month calendars.
Start seeds indoors
8–10 weeks before last frost (or buy plants)
Transplant outdoors
After last frost
Direct sow
Difficult — start with transplants or cuttings
Harvest
Summer
How to grow lavender step by step
- 1
Start with a transplant or cutting — lavender is slow and erratic from seed.
- 2
Plant in full sun in lean, gritty, fast-draining soil; add sand or gravel to heavy ground.
- 3
Water to establish, then only in drought — wet roots are the main killer.
- 4
Avoid rich soil and fertilizer, which give lush foliage and weak scent.
- 5
Prune lightly after bloom and again in spring, never cutting into old bare wood.
- 6
Mulch with gravel, not bark, to keep the crown dry.
Common problems growing lavender
⚠ Plants rot and die
Almost always wet soil — grow lavender lean and dry with sharp drainage, even in a raised bed or pot.
⚠ Woody, sparse, leggy plants
Prune lightly each year after flowering (not into old wood), and replace plants every 5–10 years.
⚠ Weak fragrance and few flowers
Too rich or too shady — grow in full sun and poor soil for the most oils and bloom.
✗ Keep away from
🧺 Harvesting lavender
Cut lavender stems for drying just as the lowest flowers on each spike open, in the morning after the dew dries, when the oils are strongest. Bundle and hang them upside down in a warm, airy, dark spot, and they’ll hold both color and scent for months.
Lavender: frequently asked questions
Why does my lavender keep dying?＋
Wet feet. Lavender needs full sun and sharp drainage — in heavy or damp soil it rots. Grow it lean and dry, in a raised bed or gritty mix if needed.
How and when do I prune lavender?＋
Prune lightly after flowering and again in early spring, shaping the plant but never cutting back into the old, leafless wood, which often won’t resprout.
Grow lavender in your zone
See exactly when to plant and what else to grow alongside lavender, tailored to your USDA hardiness zone.
When to plant lavender by zone:
