Growing Lavender in Scotland: What You Need to Know
Lavender is a beautiful, fragrant flower that can add colour and scent to your garden.
Unfortunately, it can be tricky to grow lavender in Scotland and other cold climates. But don't worry - it's not impossible!
With the right soil and adequate protection from temperature fluctuations, you can successfully grow lavender even in the coldest climates.
Let's take a look at what you need to know about growing lavender in a cold climate.
Choose the Right Soil
When planting lavender in a cold climate, it's important to choose the right soil for your plants. Lavender needs well-draining soil with low fertility to help hold moisture without becoming waterlogged.
A good tip is to mix equal parts of sand, potting soil, and compost when prepping your soil before planting lavender. This will create an ideal base for your plants that will help them thrive despite cold temperatures.
Our soil here on the farm is particularly sandy!
Provide Protection from Temperature Fluctuations
Another key factor when growing lavender in a cold climate is providing adequate protection from temperature fluctuations throughout the year.
During some particularly frosty periods, you can cover your plantings with burlap cloth or other protective material to keep them safe from frost and snowfall.
If temperatures drop below freezing during the winter, try mulching around the base of your plants with evergreen boughs or straw to provide extra insulation against extreme temperatures.
Additionally, providing shade during hot summer months can also help protect your plants from heat stress and ensure they thrive even in the middle of winter.
Choose the Right Location
Our lavender plants are mostly situated on a steep sandy slope that faces South towards the sun. This means that water drains straight off the plants and they do not become waterlogged.
We’ve advised many gardeners who have struggled with maintaining gardens which are overshadowed. Try to make sure the plants have as much sunlight as possible.
Water Carefully
It's also important to be mindful about how much you water your lavender plants in Scotland.
Too much water can lead to root rot and other problems that can damage or kill your plants.
Therefore, you should only water when necessary - generally once every week or two depending on weather conditions - and make sure that any excess water drains away quickly after watering so as not to encourage root rot or other issues caused by overwatering.
There are many things you need to consider when growing lavender in Scotland- from choosing the right soil and providing adequate protection from temperature fluctuations to watering carefully so as not to overdo it.
But if done correctly, it is possible! With some planning and preparation before planting, we're confident that you'll have success growing beautiful lavender even in chilly climates!
Good luck!
