| Author |
Garden Gate:  Lavender....  |
|
|
katmom
True Blue Farmgirl
17161 Posts
Grace
WACAL Gal
WashCalif.
USA
17161 Posts |
 Posted - Aug 26 2011 : 10:29:42 AM
|
Don't toss out your lavender stems....
I stash mine to use in the firepit as kindling.. & while I was de-budding some of my lavender it dawned on me that some of you may not take advantage of using the dried stems for your BBQ & firepits..
I bundle & dry my lavender in smaller bundles & hang them on a portable clothing drying rack.... for faster drying. I also use jute that can be tossed in the firepit along with the stems..
>^..^<
Happiness is being a katmom.
"Is it time for my Dirt Manicure yet!"
www.katmom4.blogspot.com & http://www.graciesvictorianrose.blogspot.com
|
Edited by - katmom on Aug 26 2011 10:31:27 AM |
|
|
marthajane
True Blue Farmgirl
196 Posts
Anna
Orlando
FL
USA
196 Posts |
Posted - Aug 26 2011 : 10:39:15 AM
|
Thank you KatMom!
I am going to start making soap with the ashes of various woods, and this is a great tip for me on how to start that wood a burnin.
I wanted to be really meticulous about everything so that the soap will be good. I dont have any lavender right now  but when I do I think that will be GREat! Thanks and I like your name!
Do you really like Cats?
Happiness IS being a MoM |
 |
|
|
melody
True Blue Farmgirl
3324 Posts
Melody
The Great North Woods in the Land of Hiawatha
USA
3324 Posts |
Posted - Aug 26 2011 : 11:40:52 AM
|
Wow...Really? You are going to make soap with the ashes of various woods? I've never considered making my handcrafted soap other than with commercial lye. What a mess it must have been in the old days to actually use wood ash...when they had no other choice. I applaud your energy Martha!
Let us know how that turns out!
Melody
Farmgirl #525
www.bythebayhandcraftedsoap.blogspot.com |
|
|
|
Lieberkim
True Blue Farmgirl
839 Posts
Kimberly
Sunnyside
WASHINGTON
USA
839 Posts |
Posted - Aug 26 2011 : 12:14:09 PM
|
Lavender is my all time favorite flower. I've never had any luck growing it. Any hints?
Wow Martha! Impressive. I've made soap once before and I'm hoping to start making goat milk soap but I never considered trying to make mine from ash. You'll have to explain how you do it.
Excuse the mess & the noise, my children are making happy memories |
|
|
|
Montrose Girl
Farmgirl Legend/Schoolmarm
1360 Posts
Laurie
Montrose
CO
1360 Posts |
Posted - Aug 26 2011 : 7:21:34 PM
|
Kim,
don't over water it. there are some varieties that are better than others for your region. There are several growers in your area that grow most of what you can find. The trick is to wet it well and let it dry out. the roots don't like to be wet and then you have to prune it the first few years pretty hard. there was another discussion on lavender that has links to websites and videos that can help.
Laurie
http://www.inntheorchardbnb.com/ |
|
|
|
katmom
True Blue Farmgirl
17161 Posts
Grace
WACAL Gal
WashCalif.
USA
17161 Posts |
Posted - Aug 26 2011 : 8:39:38 PM
|
hey Martha, yep, I love kitties, but I also loves dogs, rabbits, etc... in other words, I love animals in general. I also love being a mom and now a grandma! it's the best job! lol!
Kim, dry soil is perfect for lavender. Some people say only to water your lavender from under (drip) I have a neighbor across the road who waters on top with a sprinkler every 3-4 days... and hers look great... I water around my plants every 4 days but when it gets really hot, I will soak the plants right down the center of the plant.
I find lavender to be a easy no fuss plant,,,but even tho it is a drought tolerent plant it does need water. No fertilizers, no pesticides....and up here there are specific types of lavender that tolerate the snow. Also if you get a lot of rain, it wouldn't hurt to add some 'dolimite-lime, every other year or as needed.
I have Sharon Roberts, Melissa, Grossos, Lavendulas Angustifolia & I even have some Provance' that does well.
Your soil needs to be a well draining soil. If you have really sandy soil or clay soil,, mix in lots of compost. In colder climates, cover the ground around the plants with straw or pine straw.
And yes, pruning is a must.
There are some fabulos lavender farms up in Sequim, WA. check out:
www.lavenderfestival.com
White lavender, 'Alba' is not as pretty as the purple ones but is great for culinary use as it does not have the stronger camphor taste. Rule of thumb, the lighter the better for edible, the darker the better for scent/crafts.
Now have fun in the sun with your lavender... oh & if you have soil that stays to wet, try potting your lavender,, then you can move it around to follow the sun.
hugz
>^..^<
Happiness is being a katmom.
"Is it time for my Dirt Manicure yet!"
www.katmom4.blogspot.com & http://www.graciesvictorianrose.blogspot.com
|
Edited by - katmom on Aug 26 2011 8:45:44 PM |
|
|
|
Montrose Girl
Farmgirl Legend/Schoolmarm
1360 Posts
Laurie
Montrose
CO
1360 Posts |
Posted - Aug 27 2011 : 08:44:49 AM
|
We have furrow irrigation and other than once a week when we first planted, we are down to about every other week for watering due to water order. Once a week seems to work really good. If you pot your lavender you will need to feed the soil once or twice a year where you do not need to for ground planting. Attended a lavender festival in July and this was one of the things they brought up.
Just love the stuff,
Laurie
http://www.inntheorchardbnb.com/ |
|
|
|
mydakota
True Blue Farmgirl
152 Posts
kristi
redmond
oregon
USA
152 Posts |
Posted - Aug 27 2011 : 08:59:19 AM
|
I use my Sage stems the same way! Smells heavenly!
HearthCricket Farm. Where the door is always open, and the coffee is always on. |
|
|
|
katmom
True Blue Farmgirl
17161 Posts
Grace
WACAL Gal
WashCalif.
USA
17161 Posts |
Posted - Aug 27 2011 : 9:19:32 PM
|
Laurie,
I wish we could get by with once a week waterings, but we are in the 90's right now and it's very windy so the moisture in our soil disapates real fast.
When we are in our 'rain season' believe me the saying, "when it rains... it pours" is so true and it washes a lot of the nutrients out of our soil.
But where I use to live, in SO. Calif..., holy cowzers! I didn't have to do anything and my lavender grew like crazy...so it has been a real learning curve to re-train myself with growing lavender ( or anything for that matter) up here on the West Plains of Spokane.
Oh well, I have lots of time to learn the 'way of the land'up here.. lol!
>^..^<
Happiness is being a katmom.
"Is it time for my Dirt Manicure yet!"
www.katmom4.blogspot.com & http://www.graciesvictorianrose.blogspot.com
|
|
|
|
Lieberkim
True Blue Farmgirl
839 Posts
Kimberly
Sunnyside
WASHINGTON
USA
839 Posts |
Posted - Aug 27 2011 : 9:59:50 PM
|
katmom - if you're in Spokane you're a neighbor!! My zone is 7a. Which one of the lavenders mentioned would be better for me to try? It's very windy here. 80-100 mile an hour winds when it gets going. We do have trees for a wind break but that kind of wind is pretty much unstoppable. Heat is supposed to get into the 100s but this year was a weird year so not that hot. The soil on my place is rocky sandy loam.
Thanks for the help ladies. I'm really hoping I'll be able to grow it in my new yard. :) The water thing might be why I had trouble with it before. We had our yard set up for flood irrigation, obviously it didn't like that! This yard won't be flood irrigation so that will help.
Excuse the mess & the noise, my children are making happy memories |
|
|
|
marthajane
True Blue Farmgirl
196 Posts
Anna
Orlando
FL
USA
196 Posts |
Posted - Aug 28 2011 : 02:16:32 AM
|
i zn pretty sure lavender should be protected from wind, esp cold winter wind? thats what ive seen.
Happiness IS being a MoM |
|
|
|
katmom
True Blue Farmgirl
17161 Posts
Grace
WACAL Gal
WashCalif.
USA
17161 Posts |
Posted - Aug 28 2011 : 3:12:28 PM
|
hey Kim, lucky you, your a zone7
I am lucky in a good year to be a zone 5 otherwise we are normally a 4a...
I thought we were windy up here ('tween the AirForce Base & the airport) with daily winds of 12-23mph winds... oh joy!
Do you have a side of your house that is a wind free & sunny 2/3 of the day? that would be perfect for your lavender, lots of hot sun & sheltered from the winds.
Most Lavendula Angustifolia, both Hidcote & Folgate should grow well in your area. Hidcotes can grow 24" and Folgate (Munstead) are more decrative and do well in containers.
Provance' does fair up here but not so great for me.....but I still manage to keep it alive in my garden. Look for 'Sharon Roberts' it is one that seems to grow well up here.
You can buy lavender plugs from a lot of the growers up in Sequim.. but I have found decent lavender plants up at the local Lowes & HomeDepot as well as our local Nursery stores.
Now go have fun! & remember,,, lavernder plants don't like to get their 'toes soggy'... :>)
>^..^<
Happiness is being a katmom.
"Is it time for my Dirt Manicure yet!"
www.katmom4.blogspot.com & http://www.graciesvictorianrose.blogspot.com
|
|
|
|
Lieberkim
True Blue Farmgirl
839 Posts
Kimberly
Sunnyside
WASHINGTON
USA
839 Posts |
Posted - Aug 28 2011 : 5:08:47 PM
|
We're in a micro climate thanks to being right on the Columbia River. The coastal air is brought in. Still gets 'cold' in the winter though. We consider 30mph winds a breeze here! Seriously, until we moved into our place here and were still living in the temporary house the winds scared me. Power lines go down all the time. Everything blows away, sometimes even if it is nailed down. Our new house has trees for a windbreak and we cut into a hillside to build it so it's more protected.
I'll have to look those varieties up in a book and see which ones I like (which will be all of them!). I love lavender so much that I actually wear lavender essential oil as my perfume! I do have a side of the house that should be more protected. It has the house on one side, a hillside and trees on the other. But there are no trees near it to shade it so maybe that would be the best place?
Excuse the mess & the noise, my children are making happy memories |
|
|
|
katmom
True Blue Farmgirl
17161 Posts
Grace
WACAL Gal
WashCalif.
USA
17161 Posts |
Posted - Aug 29 2011 : 08:58:05 AM
|
lots of sun, good drainage & protection from the harsh winds is the key to successful lavender growing.
I camped (along with 6 other gals) in Prosser 2 years ago, at a Bed & Breakfest on the Yakima(sp) River...Holy Cowzers! you are not kidding about the winds! One poor gal who had put up her tent, by nite fall she took it down & slept in her Van.... But on the plus side, the winds were not all day long. & the hi-light was that 'Josh Groom' performed for us in Nancy's Barn.... I know I have some pics somewhere.. if I can find them I'll post some.
We had a great morning at the little Farmers Market & community Yard Sale as well as hitting a lot of neighborhood yard sales.
Prosser is a great community, wouldn't mind living there except for those dang winds! lol!
And I am a big fan of Bolthouse veggies & juices!
:>)
Me & my "new feller" in Prosser! lol!
We couldn't decorate outside our trailers like we usually do, due to the winds blowing everything away.
Tom, Rene' Grooms hubby & I 2-steppin on the dance floor, ok so maybe it was more like 4-stepping (on toes)! lol!
Camping by the river with a wonderful group of ladies.
We had a great time! Thanx prosser! |
Edited by - katmom on Aug 29 2011 09:11:34 AM |
|
|
|
Lieberkim
True Blue Farmgirl
839 Posts
Kimberly
Sunnyside
WASHINGTON
USA
839 Posts |
Posted - Aug 30 2011 : 6:41:23 PM
|
Hey those are the ladies from my Heritage Home Arts group!!! You were with some wonderful ladies!!!! I'm actually 45 minutes away from Prosser, even if it is my address, and where I am is WINDIER!!!!
Excuse the mess & the noise, my children are making happy memories |
|
|
|
katmom
True Blue Farmgirl
17161 Posts
Grace
WACAL Gal
WashCalif.
USA
17161 Posts |
|
|
tammyknit
True Blue Farmgirl
135 Posts
Tammy
Reedsburg
WI
USA
135 Posts |
Posted - Sep 02 2011 : 12:35:24 PM
|
I would think lavender would do fine if you have sandy soil. we are zone 4 and i have kept lavender going for 4 years on the south side of the house, unprotected in winter, with a sandy soil (okay, probably closer to pure sand). We have heard that the area where out house is was once a sand quarry! They do much better when too dry than too wet. Heavy wet soil will do them in really fast.
Tammy |
|
|
|
katmom
True Blue Farmgirl
17161 Posts
Grace
WACAL Gal
WashCalif.
USA
17161 Posts |
Posted - Sep 02 2011 : 7:04:57 PM
|
very true Tammy...wet roots do not make good plants.....
we have a combination of sand/clay, We slightly graded/tilted the field so that the water won't sit around the plants but rather run off.
>^..^<
Happiness is being a katmom.
"Is it time for my Dirt Manicure yet!"
www.katmom4.blogspot.com & http://www.graciesvictorianrose.blogspot.com
|
|
|
| |
Garden Gate: Lavender.... |
|
Lavender....
