Sap from infected plants can also spread the virus, so any garden shears or scissors used to cut infected plants must be sanitized thoroughly before being used again. If one such cutting is planted in your yard or garden, or even just nearby, then an aphid can carry the virus from the infected plant to any nearby healthy ones. It can spread by aphids, but you may also find it in cuttings from infected plants that may not have been tested for the virus. Aphids are more of an issue, as they are known to spread the alfalfa mosaic virus.Īlfalfa mosaic virus causes yellow patches on lavender plants as well as distorted or stunted growth. You can remove whiteflies by hand or with a water spray, but they aren’t much cause for concern. Most insects don’t bother lavender, although you may see the occasional whitefly. ![]() Kaur Kristjan / Unsplash Pests and diseases Prune the lavender a second time during fall to keep new growth from becoming woody, as older, woody growth won’t bloom as much. During the first year, just give your lavender a light trim. This is often unnecessary during the first year of life, especially since some lavender varieties won’t bloom during the first year. After it blooms, use a pair of sharp, clean garden scissors, shears, or a knife and clip the top third to two-thirds of each stem, just below the lowest leaves. Pruning is also important for lavender it keeps the plant healthy and blooming. When it begins to produce flowers, increase your watering back to once or twice a week, as plants typically use more water and nutrients when blooming. After a couple of weeks, your lavender’s roots should be established, and you can reduce watering to once every two to three weeks. While your transplants are establishing themselves, water them once or twice each week. Lavender doesn’t need much water overall. As the organic matter breaks down, it leaves holes and air bubbles behind, which water can drain through. If your soil is slow to drain, consider adding compost or other organic matter. Lavender is fairly hardy and will tolerate drought and heat, but it doesn’t bloom well in full shade and can develop health problems when left in standing water. Transplant your lavender to a location in full sun with well-draining soil. Janine Joles / Unsplash Caring for lavender After a couple of weeks, your seedlings will likely be ready to transplant. This means taking the seedlings outdoors for short periods, beginning in a more sheltered location and then moving them into more open areas as time progresses. Hardening is the process of getting seedlings used to outdoor elements, which increases their likelihood of surviving after being transplanted. When the seedlings are a few inches high and have a few sets of leaves, it’s time to harden them. Lavender grows very slowly at first and will continue to grow slowly during its first year. Most lavender seeds will germinate in just a couple of weeks, but some can take up to a month if they are lacking in sun or heat. ![]() Letting the soil dry slightly between waterings and keeping the seedlings somewhere with good airflow can help mitigate this. Lavender seedlings are particularly vulnerable to fungal infections. ![]() ![]() The soil mix should be well-draining to avoid overwatering the seeds. The colors of fall flowers can be striking: 11 flowers that’ll have your garden bursting with autumn colorsĬurious when pumpkins grow? Here’s our guide to growing your own 8 beautiful, fall-blooming perennials to add to your garden
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