Question everything I say and seek further information if what I present raises questions in your mind. In a study from the Egyptian Journal of Horticulture, optimal yields of aerial parts of lavender were observed following fertilization with urea at 88 lb./ acre. The best yields of essential oil were observed following application of ammonium chloride (N source) at 44 lb/ acre (ElSherbany et al. 1997) Fertilizing is talked about in Lavender: The Grower’s Guide, The Lavender Lover’s Handbook and Dr. Swift’s excellent article Soil Preparation for Lavender.
I visited an organic lavender farm last summer. About a half-mile down the road I knew I was close, as I could smell the fragrance wafting through the air. The rolling hillside was full of stunning, silvery-green and purple lavender plants.
Lavender can be propagated by seed, layering or stem cuttings. We recommend using stem cuttings or layering because you can guarantee your new plants will not be a hybrid version caused by cross pollinating.
Sage Creations Organic Farm www.SageCreationsOrganicFarm.com 970‐623‐9556 TIP 1: Lavender needs full sun; a minimum of 6 to 8 hours. TIP 2: Lavender does not like “wet” feet, so give it a good soak and then let the plant go dry. If your soil is heavy and slow to drain, create a hospitable place for lavenders by […]
Lavender, an herb with many culinary uses, also makes a stunning addition to borders and perennial gardens, providing sweeping drifts of color from early summer into fall. With its silvery-green foliage, upright flower spikes and compact shrub-like form, lavender is ideal for creating informal hedges. You can also harvest it for fragrant floral arrangements, sachets, and potpourri.
In a 40-foot labyrinth, Susan Harrington grows 150 lavender plants. Harvesting 5-6 bundles per plant or approximately 700 bundles each flowering season offers some pretty fragrant returns. Susan and her husband Jack own Labyrinth Hill Lavender in Washington state.
Lavender, for many people throughout the West, is simply a decorative bush used in landscape designs. For Palisade peach farmer Ron Rish, it’s another source of income.
While the agricultural industry doesn’t usually garner the same level of attention as the energy sector in Western Colorado, there can be no doubt agricultural enterprises are growing ventures in every sense.
There’s a growing number of lavender businesses in Western Colorado… Rosemary Litz steps into her meticulously landscaped backyard and bends over a rounded bush. Like a barber wielding scissors, she trims off a handful of long stalks with purple blooms. The fragrance of lavender fills the air. For a growing number of entrepreneurs like Litz, […]
