| About Lavender
As a gift lavender signifies luck or devotion. It is known for its comforting and calming properties and few other herbs can rival its usefulness. As an herbal medicine lavender is used to soothe and relax. Oils in lavender can treat hyperactivity, depression, insomnia, bacteria, fungus, and airborne molds. Lavender is also purported to help cure migraines and motion sickness. And it was recently discovered to increase circulation. How Do You Use Lavender? By Kara Diablo for ehow.com Step 1
What Kind of Lavender Do We Have? Seven Oaks Lavender Farm has a variety of lavender/lavendin, largely of the French variety as they are more aromatic. These include Grosso, Provence, Fred Boutin, and Croxton's Wild. We also grow Twickle, Hidcote and Seal. The bulk of our lavender is French: Grosso and Provence. Provence especially re-blooms in September and October slightly. Blooming here in Northern Virginia is mid-June through mid-July. Lavender ideally should be cut early in the day before 11 a.m. as the hot sun evaporates oil. Blooms 1/3 to 1/2 open are to best to cut for drying. Just lie them flat or hang them in a dark temperate place (70-80 degrees) and add a fan if you want to speed up the process. The quicker it dries, the more color and fragrance will remain. How Do You Care For Lavender Plants? When you know a few tricks lavender is not a difficult plant to grow on your own. Our local clay soil and humid conditions are a challenge for lavender so it is good to give the plants lots of room and good drainage. You can plant it on a bank or hillside or mound up the dirt before you plants. The French varieties of lavender are tolerant of our humidity and winter-over down to 10 degrees below zero. If you have clay soil, as we do here in Catlett, you can add sand or pebbles/gravel to the planting area. You might add mixture of 1/3 lime, 1/3 bone meal and 1/3 aged manure to the soil. Lavender likes at ph of 6.5-7.5 and therefore we added lime to our soil. You can have your soil tested at Southern States or your County Extension Office if you are planning on a large growing area. Plants should be a minimum of three feet apart or even up to six feet apart for commercial rows. They need good ventilation as they are prone to mold and fungal diseases when they are too close together--especially with our Virginia humidity. The first year you plant the lavender cut off the buds so the plant will bush out. By the third year you may have 1000 stems blooming per plant. Each year you must prune off 1/3 to 1/2 of the entire bush etiher in the fall or spring by April 1. White sand, gravel or oyster shell are recommended for mulch as the white reflects the sun and help deter fungal disease. We have had good luck however with heavy duty landscape cloth which was practical for our pick-your-own business.
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Historically lavender has been used for perfume, bathing, cooking and scenting the air. The Romans most likely provided the root name (either lavare--to wash or livendula--livid or bluish) from which we derive the modern name. Mary anointed the feet of Jesus. (Referred to as spikenard in the Bible) The Queen of Sheba offered it to King Solomon as a gift. Around 600 B.C. lavender was carried to France and is now common in France, Spain, Italy, England, Austrailia and more recently the United States (California, Washington and Texas). In Medieval and Renaissance Europe the washing women were known as "lavenders" because they used lavender in the washing and sometimes dried their washing on lavender bushes. History is filled with stories of lavender use. Make lavender a tradition in your family!
