For centuries, lavender has been used throughout the world thanks to its specific aroma and versatility. Back in the ancient times, the Egyptians and Romans used it as perfume and for cooking and bathing too.
Nowadays, science has helped us discover a lot of amazing health properties of lavender and thus, it remained the most popular plant in the world. And, you need not waste a lot of money on buying lavender and lavender products because you can grow the plant indoors.
Before we show you how, let us learn more about the best healing properties this plant offers us!
What Are the Health Benefits of Lavender?
- Potent antimicrobial and antioxidant
- Possesses anti-depressive and sedative properties
- It can help reduce stress, anxiety, depression, and migraines
- Its inhalation can avert brain oxidative stress and better cognitive impairment (beneficial for Alzheimer’s patients)
- It possesses chemical elements which have anesthetic and analgesic effects that can be of great aid in speeding up the healing of burns and cuts
- Thanks to its sedative and calming properties, lavender helps better sleep and fights off insomnia (inhale it before bed)
- Lavender, when topically applied, can help lower inflammation and pain, especially in arthritis patients or during menstrual cramps
How to Grow Lavender in Your Home?
With a bit of care and attention, you can grow your own lavender. Whether in your kitchen or living room, it is definitely the best plant for optimal relaxation of all family members.
When choosing lavender, opt for some type of English lavender, whether it is imperial gem, lodden blue, mini blue, hidcote, ashdown forest, etc. Choose them according to the properties which best suit your preferences.
In order to thrive, lavender needs dry conditions. This perennial from the dry Mediterranean coast enjoys getting 8 hours of full sun, good air flow, and proper drainage.
Avoid wetting the foliage by allowing the soil to dry between watering. Only water the plant at the base.
Regarding the pot, opt for a large one with a hole for drainage and a lot of loose gravel at the bottom. This will enhance the air flow to the roots and prevent rotting.
This plant requires a mixture of 60 percent peat moss and 40 percent perlite and several handfuls of homemade compost.
If you do not have compost, fertilize the soil with a seaweed fertilizer every 3 weeks. Regular potting soil suffices for lavender.
Prune the plant at least once per year. Being a semi-shrub, it may get woody as the time goes by. This can destroy the plant so trimming it helps it thrive.
How to trim it properly? – Pinch off the tips of a new plant as it grows and after blooming to encourage shoots. When it reaches 1.5 years of age, prune it every year and cut 2/3 of the plant.
This plant produces flowers in different periods and it will not have flowers throughout the entire year. Still, it will release a pleasant fragrance in your home every day.
Important to Note:
Lavender is toxic to dogs and cats!
Make sure it is out the reach of pets and children!
Sources: