Not every plant lover is fortunate enough to have a large garden. However, in such a case, you do not have to do without lush greenery that you have grown yourself. At least if you have a sunny balcony, lavender thrives wonderfully in sufficiently large pots.
How to care for lavender on the balcony?
Lavender on the balcony needs a sunny location, protected from the wind and in sufficiently large pots. Use sandy substrate, provide drainage, fertilize and water sparingly and repot annually. When the weather is nice on warm summer evenings, it keeps mosquitoes away.
Is lavender suitable as a balcony plant?
If the conditions are right, lavender can be safely used to plant a balcony. One of the advantages of this is that mosquitoes will no longer bother you on warm summer evenings - the intense scent of lavender keeps the annoying biting insects away. However, before you go out and buy plants at the nearest garden center, you should first check the actual conditions in your area. In order for the lavender to feel good, it needs
- A location in full sun (i.e. a shady balcony is unsuitable)
- optimal is a balcony that faces south or west
- Balconies facing north or east are usually not suitable
- the balcony should be fairly sheltered from the wind
- and also sufficiently large: lavender can grow up to one meter high and just as wide.
Suitable lavender varieties for pot cultivation
There are around 25 to 30 different varieties of lavender, some of which are particularly suitable for pot cultivation due to their shorter growth. Varieties that grow very large, such as Spei Lavender, require a lot of space. If, on the other hand, you are looking for hardy lavender plants, then only varieties of real lavender will come into question. Crested lavender is ideal for growing in pots, although it is not allowed to overwinter outdoors.
Planting lavender in pots
When choosing the plant pots, make sure that they are sufficiently large and, above all, deep - lavender develops a wide, finely branched root network and deep taproots. In addition, the pots should be too big rather than too small, because the lavender needs space. Use a nutrient-poor, sandy substrate (€12.00 on Amazon) - commercial potting soil is usually over-fertilized and therefore not very suitable. Good drainage in the pot is also important to avoid waterlogging. Too much moisture causes the plant to die quickly instead of flowering.
Take optimal care of potted lavender
Caring for potted lavender is not difficult:
- fertilize little
- water little but regularly
- repot at least once a year
- the new pot should be at least a third larger than the old one
- Protect against severe weather changes (if necessary, put it in the room for a short time).
Tips & Tricks
You can also grow lavender into a bonsai, but then good care and regular pruning at least twice a year is essential.
