Manage your own lavender like a boss

It’s quickly approaching the season of bloom and many of you who grow lavender ask us:

When do I cut the lavender blooms?

And how do I do it?

And what do I do with it once it’s cut?

We can certainly help with your garden lavender by sharing what we do here in our field at Lookout Lavender.

When to cut-

There is a prime time to cut lavender blooms for maximum scent and longevity. Once the blooms just start to pop open (just a few on the stem), the oil in the buds is at peak. If you wait until the stem is blossomed fully, the buds will easily fall off. The photo below should give some guidance.

Also, while it is okay to harvest anytime during the day, blooms will contain the most oil and fragrance in the morning. Wait until the dew has dried (you don’t want to bundle wet stems) but before the oil that stored up in the buds overnight dissipates into the air.

Where to cut-

Whatever you do, make sure you don’t cut down into the woody area or bushy area of the plant. Most lavenders don’t rejuvenate from the woody area, only from the green, and cutting too deep can damage your plant.

Take your scissors – any scissors will do – and snip at the base of the stem, right above the bushy area. We have thousands do this successfully at our uPicks and you should have no trouble.

How to bundle and dry-

You can enjoy lavender in a vase, but it’s not recommended. It tends to droop and the stems easily mold. If you do want to enjoy fresh lavender, just barely cover the base of the stems with ½ inch of water and just leave for a day or so.

At Lookout Lavender Farm, we bundle (using rubber bands) and dry our lavender, hanging it upside down in an climate controlled room out of direct sunlight. It only takes a week or two to dry and then its beauty and aroma can be enjoyed for years. Make sure your bundle is not wet and not bigger than an inch or so in diameter - any larger and the moisture in the plant can cause molding. By hanging upside down, your stems will be straight and regal in your dried arrangement.

If you don’t have lavender in your garden, but will be picking here on the farm this month, you are now ahead of the curve and will know how to choose the best stems and how to harvest and dry.

We hope you will join us this month at LOL for an epic uPick - the field is looking and smelling great! For more information, click the button below.

Lots of love from LOL farm-

Alice Marrin