HERB - Re: herbalist V1 #299

[Robert C. Lightfoot]

> 
> Date: Wed, 30 Jun 1999 11:39:24 -0500
> From: "Carper, Rachel" <Rachel.Carper at COMPAQ.com>
> Subject: RE: HERB - Lavender
> 
>         So, what your telling me is, here in Georgia, I need to find a nice
> sunny/shaddy spot with good drainage?
> 
>         Elewyiss
> 

Hi - I've been following the lavender thread with a lot of interest. Lavender is pretty 
much my favorite and most used herb. I live in _deep_ south Georgia (Waycross) and 
prior to this year I haven't had any luck growing lavender. I tried seeds (several 
types) and plants, and they all died. I've been studying nursery catalogs and herb books 
and books on lavender, and realized that there are a few types of lavender that will 
grow/thrive in the heat/hunidity down here. Some people have had sucesses with true 
lavender and lavender lady, but not me. I was looking for spanish lavender 9recomended 
for my climate) this season, but couldn't quite come up with the money for a pricy 
nursery order. 

I happened to be in the Wal-Mart garden patio one day and noticed several flats of 
interesting plants in the herb section. I promptly grabbed up 12 lavender plants and 
took them home, giving 2 to a friend. So far, all 10 of my plants still alive  and they 
are thriving. The strain I have is lavender dentata, a type of French lavender. It 
really seems to like our weather down here. The only drawback id that it doesn't have 
the true lavender scent, rather it has an astringent, pungent clean scent, a little like 
rosemary.

I planted mine in very large pots or barrels, with plastic packing peanuts in the bottom 
for drainainge. The "soil" is a mixture of peat, composted coe manure, some topsoil, and 
a lot of sand. Several lavender books recomended the sand, and also said to mulch with 
layers of sand during the year. Thsi is supposed to help prevent mold. Also, place in 
partial shade, and be _very_ careful with watering. I use a hose with a nozzle that fans 
the water out so its easier to prevent splashing. Water like rosemary - don't drownd it, 
but don't let it get too dry.

Hope this helps
Siobhan ni Ahearn

============================================================================
Go to http://lists.ansteorra.org/lists.html to perform mailing list tasks.