What a week! We’re wrapping up our new dining room makeover and I can’t wait to share our progress. Last week was the 6 month mark since we moved into our old colonial. I really should write a post and share everything that has changed since we moved in. Some days I look around and notice how far we still have to go and other days I think, wow! We’ve come so far since that first day when we were scooping out trash.
Charlie and I got our hands dirty not too long ago and did some planting. I absolutely love lavender and I love it even more inside the house. It smells amazing and I love the wild yet dainty look it has. It’s also pretty cheap to buy as well. At our last house we had planted all kinds of different herbs in just pots on our deck and I kept a few inside. I have found that lavender can grow well inside your home in the right conditions. I am in no way, shape or form a expert gardener. I do get lucky every now and then and find something that works well in our yard or home. Here are some tips on potted lavender that I have learned along the way.
- Picking your pots: Lavender roots really do not require deep pots. Their roots tend to be more shallow. Planting in a pot that’s a lot larger than the root ball creates more space for moisture to be stored within the pot. Lavender must have a well drained environment. Keep the pot just a few inches larger than the root ball. Make sure to pick a pot that has enough drainage holes. Lavender prefers a drier soil. Which brings me to my next tip,
- Do NOT over-water! Let the soil dry out completely before re-watering. Too much water and lavender do not mix!
- Lighting: Lavender loves sunshine, in fact up to 8 hours of it. At our last house growing lavender indoors was just not possible. We lacked the natural light. Lucky for me our current house has full sun in our dining room and breakfast nook. Both rooms are perfect for lavender! If you don’t get that full sun most of the day in your house, keep your pots outside.
- Pruning: You can trim it up in the spring before it buds and in the fall. Keeping it pruned will allow for better air circulation. You really only need to trim it back 1-2 inches each time. Large plants that are planted outside would need to be trimmed much more.
- Lavender likes a nutritious soil. You can feed the soil ever so often. I typically replant my herbs once a year to introduce new soil and to give extra space to the plant if needed.
I planted our lavender this year in just basic terra cotta pots. I love how terra cotta ages and the natural patina it gets when it’s exposed to the elements. It’s doesn’t get that natural patina inside so much so I just simply white-washed mine to tone down that deep orange color. Here’s how I did it: (I’ve included affiliate links for your convenience in finding the same items.)
Here’s my two terra cotta pots before:
To white wash them all you need is some white acrylic paint. Mix your paint with equal parts water. You’ll only need a very tiny amount. You want to use the dry brush technique using just a basic paint brush. Here is what I used. I used a paper towel to get most of the paint off my brush. You then brush the pot using a sweeping motion. A little goes a long way. The first pot I did I got a little too much paint on my brush and it went on a little thicker than I would have liked. My second one turned out the best. Be sure to also paint the rims and an inch or so down the inside of the pot. Let the paint dry completely and you’re ready to plant!
I hope you all have a wonderful weekend! I plan on getting outside and get a few things planted in our new yard. I see peonies, butterfly bushes and lilacs in my future.
Kristi says
SO pretty Amanda! And thanks for the tips – I just bought my first lavender plant yesterday, so you’re timing couldn’t be more perfect!!!
Amanda says
Yay! I love when that happens 🙂 Enjoy your lavender Kristi. It’s one of my favorite things of summer.
Hey Amanda,
I live in N. Georgia! Thanks for the information on the lavender plants. Love how cute the pots turned out. Will definitely try it too.
I’m so happy I have a north Georgia neighbor on the blog! Thank you so much Peggy 🙂 It was super easy and the lavender is going strong!
I fell in love with your terra coat pots! Please, share where you purchased them.
Kris
Hi! I love how your pots turned out! I have just bought a lavender plant and I’m planning to plant it indoors. Would you mind sharing the dimensions of your terracotta pot? Thanks!