Sunday I harvested my first bunch of 2010 lavender. This particular lavender is Sharon Roberts, an old fashion English Lavender. This is our third year for her, but the first real harvest. Last year with everything going on here, I didn’t do real well at harvesting my lavender. I promised myself I would do much better this year. Anyway, she not only blooms in early June, but if harvested will also bloom in September. Her flowers are also edible.
When we planted one of our lavender patches on the slope garden (an ongoing problem child and an upcoming post) I really didn’t know much about lavender except that I loved the smell. We planted in this area seven different lavenders, two of which we found out later were not hardy in our area. Anyway, we dug up the two and another one died, leaving us with four lavenders.
Since I really needed and wanted to learn more about lavender, I took an online class, “From Soil to Sachet” from Susan Harrington at Labyrinth Hill. In that class I learned a lot about growing lavender and the best for my area. Anyway, I now feel I know a bit more about lavender, although I’m learning every day.
I found on Not Martha this great post that showed by pictures when to harvest lavender. So here is the harvest.
Once I cut them, I bundled them with rubber bands. I decided an unused area in the garage would be a perfect place to hang this year’s lavender. It’s cool, dark, and out of the way, but not so for away that I’d forget about it! I didn’t want to buy anything so I just strung a clothes line. I attached a paperclip to the rubber band and then attached the paperclip to the clothes line.
I put a towel under them to catch any buds that drop. They should be dry in a couple weeks. By that time some of the other lavender should be ready to harvest.
Since our harvest will be larger this year, I’ll be able to do much more with it than I did last year. Here is what I made with last year’s harvest.
How fantastic is this! Already went to that site, love the idea of an on-line tutorial. You know, with the name of your blog and all of your different postings, you’re the only blogger that I have set up in ‘my blog list’ for three of my different blogs, ok, so I have four, gasp, but it’s just my goings on about my loosing weight, but thinking I will put you there as well, then you’d be a matched set.
Oh Cindy Sue, I didn’t realize you had three other blogs. OMG, how do you keep up? I have one other, heartwriting.biz but haven’t kept it up since I moved it and had to recreate it. It’s hard enough to keep up with this one! And I need to check out your loosing weight since I need to do that! Thank you so much for listing me. A blog list is something on my agenda to do soon! Thanks for dropping by.
Your lavender is beautiful! Every year I grow one little pot of it on my patio so I can enjoy the fragrance. I love to cut a branch and put it in my tote bag or in a book for an unexpected bit of perfume.
Thanks for sharing!
Dear Linda!
What a delightful blog! Love your post about the lavender and I’m inspired to show more photos of my lavender at different stages so my students know exactly what to expect at harvest.
I feel like a young mother watching her child take a first step. Beautiful photos of your crop.
Your instructor, busting buttons,
Susan Harrington
Labyrinth Hill Lavender
Kim, Great idea putting a cut branch in a book or tote bag! It’s great having lavender around. Thanks for dropping by.
Hi Susan! I’m excited because this year I will have a good harvest. I planted 4 Grosso that you had recommended and they are looking great this year. I doubt I’ll ever grow a lot – right now we have 12 lavenders in two different gardens but who knows! I’m going to keep them separate so I can find out which lavender I like best. So glad you dropped by. I have referred back to your lessons many times in the last year, especially this spring. Thanks for all of your help.
I can only imagine how good it must smell, it certainly looks delicious! What are you planning on doing with it? The bath bags again? Little lavender cushions? Soap?
Kristina,
I’m not sure. I’ll definitely make soap and bath bags. (I put the bath bag under my pillow for sweet dreams! ) Haven’t thought any further than that. Any ideas?
Oooh, I love fresh and dried lavender!