If you cut lavender in the spring, the plant may have time to produce more flowers for a second harvest. Try to harvest the lavender when the flower buds are swollen and the flowers are just beginning to open, but haven’t fully opened yet. [2] X Expert Source Artemisia NurseryPlant Nursery & Garden Shop Expert Interview. 7 August 2020.
If you wait for the later part of the day, the sun may evaporate some of the oils inside the plant. They’ll still smell good, but they won’t be as potent as they were earlier in the day.
Think about picking out lavender like you’d pick out fresh fruit—if it doesn’t look colorful and ripe, don’t pick it.
The bundle that fits inside your hand is called a “bunch. ” A first-year lavender bush will typically produce only enough flowers to form 1 or 2 bunches, but older plants can give you up to 10 bunches.
The best cutting tool for lavender is called a harvesting knife. It’s curved like a scythe and has a serrated edge. If you don’t have one on hand, a hand pruner will also work just fine. If you’re using a harvesting knife, hook it around the bunched lavender and pull the knife toward you, cutting off the lavender stalks. If you want to keep your lavender flowers in a bundle, tie a rubber band around them before you cut them off. It’s best to harvest the entire stem, rather than trying to cut away just the flower. That way, you aren’t left with a bunch of sticks all around your plant. [7] X Expert Source Artemisia NurseryPlant Nursery & Garden Shop Expert Interview. 7 August 2020.
If you’re going to display lavender, this is a great way to store it until you’re ready to put it into a bouquet.
Rinsing your lavender is super important if you’re going to eat it. If you’re using it for decorative purposes or you’re drying it out, you don’t need to worry about it as much.
If you opt to hang your lavender to dry, use twine or twist ties to gather the stalks in bunches and hang the bunches upside down off of hooks or nails. Retie the stocks as necessary to keep them together, since they will shrink while drying. Drying your lavender indoors can take a few weeks, while drying them in the sun only takes a few days.
Make sure that your lavender is really dry before you put it away! Storing wet lavender can cause mold to develop, which will ruin the scent of your lavender. Dried lavender usually keeps its scent for about 1 season.
Dried lavender can last for months. The main thing you have to worry about after it’s dried is the petals falling off of the stalk—since they’re so small, it can be hard to sweep them up again.
Be careful when cooking with lavender. Too much in your food can taste a bit like perfume, so go slowly at first! Dried lavender looks beautiful when arranged with neutral-colored flowers, like white lilies or daisies.
