Sea lavender is undemanding and easy to care for. And yet incorrect care measures can ensure that the plant dies. So you can find out what to look out for here.
Sea lavender will help you solve many a problem in the garden. The plants also thrive where you may not have been able to successfully cultivate an ornamental plant beforehand because the soil was simply too poor and the location too draughty and dark. But actually the pretty flowering plants are much more than a welcome filler - they are an ornament for every garden.
With its delicate panicles of flowers, the sea lavender can also impress in a bucket or window box on the terrace. The robust plants require little care, but can be sensitive if your modest demands are not met. If you observe the following care instructions, the sea lavender will also feel at home in your garden and grow lushly.
Sea lavender: important care instructions
❖ Casting:
Even if the sea lavender prefers to grow near the coast, the plant does not like to get its feet wet. In any case, a dry location is better tolerated than heavy, moist soil that tends to waterlogging.
» Tip: Young plants must be watered regularly.
Older plants can usually cope with the amount of rainwater and only need additional watering during extremely dry periods in midsummer. The reason for this is the long taproots, which make it possible to absorb moisture from the deeper layers of the soil.
The plant shows its need for water by drooping leaves. When watering, care should be taken not to water the plant in the blazing midday heat. This could burn the leaves. Furthermore, most of the water evaporates before it can penetrate the earth.
» Tip: Use the early morning hours to water the sea lavender.
If possible, do not pour the water over the leaves, but only directly to the roots. You can water the lime-loving plant with tap water. Who mainly with rainwatershould meet the plant's nutrient requirements with a dose of algae lime from time to time.
Be careful with potted plants:
Potted plants have an increased need for nutrients. Taproots are also formed in the bucket, but less substrate is available. Potted plants must therefore be watered regularly. The soil is allowed to dry out slightly. Finger testing will help you determine if watering is necessary.
» Tip: Remove the water from the saucer or planter regularly to prevent waterlogging.
Coming soon:
- Water young plants regularly
- Older plants get their moisture from the taproots.
- Tap water can be used for watering.
- Water the plants in the tub regularly.
- The floor should be allowed to dry slightly
- Avoid waterlogging
❖ Fertilize:
The sea lavender also gets along very well with poor soil. An oversupply of nutrients can even damage the plant. The only thing to look out for is a calcareous substrate. If you add a slow-release fertilizer, such as blue corn or alternatively an organic material to the soil in spring, the plant will be well supplied with nutrients over the summer. Compost, horn shavings or horn meal can be given to promote growth and flowering.
Potted plants should be supplied with a commercially available liquid fertilizer, such as this one, at 4-week intervals. The last application of fertilizer should be in late summer so that the plant can mature sufficiently before winter and the young shoots do not freeze.
Coming soon:
- low nutritional requirements
- Make sure there is enough lime in the soil
- Apply slow-release fertilizer in spring
- Compost or horn shavings promote growth
- Stop fertilizing from September
❖ Pruning:
The sea lavender grows in the form of a rosette of leaves that does not require regular pruning. The faded inflorescences should be removed regularly. In autumn, cut the plant back to the ground. Fresh sprouting takes place in spring.
» Tip: If you want to use the sea lavender as a dried flower, the inflorescences are cut off and dried in summer.
❖ Diseases and Pests
The sea lavender is a very robust plant that rarely gets sick or is attacked by pests. However, this can change quickly if care errors occur. It can often be observed thatthat hobby gardeners apparently mean too well with the sea lavender and weaken the plant by watering and fertilizing too often.
Plants do not tolerate soil that is too dense and too wet. If the roots are exposed to constant moisture, they begin to rot. The root area is so damaged by the fungal disease Phytophthora that the plants die within a few days.
» Tip: There is no salvation for a plant affected by root rot. To prevent the fungus from spreading further in the garden, remove the plant from the ground and discard it.
Plant material affected by fungus does not belong in the compost. Here the disease could spread unhindered. Burn affected plants or dispose of them with household waste.
Proper care will keep your sea lavender he althy and it can live up to 20 years.
So pay attention to:
- sun exposure for at least six hours a day
- a dry, sandy and rather barren soil
- calcareous substrate
- Avoiding waterlogging
❖ Hibernate:
The robust plants easily withstand frosts of up to - 28 degrees. In autumn, the roots draw the remaining nutrients from the leaves. The foliage withers and can be cut off. The plants are almost immune to cold. However, humidity can also become a problem in winter. To prevent too much moisture from penetrating the soil, it is a good idea to cover the root area with a layer of leaf soil or straw.
In the pot, it is important to prevent the plant pot from freezing completely and the roots dying. Therefore, place the plant pot on a base made of wood or styrofoam and wrap the pot with garden fleece or jute. The root ball should also be protected by leaves or straw.
» Tip: On frost-free days, the sea lavender can be lightly watered.
In spring, the winter protection must be removed promptly so that no mold forms underneath it, which attacks the plant.