Planting a Lavender Crop
By Monica Shallow • November 9, 2023
One surprising thing I’ve learned in these first couple of years of starting our lavender farm is how common our dream is. Over and over, people tell us how they’ve always dreamed of having a lavender farm. It seems like, from my non-scientific observation, more farms are cropping up, and it’s so exciting to see! The more lavender farms there are, the stronger the lavender industry will be.
We are happy to share what we have learned so far to help others get started. This is not an exhaustive list — things will come up for you that we haven’t experienced, and vice versa. Also, there are lots of ways of doing things, and methods vary by gardening zone, soil, school of thought, etc. The beauty of this adventure is that lavender plants are hearty and forgiving. Here are a few things to consider to increase your chances of growing a successful crop.

Learning about Lavender & Gathering Your Resources
A wonderful place to learn about lavender crops is through the self-paced, low-cost course, “Growing Lavender: A Curriculum for Growers” through Michigan State University. This comprehensive course will walk you through everything you need to know.

A great resource when planting a lavender is your family. It’s all hands on deck for us!
Talk with as many lavender farmers as you can, especially those in your area with similar growing conditions. Lavender farmers tend to be generous with their knowledge and have been some of the most supportive people I have ever met. I encourage you to visit farms — this is my favorite way to research! Talk with the growers, email them with your questions. Just note that they’re more likely to have time to respond during the off-season.
Join a lavender group. The United States Lavender Growers Association (USLGA) is a strong organization full of resources, helpful people, and information for lavender growers and lavender enthusiasts alike. Every couple of years, one region hosts a conference with speakers, workshops, demonstrations, and lots of opportunities to talk with other farmers. I attended the USLGA conference in Portland, Oregon, in January 2023 and came home inspired.
Here in the Pacific Northwest, we have Lavender Northwest, another wonderful organization for growers and lavender lovers. This association puts together educational opportunities, farm tours to learn from one another, and collaborative wholesales.
Soil
It’s recommended to check the pH of your soil through your extension office. Full disclosure, I have yet to do this. In the Methow Valley, we are blessed with well-draining soil, and our high desert climate is dry. Standing water, the number one detriment to lavender, is not an issue we have to deal with.
Our test crop is planted far enough from the Methow River to avoid flooding in the Spring, but close enough to the river to enjoy sandy, rocky soil, and the plants are thriving. Our upper field is a little different; the soil is less sandy but still rocky, and our plants took to it immediately.
We have tried two different methods of preparing the soil. The first year, the area we planted was small enough that it made sense to rototill the spot where we planned to stick a plant. The second year, we planted a bigger area, but we ran into equipment challenges. We planned to till the whole field, but in the end, a rough, shallow till was the best we could get, and it worked out fine.
Ground Cover

Create a triangle shape to let the lavender grow through — but not the weeds.
Young plants have a better chance of survival if they’re not having to compete with weeds, and weeds are next level in the Methow. We know it is not realistic for us in our environment to keep up with the weeds without a weed barrier, so we use DeWitt 4.1-ounce Landscape Fabric.
I recommend getting the widest width you can manage. We were limited by the size of our car, and learned that in the future, it would be worth it to rent a bigger vehicle to be able to transport the widest width possible. Our first year, we tried to get away with a garden center/residential use landscape fabric, and it was like putting facial tissue on the ground — the weeds were undeterred.
Take it from us: it’s far easier to put the right landscaping fabric down before plants are planted then after they have grown bigger. 😉 There are a couple of ways to make a hole in the fabric to create an opening for the plant:
- Take a sharp blade and make two cuts, creating a triangle shape. The advantage of this is that it’s easy to tear the fabric when the plant grows and needs more room. The downside is that the fabric tends to fray over time.
- Burn a hole in the fabric, searing the edges to prevent fraying. To do this you need a weed burner, a coffee can with a 6” opening, and material to attach the can to the weed burner. We used bailing wire and screws to secure the can to the end of the weed burner, and a propane tank (the BBQ size).
Laying the ground cover to plant our lavender crop.
Purchasing Plants
Deciding which plants to grow is fun — and a little overwhelming. First, decide what you want to use your lavender for. Are you interested in oil, culinary uses, crafting, bouquets? There are so many choices, so I suggest picking a few varieties and uses if you have enough space. Check out our Stories on All About Lavender Varieties to read about what we are growing.
We have been purchasing our plants from Victor’s Lavender in Sequim, Washington. My Grandmother purchased her lavender plants from Victor in the early 2000s when she had her lavender farm, and it’s become a fun tradition for her and me to make a trip to Victor’s to pick up our plants together. So far we have purchased 3.5″ pots. They’re the perfect size — not too small that they’re super tender, and not so big that it will be harder for them to get established.
Next Spring we hope to order our largest quantity yet, and we’ll give 2″ pots a try to save money. It’s so amazing how quickly the plants grow! In just a few weeks, our little plants doubled, and by the end of summer, they close to quadrupled in size — the Grosso, especially.
Wherever you purchase plants, be aware of phytophthora, a fungus that will destroy entire fields when infected plants are introduced. It is recommended to quarantine new plants for 2–3 weeks before planting to make sure they are healthy.
Planting
My Grandmother taught me from a young age that all plant roots need to be carefully separated before sticking them in a hole that is a few times bigger than the plant. To do this, I lovingly take a moment to loosen and separate the roots.
Our plants are planted 3 feet apart, with 6 feet between rows on-center. The size of the plant at full maturity, how the crop will be harvested, and what the harvested crop will be used for should be considered when deciding the spacing.
In France, for example, plants are placed closer together, which works because they are machine-harvested and thrown into a still to produce essential oil. If you plan to hand harvest, spacing the plants 3 feet apart makes it easier to cut the stems if they’re not tangled together with the next plant.
After our plants are planted, we cut the blooms off to encourage the plant to focus on root growth. At the end of the first season, to our great excitement, even the newest plants produce enough for a small harvest.
Watering
In our hot, arid, high desert climate, watering twice a day for 30 minutes with drip irrigation directly to each plant for the first two weeks seems to be the sweet spot. After the initial two weeks, we cut back to watering just once a day. We have noticed that any more water than that and the plants begin to yellow.
Watching Them Grow
Once our plants are in the ground, I can’t help but feel a special connection with them that I don’t feel with other plants. I can’t explain it, except that there’s a lot of hope and anticipation that goes into planting a field of lavender.
Happy Planting! We would love to hear from you with your questions and success stories.
With love & lavender,
P.S. Check back for more stories about harvesting, drying, and pruning.