Gardening expert shares 'simple' homemade fertiliser to keep lavender 'blooming all year round'

Lavender is a favourite among gardeners for its beauty and scent, and it's fairly straightforward to cultivate with the right care.

The prime time to plant lavender is in the spring months of April or May, which reduces the risk of frost harming its roots and allows the plant enough time to establish itself before the summer heat.

Gardening aficionado Stephaine LeBlanc, who founded Celebrated Herb, has revealed that while growing lavender might be simple, the most "crucial" aspect to ensure they remain "keep them healthy" and "blooming all year round" is the application of the correct fertiliser.

She advised: "Organic fertilisers, such as composted manure, worm castings, and bone meal, are excellent choices because they provide a balanced mix of essential nutrients and improve soil structure.

"These organic materials can be added to the soil or used as a top dressing to provide a slow release of nutrients to the plant's root zone.

There are also cost-effective fertilising methods for lavender, the Express reports. Nevertheless, you don't have to spend anything to do this, as the herb can flourish with the addition of kitchen leftovers.

Stephaine mentioned: "Lavender plants do not require a lot of nutrients, you can still use some kitchen scraps to provide them with additional nourishment."

For those looking to give their lavender an extra boost, saving vegetable scraps like carrot tops or lettuce leaves to create homemade compost is a savvy tip.

Stephaine shared her gardening insights, saying: "Simply layer the scraps with dry leaves and grass clippings in a compost bin and wait for it to decompose into rich compost."

Banana peels are a top tip for gardeners looking to boost their soil's nutrient content, especially for lavender, as they're packed with potassium - one of the key nutrients that plants crave.

To give your lavender a helping hand, simply chop up a banana peel and bury it at the base of the plant, as this can lead to much stronger growth.

For those keen on homemade solutions, Stephaine has a "simple recipe" for a fertiliser that could enhance flower production and improve soil quality crucial as poor soil and drainage are often where gardeners trip up with lavender.

She detailed: "This fertilizer provides magnesium and sulfur from the Epsom salt, alkalizes the soil with baking soda, and supplies additional nutrients with the fish emulsion."

Here's what you'll need:

• One tablespoon of Epsom salt

• One tablespoon of baking soda

• One tablespoon of fish emulsion

• One gallon of water

Mix the ingredients in a bucket or water can until they completely dissolve. Then, pour the fertiliser on to the soil at the base of the plant, and water as normal.

You should not overfertilise lavender but feeding it once when it just begins growing can help boost it so your garden is set for the summer months.

Stephaine said: “It’s important to note that lavender plants do not require heavy fertilisation, so use this homemade fertiliser sparingly, once every few months. Over-fertilising can actually harm plants.”

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