LAVENDER MIX, Munstead and Vera Perennial Container Garden Medicinal Dried Deer Resistant Non-GMO 200 Seeds Pure Seed – Non-GMO PRODUCT DESCRIPTION Lavandula angustifolia SEED TYPE: Heirloom Seed Munstead Lavender Seeds Named after the famed Munstead Woods in Surrey, this variety of English Lavender Has a low growing, compact and bush type habit which is perfect for edging paths or as a low hedge. With a subtle blue-green coloring, Munstead Lavender emits that wonderful, sweet fragrance that is so sought after. An earlier blooming lavender, Lavandula angustifolia is one of the richest in essential oils.Hints of blues and greens compact enough for your English garden borderGreat for rock gardens and containersA favorite of bees!Offers fragrant blooms Mid-Late Summer Vera, True English Lavender Of all the scores of different lavenders, this one - Lavandula angustifolia, or Lavender Vera, meaning "True Lavender" - is arguably the most popular. A delicate and versatile variety, lavender is especially cherished for its elegant appearance and lovely scent. This lavender is fast-growing, long-blooming, and very hardy. It can even be used to flavor select desserts like sorbet and ice cream! Success with Lavender: Originating in the Mediterranean, lavender prefers hot sunny days, dry air, and non-enriched, well-drained soil. While that’s great news for those gardening in the West, nowadays lavender can also be successfully grown in higher-humidity areas of the East and Pacific Northwest very successfully by remembering its basic needs. Be sure to pick a variety that is matched to your area. Depending upon your location and your desired use, there are lavenders for almost any setting. Next, follow the four basic elements to ensure lavender success: 1. SUN Lavender loves sun. Plant them in a sunny location where there is plenty of air circulation. Six to eight hours of sun is best, but some afternoon shade is fine in the hotter climates of the Southwest. 2. AIR Good air circulation is essential, especially in areas of high humidity. Lavender is not fond of damp, still air, which makes it prone to root rot. In humid areas, plant them with ample spacing, keeping in mind the mature size of your plant when in bloom and allowing for a bit extra space for good circulation. 3. SOIL Well-drained soil. This is perhaps the most important factor in success with lavender. One rule of thumb from is that the soil should be loose enough to dig with your hands, and not cake-like. You can add sand or small gravel to recreate this consistency if your soil is too compact. In areas where drainage may be a problem, mound the soil up to create a raised row or stand-alone mound. In humid areas especially, a 1-2” mulch of pea sized gravel or white sand will do two things – it will help improve drainage, and it will reflect heat and light back up into the plant. More heat = more fragrant blooms! If you use a weed barrier, make sure it is breathable so the soil can drain and the roots can breathe. 4. WATER During the first year of your lavender’s growth it needs to establish a good root system. It will require regular watering (unless you’re experiencing healthy rain fall). Starting in the second year, your lavender will need less water, as it becomes the water-thrifty plant you’re hoping for, but to get there it needs to grow deep roots in year one. By the end of year three it will have reached its mature size and shouldn’t need any extra water. If water is needed, water in the morning, and deeply, to help root growth. A mature lavender plant is happy with only 9-12 inches of rain per year, but remember, with the right variety and good drainage lavender can thrive with more water. FAST FACTS LIFE CYCLE: Perennial PLANTING SEASON: Fall, Spring GROWTH HABIT: Bush, Mounding, Multi-Branching, Upright PLANT CHARACTERISTICS: Attracts Bees, Attracts Butterflies, Attracts Pollinators, Fragrant USE: Container Garden, Culinary, Medicinal, Xeriscaping GROWING CONDITIONS: Commercial, Drought Tolerant, Heat Tolerant, Indoor, Outdoor HARVEST ADVANTAGES: Dried PLANT RESISTANCE: Deer PLANTING INSTRUCTIONS PLANTING SEASON: Fall, Spring SEED PREP: Cold Stratification SOWING METHOD: Direct Sow, Start Indoors LIGHT REQUIREMENT: Full Sun PLANTING DEPTH: 1/8 inch PLANT SPACING: 12 to 18 inches WATER NEEDS: Average DAYS TO MATURITY: Blooms July to September When to Plant Lavender Seeds Prepare the seeds for sowing three months before the last spring frost and needs to be cold stratified. Where to Plant Lavender Seeds Lavender should be located in areas of full sun with adequate drainage and spaced far enough apart to ensure good air circulation. This will help reduce the chance of developing root rot. How to Plant Lavender Seeds While not required, Lavender seeds can benefit from a special 4 to 8 week treatment called cold moist stratification prior to planting them. Learn more about the importance and process of cold moist stratification here. Allow them to reach room temperature while preparing a sowing container for them. Fill a 2” deep nursery tray with a mixture of equal parts washed medium-grit sand and seed-starting compost. Mist this sand mixture until it is saturated, then let the excess water drain off. Create shallow, 1/8” deep furrows across the surface of the sand mixture. Drop the lavender seeds into the furrows, aiming for one seed every inch. Sprinkle a very thin layer of sand over the lavender seeds so they are barely covered but still exposed to the light. Lavender seeds need light to germinate, so be sure not to bury them. Mist the sand heavily to settle it around the seeds. Place your tray or pots where they will receive 8-10 hours of sun exposure daily. Use a cold frame outdoors or a sunny window indoors. Soil should remain 75-80 degrees Fahrenheit during the day and as low as 55F at night. Use a sheet of plastic to hold in the warmth and moisture, ensuring that the plastic never touches the soil or seedlings. Leave one side open to allow some moisture to escape. Whenever the sand mixture feels dry on the surface, mist with a water bottle so as not to disturb the seeds. One week after germination transplant your lavender seedlings into individual 4” pots filled with the sandy potting mix. If you started in a large tray, thin your seedlings to one every 2-3 inches. Grow your newly transplanted seedlings in partial sun for one to two months. How to Harvest Lavender The best time to cut and harvest the flowers of lavender is the second flowering season. Start off on a dry, sunny day preferably between June to September. Pruning should be ideally done just before the growing season, which is early spring. Stratification of seeds is the process of exposing seeds to cold conditions in order to encourage germination. The exact process you choose (there are two options) depends on the flower variety you’re growing. Let us explain! The different processes are defined below. Cold Stratification Planting in Fall If time is not a problem, nature itself can cold stratify your seeds. Just place them in the ground in fall and let them go through a winter. They will sprout next year, but not flower. The following year, having gone through two winters, the flowers will return and bloom as expected. Some varieties like poppies and coneflowers will bloom the first year. Creating a False Winter The second way to cold stratify seeds (especially if you want to save time!) is to create a false winter. This method tricks the seeds into thinking they have been in the cold ground, when they’ve actually been chilling in your refrigerator. The refrigeration times will vary by variety, so check the planting guide for your seed before beginning. Before spring, place seeds in a plastic bag with a handful of slightly dampened clean peat, paper towels, or a mix of clean peat and sand. Seal and label the bag with your seed name and the date, then store the bag in the refrigerator (not freezer!) before planting in spring. Once your seed has been treated, it’s ready to plant when spring arrives. Cold Moist Stratification In this technique, you simply add a small step to the process of creating a false winter—add moisture! The method involves dampening the seeds to soften them and allowing them to absorb water. The moisture helps spark germination. Place seeds in a plastic bag with a handful of slightly dampened clean peat, paper towels, or a mix of clean peat and sand. You don’t want the seeds to be dripping wet! Place the bag in the refrigerator. The length of time it remains cold will vary depending on the variety of seed, so be sure to check planting guides for specific timeframes. Frequently check the bag for mold or fungus. If any are present, plant your seeds right away. WE SHIP FAST &FREE! Your orders ship the next business date after payment via US mail. NO TRACKING. You can add TRACKING for $3.50 additional (see shipping charges). ORDER $10+ in the same day and we will ship in a Padded Envelope with a 50+ Seed Wildflower Gift Pack (500mg) ORDER $25+ in the same day and we will ship in a First Class Package with TRACKING and two 50+ Seed Wildflower Gift Packs (500mg each) CUSTOMER SERVICE We will leave feedback for you within 48 hours of payment! Leaving Feedback for your seller. eBay guidelines: When you receive your seeds please leave a positive for us. If you have any problem at all no need to leave neutral or negative – message me and we will fix it! What should I consider before rating a seller's performance? In general, here's what you should be thinking about when leaving Feedback for a seller: Did you get what you were expecting, based on the item description? Was the item packaged appropriately (to prevent damage during shipping)? Did the seller ship the item within the timeframe indicated in the listing? (Remember that USPS isexperiencing delays due to Covid.) Were the shipping and handling costs reasonable? They are FREE! If you communicated with the seller, were your questions or concerns addressed? Did the seller respondwithin a reasonable amount of time? Before you consider leaving a negative give the seller a chance to fix the problem. Negative Feedback directly impacts their business. If you don’t get your item within 10 working days message me directly. You do not need todo an Ebay claim – just message. Give me 48 hours to answer please and I will refund or reship. Please read the planting instructions! Some seeds require cold stratification. Some Perennials probably will not bloom until the 2nd year. Your success and happiness is our success and happiness! 30 Day Return Policy If you need to return your item, we have a 30 day return policy. Please return it in the same condition it was received. <