When to plant lavender
Plant lavender 1–4 weeks after the last spring frost in spring, or 8–10 weeks before the first fall frost for a fall crop. Wait until the soil is at least 60°F. That works out to zone 5b (mid May to early June), zone 7a (late April to mid May) and zone 9a (early March to late March).
Lavender planting dates by zone
| Zone | Spring | Fall | lavender ready from |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4a | May 22 – Jun 12 | Jul 18 – Aug 1 | – |
| 4b | May 20 – Jun 10 | Jul 21 – Aug 4 | – |
| 5a | May 18 – Jun 8 | Jul 23 – Aug 6 | – |
| 5b | May 12 – Jun 2 | Jul 30 – Aug 13 | – |
| 6a | May 7 – May 28 | Aug 6 – Aug 20 | – |
| 6b | May 1 – May 22 | Aug 10 – Aug 24 | – |
| 7a | Apr 22 – May 13 | Aug 16 – Aug 30 | – |
| 7b | Apr 13 – May 4 | Aug 23 – Sep 6 | – |
| 8a | Apr 3 – Apr 24 | Aug 29 – Sep 12 | – |
| 8b | Mar 23 – Apr 13 | Sep 6 – Sep 20 | – |
| 9a | Mar 9 – Mar 30 | Sep 17 – Oct 1 | – |
| 9b | Feb 11 – Mar 4 | Oct 1 – Oct 15 | – |
How to plant lavender
| Plant as | transplants |
|---|---|
| Soil temperature | 60°F or warmer |
| Depth | Same depth as the pot |
| Spacing | 18–36 in |
| Light | Full sun |
| Time to harvest | 90–200 days |
| Hardiness | Perennial in zones 5–9 (English lavender); zones 7–9 for Spanish and French types |
| Start indoors | 10–12 weeks before the last frost (zone 6a: Feb 5 – Feb 19; zone 8a: Jan 2 – Jan 16) |
Lavender needs sharp drainage; wet roots in winter kill it more often than cold.
Plant transplants: lavender seed is slow and uneven.
Fall planting works in zones 7 and warmer if plants have 8 weeks to root before frost.
When to harvest lavender
Cut stems when about half the buds on the spike have opened, in the morning after the dew dries.
Exact dates for your town: planting calendar · frost dates by state.