When to plant lavender
perennial shrub
The short answer
Spring, after the last hard frost, is the safest time to plant lavender; fall also works where there are about two months of good weather before winter.
What extension services say
- Planting should take place in spring after the risk of severe frost has passed; set plants at the same depth as in the container. Iowa State University Extension ↗
- Transplant new plants after the last spring frost. Fall planting works if there are 2 months of good weather so plants get established before winter. Utah State University Extension ↗
- Lavender grows slowly in the fall, and plants may not survive the winter without good root development and heavy mulching. Utah State University Extension ↗
- Lavender can be planted from spring through fall in Colorado. Research in New Mexico found that fall-planted lavender survives better, establishes more quickly and flowers more the following season. Colorado State University Extension ↗
- Fall-planted lavender should be in pots 4 inches or larger with an established root system; watering during winter increases survival. Colorado State University Extension ↗
Sources differ: Iowa says spring only; Utah says spring, or fall with about two months of good weather; Colorado says spring through fall and cites New Mexico research that fall-planted lavender survives better.
Questions gardeners ask
When is the best time to plant lavender?
Spring after the last frost is the common answer (Iowa State, Utah State). Fall planting works with about two months of good weather first, and Colorado State says fall-planted lavender establishes faster in its climate.
How far apart do you plant lavender?
18 to 24 inches apart in light, well-aerated, gravelly soil (Utah State).
How much sun does lavender need?
At least six to eight hours of direct sun a day (Iowa State).
Sources
- Iowa State University Extension: Growing Lavender in Iowa
- Utah State University Extension: How to Grow English Lavender in Your Garden
- Colorado State University Extension: Growing Lavender in Colorado
Extension advice is local to the state that wrote it. Where the sources differ, both are shown. Dates in the tables are estimates from typical frost dates; your garden’s own last frost can differ by a week or more. How we source data.