When to plant Lavender
Calendar windows
Dates shift with your latitude — they are calculated from your local last-spring-frost date, not from a fixed calendar.
At a glance
Takes frost; can go out weeks before the last one.
Practical notes
Sun, grit and neglect. Wet winter soil kills far more lavender than frost does, so plant it on a slight mound. English types survive a Polish winter; French and Spanish ones will not.
Knowing when to pick
Cut the spikes when the bottom third of the buds have opened — that is peak scent. Trim the whole bush by a third right after, but never into old wood.
Storing the crop
Hang small bunches upside down in the dark for two weeks; the flowers hold their scent for a year or more in a closed jar.
Crop rotation
Mostly perennial — give them a permanent sunny spot rather than a rotation slot.
Grows well with
Keep apart from
Watch for
Full guide: lavender diseases and pests (3) → with spread routes, compost verdicts and the prevention this list justifies.