Lavender is a small aromatic shrubby plant. This is an aromatic herb. The scientific name of Lavander is Lavandula. The plant belongs to the family Lamiaceae. Commercial lavender growing is very lucrative. You should get good marketing skills to succeed.
You can also grow plants easily using a hydroponic method. Lavender is one of the most sustainable crops.
Entertainment farming is a popular method of promoting products and services through the medium of entertainment. Especially as an event for consumers to experience new ways of living, eating, working, playing, relaxing, and enjoying life.
Lavenders are one of the best-known herbs used for aromatherapy. They are also widely used in perfumes, cosmetics, soaps, shampoos, lotions, candles, bath salts, potpourri, and herbal remedies.
Economic Importance of Lavender Farming
Lavender is one of the oldest plants known to man. It was grown extensively during Roman times and was also cultivated in ancient Egypt. During the Middle Ages, lavender was used to treat stomach ailments, skin diseases, and hair loss. Today, lavender oil is widely used in cosmetics due to its soothing properties.
Lavender blooms produce abundant nectar which yields good-tasting honey for beekeepers. Lavender varieties of honey is made mainly in countries around the Mediterranean and is sold worldwide as a premium product made from lavender blossoms. Lavender flowers can be candies and are used as decorations for cakes.
Lavender is also known as a herb, either used alone or as part of a blend called Herbs de Provence. It has several medical benefits. Its antiseptic qualities make it useful as a cleaning agent to keep floors and surfaces clean. There are about thirty different varieties of lavender oil and they can be found on the market.
Health Benefits of Lavender
- Lavender has been used for centuries to treat fungal infections. It works well against both yeast and mold infections.
- Lavender oil may be helpful in reducing anxiety among anxious dental patients.
- It helps relieve mental fatigue and emotional stress.
- It also helps improve eczema and psoriatic skin conditions.
- It heals burns and wounds.
- Lavender is an effective remedy for insomnia.
Things To Consider in Lavender Farming
- We need to first discuss weather conditions. Lavender needs a similar temperature to grow well.
- Only three types of lavender are used commercially for lavender production.
- If you’re going to start a large-scale lavender farm, you need to plan properly. You could sell a fresh product or you could sell value-add products.
- You need to provide good conditions for lavender plants.
- Finally, look at what you can sell from your lavender farm; it will help increase profits.
Best Varieties for Commercial Lavender Farming
To grow our business, we recommend using three different types of marketing methods.
Lavandula angustifolia, or English Lavender: This is an evergreen perennial plant native to Europe. Its flowers are used to create lavender oil which has been used medicinally since ancient times.
Lavandula angustifolia × intermedia: This lavender hybrid produces larger flowers than either parent plant, and yields about 5% more essential oil than English lavender. Its leaves are smaller and narrower than those of the original lavender.
Lavandula angustifolia: This unique lavender variety is easy to identify, with a cylindrical flower head topped by leaflike appendages.
They are the earliest type of lavender to blossom and bear blooms throughout the entire growing period. However, they are not very hardy, with most types only suited for zones 5 to 9. They are also used for fresh-cut bouquets.
Agro Climatic Condition For Lavender Farming
Lavender is a hardy evergreen shrub that grows to around 1 meter (3ft) tall. In temperate climates it can grow throughout the year, although flowering tends to occur between June and August.
The flowers are produced in small clusters along the stems, each cluster consisting of five individual flowers held together by a common stalk. Lavender is often used as an ornamental plant because of its attractive appearance and fragrance.
However, lavender can withstand moderate frosts and droughts. Spike lavender cannot stand frost. All lavenders react badly to high humidity. Summer heat degrades the quality of lavender oil. Rainfall should not exceed 300mm annually.
Suitable Soil For Lavender Farming
Lavender prefers well-drained light, sandy or sandy loam, and gravelly or clayey soil in full sun. Low fertilization levels are sufficient to produce good plants. However, too much moisture can lead to disease problems. You should also keep your soil slightly acidic (pH 6.5 – 7.5).
You may want to read: How to take soil samples for analysis?
Basic Steps for Lavender Farming
Soil Preparation
Lavender can only grow successfully if given adequate amounts of water and sunlight. In order to make your lavender plants thrive, you should ensure they receive enough light throughout the day.
A good rule of thumb would be to provide them with six hours of direct sun each day. When planting your seeds, try to keep them evenly spaced out so that they receive equal amounts of light.
After the seedlings have sprouted, give them plenty of room to grow. They may start growing very quickly, but once they begin flowering, they will slow down considerably.
Propagation
Lavender can grow from seed, cuttings, layering, and divisions of rootstocks. You should plant your seeds in late fall or early spring. For best results, choose a sunny location and keep the soil evenly moist throughout the growing season. After planting, water regularly until new growth appears. Keep weeds under control during the growing period. Remove spent flowers before they set seed.
When the buds begin to open, pinch back the tips to encourage bushy growth. In areas where winters are severe, protect seedlings with an evergreen cover such as heather (Calluna vulgaris) or dwarf Siberian pea shrub (Lathyrus latifolius).
Plantation
In mild climates, fall plantings work best because they allow the plants to establish before the weather turns too cold. In areas with very harsh climates, such as Alaska, fall plantings are not an option. You should also consider how much water your soil can hold during the growing season. For mechanical cultivation and harvest, you’ll need to know the appropriate spacing between rows and the height of each plant. Finally, you must take into account the variety of the crop and its growth habits.
Irrigation
It is important to water your plants during their initial two years of life so that they establish properly. However, overhead watering will increase diseases and will cause older plants’ leaves to crack open in the middle.
Manuring
Lavender requires high levels of nutrients, so the excessive application of fertilizer may cause poor oil production, make plants unhealthy, or cause weeds to grow faster than lavender.
Weed Control
You should take great care not to damage the root system of your plants. Mulch helps retain water and suppress weeds. Drip systems keep soils moist and reduce the number of weeds. Generally, two to three applications per season are needed.
Also Read: Profitable Cash Crops to Grow
Harvesting & Yield In Lavender Farming
You can gather lavender flowers at any time during the year, but they’re best gathered when temperatures are mild and winds aren’t blowing. If you gather them too soon, they won’t produce enough essential oils; if you wait too long, they may lose their fragrance.
One acre of L. Angustifolia yields between 300 and 1800 pounds of dried blossoms.
Cutting flowers for the fresh market usually occurs one week after harvesting for oil extraction. Oil is extracted from the stalks of the plant, which are shorter than those used for flower cutting.
How to Make Money from Lavender Farming Business
Lavender farming can be highly profitable if you know which crops to grow and how to market them effectively. For example, some of the most profitable products include lavender soaps, lavender repellents, lavender plant sales, drying flowers, deodorized sachet bags, and much more.
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