Lavender

Commercially lavender is grown in France, England, Spain, Italy, USA, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Japan. Each region growing species that are best suited to local conditions – many trials have been conducted world-wide to isolate the best species for specific local conditions.

There are a number of practical tasks students will carry out in this course.  If students have problems accessing facilities or resources for practical tasks, alternative tasks can be set.

Lesson Structure

There are 10 lessons in this course:

1. Introduction
   • Classification and identification of lavender, general characteristics of the group, contacts (ie: nurseries, seed, clubs, etc.)
2. Soils, Fertilisers and Nutrition for Lavender
   • Soil structure, pH, organic matter, ameliorants and organic growing.
3. Cultural Techniques for Lavender Growing
   • Pruning, water management (mulching, irrigation, drainage, etc.), planting and establishment methods, crop scheduling, no dig gardening.
4. Lavender Propagation
   • Propagation from cuttings, propagation growth media, other propagation methods,
5. Commercial Alternatives
   • Managing a Market Garden, standards, mulches, problems and their control, weed control without chemicals, economic outlook for herbs.
6. Plant Variety Selection and Breeding
   • Breeding and selecting new varieties, lavender clone selection for essential oils in Tasmania.
7. Building Plant Knowledge
   • Lavender types and other varieties, advantages and disadvantages of different varieties.
8. Harvesting, Postharvest Treatment and Storage
   • Harvesting, distillation and oils, post harvest preservation of fresh herbs, drying lavender.
9. Processing and Making Lavender Products
   • Lavender crafts, using herbs in cooking, selling herb products.
10. Marketing Lavender Produce
    • How to market your produce, considering your market, market research, selling successfully.

Each lesson culminates in an assignment which is submitted to the school, marked by the school's tutors and returned to you with any relevant suggestions, comments, and if necessary, extra reading.

Aims

• Describe the plant naming system and classification of plants
• Discuss the nature and scope of the Lavender genus.
• Describe the nutritional requirements of the lavender species.
• Explain the cultural requirements of the lavender species.
• Explain propagating techniques specific to lavender
• Describe commercial lavender growing operations.
• Select species appropriate to the climatic and soil conditions of a chosen locality.
• Describe of a variety of lavender species and cultivars.
• Describe the production processes on a lavender farm.
• Describe various lavender products and discuss the way in which they are processed.
• Explain the processes used in the marketing of lavender products.

What You Will Do

• Prepare a collection of 20 different types of lavender in the form of pressed, dried, labelled specimens
• Compile a resource file of contacts relevant to lavender and lavender growing
• Contact a number of lavender related organisations for information on their activities in the industry
• Collect and test at least three different soil samples
• Identify and (optional) manufacture a potting mix suitable for lavender growing
• Collect information on organic and inorganic fertilisers from fertiliser companies
• Research information on machinery used in horticulture by contacting the companies that produce it
• Produce a no dig garden or an organic garden
• Manufacture a propagating mix for lavender cuttings
• Take lavender cuttings for propagation
• Contact a herb nursery to observe their operation
• Research irrigation equipment by contacting irrigation suppliers
• Cross pollinate lavender and grow the resulting seed
• Compare various types of lavender
• Harvest a number of different types of lavender
• Produce a small quantity of lavender oil
• Produce two non edible and one edible product containing lavender
• Visit a shop selling lavender products to observe marketing procedures

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