How do I pick lavender?

gavsmith

So I bought a good few lavender plants for my mother in laws house.
They are big but bushy and messy.
I would love to pick some and put them in a vase. Do they last or is it better to put them in a vase without water?
I can't find much info online!

Sgt Pepper 64

gavsmith wrote: »

So I bought a good few lavender plants for my mother in laws house.
They are big but bushy and messy.
I would love to pick some and put them in a vase. Do they last or is it better to put them in a vase without water?
I can't find much info online!

My granny used to pick lavender

http://www.wikihow.com/Prune-and-Harvest-Lavender

Cut the lavender stems that have flowers. Do this early in the flower cycle, and morning, after the dew has dried but before the heat of the sun draws out too much of the essential oils (you will want those intact to evoke the scent in your home).

• Areas of smaller variety lavender will tend to flower in patches, and should be harvested in timely order that way, to encourage re~flowering. In general, lavender will act like any other flowering plant, when they are de-flowered early enough, at the base of the flower, a new flower grows, giving you 3-6 effective harvests in a year.
• Small lavender blossoms will have green bases rising to white, lavender, or other colored tops, that should be harvested with scissors at 1/4-1/2", leaving the green; do your best to get all the color on a given bloom.
• Blooms should be ready for re~harvest in 2 weeks to a month; when re-flowering slows (to approx. 1 month) take color and green in 'final' harvest. You may get another, depending upon conditions.

Pick the flower heads when they are looking gorgeous and smelling even more wonderful. Keep them on their stalks and tie in bunches of about ten stems and hang upside down in a warm, dry, dark, well-ventilated place. Airing cupboard, warm loft or outhouse is great. Ideal drying conditions are 32 degrees C for the first 24 hours, then 24-26C thereafter. Allow to dry fully - anything from one to three weeks. Once fully dried, remove flowers and place in bags (I think you need quite a close weave fabric or they poke through)


http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/grapevine/making-most/19022-lavender-bags-3.html

gavsmith

Thanks for that. I'll be in the in laws good books this weekend!