Uses for lavender

lucylou

thanks everyone for your help.the plant is inside a pot just outside my back door in the garden.The leaves have come out but not the flowers.as it has been really hot I have given it a glass of water but I hope it resists as i really love lavander.i don't want to plant in the garden as I am renting only at the moment and I would like to bring it with me when I eventually leave.;)

summerday

Sorry if someone has already posted it, but you could make lavendar bags. Just need a scrap of fabric, ideally something floral or pretty, put some lavendar flowers in the centre and get a small piece of ribbon or even wool if you have no ribbon, and bring the corners in together and tie them with the ribbon. We made these when we were little and they can make nice gifts to hang on bedposts or in wardrobes to make clothes smell fresh.

Sarah.

gemmaj

On the last episode of How Clean is Your House, they mixed bicarb of soda, lavender and rosemary, scattered it on the carpet, left for 15 minutes and then vaccumed. It was suppose to leave the carpet smelling lovely! I love the idea but don't want to fill up my vaccuum cleaner bag!!

I too have a big lavender plant - I don't know if this is a stupid question but how do you dry the lavender? Do you dry it in the sun or in the oven (preferably not at 200 degrees with the sunday roast!!) and for how long? Thanks!

Trying2Save_3

Lucylou, its very easy to take cuttings from lavender. Find a shortish piece of lavender plant where its joined to a main stem and pull it down until it comes away, you should then have what's called a "heel". It should be a woody bit. Pull off the bottom leaves and then just push it into the soil. Take several cuttings and chances are several will take root. Hope this makes sense as its difficult to explain, its just one of those things that I learnt from watching my Mum and you just get to know which bit you need.

squeaky

gemmaj wrote:

I too have a big lavender plant - I don't know if this is a stupid question but how do you dry the lavender? Do you dry it in the sun or in the oven (preferably not at 200 degrees with the sunday roast!!) and for how long? Thanks!

Normally you just hang bunches upside down in a dark, warm, and well ventilated place. It normally takes about 7-10 days.

The airing cupboard sounds like the right spot then - perhaps with the door left ajar to help with air flow.

aromaannie

Lavender Essential Oil is fantastic for burns . it stops the pain and heals it really quickly

bugs

What Squeaky says is all we do with our lavender - gather in bunches (not too big - about as thick as the gap you make putting your finger and thumb together). Tie them or wrap them with wire and hang in our hallway which is quite dingy but airy - if you have a picture rail you can use picture hooks or clothes hangers to hang them. If you can, put some paper underneath as some of the flowers will drop as it dries and you don't want to lose them.

Ours is looking like a good crop this year so I hope to experiment with some cosmetics from the Natural Beauty Book, including a powder with pulverised lavender (and possibly rose petals) and a tonic/perfume toner...apparently the lavender leaves you with a bright pink liquid!

However, shamelessly I direct you to my guide to lavender wands - they'd make a very nice addition to the home made Christmas gifts that some of you are working on.

Trying2Save_3

Bugs, the lavendar wand is so pretty I am going to try and make one. What a lovely idea. Thank you.

bugs

Thanks Trying2Save they really are very easy to get the hang of, even the first one I made was good and I'm the clumsiest least artistic person I know! The guide I used (a few years ago) was just text though and I did a lot of wrapping and unwrapping until I got it right which is why I thought people might like some more detailed photos.

In the unlikely even you get stuck do post up here and I'll see if I can help, but I'm sure you'll storm through it!

Trying2Save_3

:T Thanks, I'll just go and add ribbon to my shopping list......