How to Harvest Lavender the Right Way, According to Horticulturists

Lavender (Lavandula) is a lovely perennial flower, and its vibrant purple blooms add a beautiful splash of color to a garden. Not only is this plant aesthetically pleasing, but it has a wide range of uses too, from calming teas to soothing essential oils.

However, in order to take advantage of this multipurpose plant, you'll have to correctly harvest it. And while lavender is easy to grow, its harvesting time can vary significantly depending on how you plan on using it. To help you get started, we spoke to gardening experts about the very best ways to harvest lavender.

When to Harvest

There's not a cut-and-dry answer as to when you should harvest lavender. Depending on the variety you're growing, these flowers can bloom in spring, summer, and again later in the fall, so instead of a set time of year, you'll have to keep a close eye on your lavender to know when it's time to harvest.

On top of that, timing completely depends on how you intend on using your lavender. Waiting a bit longer to harvest may be a good idea for certain use cases, but can be detrimental to others.

For Essential Oils

If you plan on using lavender oil to help you relax, or even catch a few extra z's, then you'll have to harvest it at a specific time. "Lavender has multiple small flowers on the stem. Harvest when the first few buds are just opened," says Brooke Edmunds, a master gardener and associate professor at the University of Oregon Extension. "This is when the essential oil levels are at the highest, so you'll get the best fragrance."

For Culinary Uses

Lavender can be used in all kinds of dishes and drinks, from warm cookies to soothing tea. Edmunds especially recommends a strawberry lavender milkshake, which she says is a favorite in the Willamette Valley, where she resides.

Mariah Henry, the director of sustainable food systems at the Carolina Farm Trust, recommends harvesting lavender before the flowers open for best flavor.

For Bouquets and Bundles

Lavender looks beautiful in a vase on display, but it can also be dried, bundled, and used as a natural air freshener. For either approach, Henry recommends waiting until the flowers are in full bloom.

How to Harvest

When your lavender is ready, take a pair of sterilized, clean garden shears and get straight to harvesting. Henry recommends first locating a budding stem, then following it down until you see two new shoots. Then, cut the middle stem just between the two middle shoots. Not only is this method effective, but it also encourages long-term growth. 

How to Store

The easiest way to store lavender is to let it dry out, a method that will allow its soothing scent to last much longer. Edmunds recommends bundling multiple stems together, tying them with kitchen twine, and then hanging them upside down, flowers facing down—then leave them there for a few weeks.

Once the lavender is completely dried out, remove the flower buds and store them in an airtight container—Edmunds suggests a canning jar, but mentions that you can also store them in the freezer if you have vacuum-sealed bags.

This approach will help your lavender stay fresh for much longer—and without too much additional hassle.