Fertilising guide

How to fertilise Tenerife Lavender (Lavandula buchii)— schedule & NPK

Also called Tenerife lavender, Jagged lavender, Canary Island lavender.

More about tenerife lavender

About Tenerife Lavender

Lavandula buchii · also called Tenerife lavender, Jagged lavender · herb

Tenerife lavender is an evergreen woody subshrub endemic to the island of Tenerife in the Canary Islands, where it grows on dry, volcanic, rocky slopes and in open scrub. Its deeply pinnate or bipinnate, fern-like grey-green leaves give it a uniquely lacy appearance quite distinct from other lavenders, and it produces tall, branching stems of pale violet-blue flowers over a long season, often near-continuously in mild climates. Being native to a warm subtropical island, it is one of the least frost-hardy lavenders and requires a frost-free or near-frost-free environment to overwinter successfully outdoors in most temperate gardens. According to the ASPCA, lavender (Lavandula) is toxic to cats, dogs, and horses.

Growth habit: Upright, bushy evergreen subshrub with highly divided, fern-like grey-green pinnate leaves and tall, branching flower spikes.

What fertiliser tenerife lavender actually wants — and why

Tenerife Lavender is a soft, fast leafy herb that you harvest hard — a modest balanced feed keeps tender growth coming without tipping it into bland or bolting.

A balanced general feed (even N-P-K) at modest strength — enough nitrogen to keep replacing the leaves you pick, but not so much that flavour thins or it bolts to seed.

For the language behind the three numbers on the bottle — what nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium each do — see the NPK ratio explained entry. The short version for tenerife lavender: match the feed to the job the plant is doing right now, not to a generic “plant food” on the shelf.

How often to feed tenerife lavender, and which months

Feeding only earns its keep while the plant is in active growth and can use the nutrients — pour feed into a dormant or low-light plant and it simply builds up as root-burning salt. For tenerife lavender:

Feed with a balanced liquid fertiliser once a month during the growing season (spring to early autumn) when grown in containers; in-ground plants on free-draining soil need little fertiliser. In practice: a balanced liquid feed every few weeks through the main growing and harvesting season (spring through early autumn), more often the harder you are picking it.

The dormant-season rule matters more than the exact interval: skip feeding entirely when tenerife lavender is resting. For the wider context on indoor feeding rhythms across the seasons, the houseplant fertiliser schedule walks through the year month by month.

What strength to mix for tenerife lavender

Half strength is a sensible default for tenerife lavender — enough to fuel regrowth after cutting, gentle enough that the leaves stay aromatic rather than watery.

Feeding always goes onto already-damp soil, never dry roots — water tenerife lavender first if the soil is dry, then apply the diluted feed. The companion question is when to water at all, covered in the tenerife lavender watering schedule.

Signs you are over-feeding tenerife lavender

Over-feeding is far more common — and more damaging — than under-feeding for most plants. The classic tells for tenerife lavender:

Fast, soft, pale growth with diluted, less aromatic flavour.
Early bolting (running to flower) and a bitter edge.
Salt crust and scorched tips on container plants.

Signs you are under-feeding tenerife lavender

Pale, slow regrowth after cutting and small leaves.
A tired, stalled plant that cannot keep up with harvesting.
Yellowing older leaves in a long-spent pot.

If the symptoms point at watering, light or roots rather than nutrition, the full tenerife lavender care brief covers soil, humidity and the common problems for this species.

Flushing and leaching the salts

Pot-grown tenerife lavender builds up feed salts quickly — water until it drains each time and flush the pot with plain water every few weeks, especially on a sunny windowsill.

Organic vs synthetic feeds for tenerife lavender

Organic options

A diluted seaweed feed or worm-casting tea keeps soft growth coming without overdoing it. UK: dilute seaweed or Westland; US: Espoma Garden-tone or Neptune's Harvest. Gentle, hard to overdo, flavour-friendly.

Synthetic / liquid feeds

A balanced liquid feed at half strength through harvesting — UK: Phostrogen, Baby Bio or Westland; US: Miracle-Gro all-purpose at half strength. Fast regrowth; just do not overdo the nitrogen.

Brand names are examples, not endorsements, and UK and US ranges differ — check the label’s own NPK and dilution rate, since formulations change.

Fertilising tenerife lavender — frequently asked questions

What fertiliser does tenerife lavender need?

A balanced general feed (even N-P-K) at modest strength — enough nitrogen to keep replacing the leaves you pick, but not so much that flavour thins or it bolts to seed. Tenerife Lavender is a soft, fast leafy herb that you harvest hard — a modest balanced feed keeps tender growth coming without tipping it into bland or bolting.

How often should I feed tenerife lavender?

Feed with a balanced liquid fertiliser once a month during the growing season (spring to early autumn) when grown in containers; in-ground plants on free-draining soil need little fertiliser. Feed with a balanced liquid fertiliser once a month during the growing season (spring to early autumn) when grown in containers; in-ground plants on free-draining soil need little fertiliser. In practice: a balanced liquid feed every few weeks through the main growing and harvesting season (spring through early autumn), more often the harder you are picking it.

What strength of feed for tenerife lavender?