I have lavender but no practical outdoor spot for it, so I’m trying it inside near a skylight and under an LED grow light. What should I focus on, and is there a realistic way to keep it going indoors?
Can lavender actually work indoors?
Asked by PocketComet
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The hard part is light. Lavender wants strong, direct sun for much of the day, and a bright room can still fall short. A grow light may help, but keeping it healthy indoors, especially through darker seasons, can be a tough project. I’d treat it as an experiment rather than expect it to thrive like an outdoor plant.
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Pay close attention to drainage, not a fixed watering schedule. Use a pot with drainage holes and a loose, fast-draining mix. Let the mix get close to dry before watering, and empty any water that collects in an outer pot or saucer. Lavender is much more likely to struggle with persistently wet roots than with being a little dry.
OrangeReceipt:
Since the plant is still in its nursery pot, check that it has holes and isn’t sitting in water inside the clay pot. You don’t need to repot just for the sake of it, but do if the mix stays wet or drainage is poor.
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I’d keep feeding minimal. Lavender does fine in lean soil, so regular fertilizer isn’t a fix for weak light or soggy roots. For pruning, trim back leafy growth if needed, but avoid cutting hard into bare, woody stems. If you can give it a genuinely sunny outdoor spot for part of the year, that may be a better option than keeping it inside all year.
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TinMarble:
That’s a useful expectation to set. If it starts stretching or looking weak despite the light, the location may simply not be bright enough.