FAQs
I thought lavender was a color or a smell – what is it?
Lavender is a plant! It’s an herb actually and it can be used for many, many things! There are over 400 kinds of lavender – check out more here.
What in the world to you use lavender for besides smelling?
So many things, you wouldn’t believe! Yes, it smells good, but lavender can be used for helping you sleep and calm down, it can be eaten and adds a very interesting note to sweet and savory dishes. It can be used medicinally and can be used to help with things from burns to bug bites, exema and headaches. (We can’t make medical claims, but there are studies and many stories from our customers.) It can be used as decoration or to keep mosquitoes away and even in pet beds! Learn more here.
Wait, you can grow lavender in South Carolina? Yes! How??
There are many kinds of lavender and some won’t grow in this area. We are growing two main kinds: angustifolias and intermedias (lavandins). These are grown from Canada down to, well, South Carolina – and from coast to coast. The big growing issue for lavender is water: too much rain, not enough drainage, not enough air flow. Our field has raised rows and less plants in it than other, less humid areas for that very reason – to allow more airflow around the plants and more drainage. We do believe we are getting close to the humidity boundary where there would be more fungal and plant health issues, but lavender is always surprising us! Learn how to grow it yourself here.
How do I visit your farm?
We have previously been open for a seasonal Upick and events. As of November 2018, we are no longer open and changing business direction. Read about that here.
How long is a dried bundle good for?
A dried bundle will have a good, strong smell for at least a year. Every once in a while, very very gently *smush* the bundle to break some plant material to release more smell (oil). It will still have smell for years and years to come, but it may not be quite as strong as the first year. You can put some drops of essential oil on the bundle to refresh it or you can store it in tissue paper in a drawer when it’s not being used to prolong the bundle’s life.
Can you be allergic to lavender?
Yes! Lavender is a plant just like any other perennial and we’ve met several people that tear up and sneeze just like regular allergies. So, if you have similar allergies or sensitivities, talk with your doctor or test a small spot first.
Can lavender cause young boys to develop breast tissue?
This is a story that’s made the rounds, but it’s misquoted, unfounded and untrue. Read here for the breakdown of the original study by Aromatherapy expert Robert Tisserand.
Can I start my own lavender from seed?
You can certainly try, however: 1) lavender seeds are notoriously difficult to start and 2) – the most important – those seeds are not going to “come true”. They won’t actually be the same as another plant. Pollinators can fly from lavender to lavender and pick up pollen and make a muddle of the pollen and it’s not the same as the mother plant. The cultivars you may recognize – Hidcote, Grosso, Melissa, etc – have to be continued using vegetative propagation, or cuttings. These will be exact copies of their mother plant and you’ll know what characteristics you are getting.
Do you distill your own essential oil?
We did not because it takes a LOT of plant material to make essential oil and our customers love our fresh and dried bundles too much! We buy our essential oil from another lavender farmer that is a friend of ours in the US and we know how the plants are grown and how the oil is distilled. So, that 5ml bottle of SHL essential oil? That’s the smell of American grown lavender!