KJFM NEWS –  Garden Talk is produced monthly at the Adair County University of Missouri Extension Center in Kirksville, Mo.

  The 2022 Lavender Growers Workshop series kicked off on June 29 at the Adair County Extension office with about 60 in attendance. Participants included both homeowners, Master Gardeners, and commercial producers interested in learning more about growing lavender in Missouri. Topics included an overview of growing lavender, a discussion on cultivars, research data, and an essential oil distillation demonstration. A workshop was also held on July 13 in Springfield, and one will be held on August 11 in Ste. Genevieve.

                Seventeen cultivars of lavender were harvested between June 3 and July 5 at the Adair County Extension Center. ‘Grosso’ was the largest producer of flowers. Just under 9 pounds of it with 16-18” stems were harvested on July 5. ‘Phenomenal’ was the next highest producer with 16-21” stems. ‘Melissa’ produced white flowers, while Betty’s Blue and Hidcote produced really dark purple flowers. Some of the lavender was distilled into oil during the workshop, some were used to make lavender crafts to show at the workshop, some were used to make cookies and other desserts, and some has been kept for future use.