Harvesting time will be late December / early January for the angustifolia varieties and late January / early February for the lavandins (Grosso, Super etc) but can vary from district to district and from year to year as climatic conditions determine when the crop is ready.
It is a test for fitness if you harvest manually (and also a test of your friends). A mechanical harvester is a significant investment and is not really justified until you have a large area to harvest. There are herb harvesters available for purchase but some members have made their own versions of harvesters that they use.
Most people cut by hand using sickles, hedge trimmers or serrated edged knives (scissors and secateurs tend to become seized up from the resin in the stems). It is important not to allow the cut lavender heads to fall onto the ground as they must be kept free of other vegetable matter as this may affect the oil when it is distilled with the lavender. Pruning of the bushes can be carried out straight after harvesting or left until there is more time available, as long as they are pruned before the first frosts set in.
It is preferable to distil on the same day as harvest. In France they can leave the cut lavender in the fields for up to three days, though this practise would not be wise in New Zealand. The critical factor is that the crop must be dry (even of dew) when you harvest and it should be stored in conditions where it will not sweat. Some people have stored lavender in jute wool fadges or cotton duvet covers. Others spread their lavender out on the floor of a shed so that the field heat can escape until they can get it to the still. A still can be a major capital investment and unless you intend to be a major producer, it is probably better to get access to someone who will contract distil your crop for you. At present there are several stills available throughout the North and South Islands.
It is one thing to grow and distil oil successfully but the ultimate aim of most members is to make an income from oil production and that involves looking at marketing. Some who produce oil do it for use in their own added-value products for sale and some sell to brokers as a commodity.
Though marketing is not the role of the Association, we assist with networking among members who may be able to help and also hold workshops at our Conferences.
The text books refer to diseases and there are very few that affect lavender in New Zealand.
The major worry is Alfalfa Mosaic Virus (AMV). Bright yellow patches develop on the leaves in the spring and the young shoots may be twisted
The disease appears on Lucerne, Clover and many other garden plants and weeds. The virus is spread by aphids and also any cutting tool which has been used on an affected plant. The only remedy is to remove the lavender plant and burn it and disinfect any tools used in connection with the infected plant.
Rabbits are a major pest in certain regions and suitable fencing will be required around lavender plantations as they like to dig up young plants that have been newly planted out. Planting into weed mat has proven to be an effective method of deterring rabbits from digging up the small plants.
Spittle bug is often found on lavenders in early summer and although the frothy blobs of spittle look unsightly, they cause no significant damage to a crop that is grown for oil production.
Garden weevil has become quite a pest in certain regions of the North Island. They chew the stems of mature flower heads and this results in the heads falling off or becoming withered causing significant loss of oil production and/or dried rubbings. Research being carried out by LGA members will ascertain the most eco-friendly type system of achieving pest control, as the garden weevil is extremely difficult to manage without some form of contact insecticide.
