Lavender Intercropping and Soil Management

Project Overview

FW15-045
Project Type: Farmer/Rancher
Funds awarded in 2015: $13,665.00
Projected End Date: 11/09/2018
Grant Recipient: Bluefly Farms, LLC
Region: Western
State: New Mexico
Principal Investigator:
Kemper Barkhurst
Email
Bluefly Farms, LLC

Annual Reports

Information Products

Commodities

  • Agronomic: grass (misc. perennial)
  • Additional Plants: herbs

Practices

  • Crop Production: alley cropping, cover crops
  • Education and Training: demonstration, on-farm/ranch research
  • Natural Resources/Environment: soil stabilization
  • Production Systems: organic agriculture
  • Soil Management: green manures

    Summary:

    Our objective of this three year project was to test numerous soil mixtures for growing lavender and to test intercropping the alley between the lavender rows for soil management. We have selected the Buffalo grass as the best performing cover crop for the lavender alleyway. We have completed and begun distributing a new lavender grower’s guide that is focused on the Southwest.

    Project objectives:

    1. To research multiple soil mixtures for more precisely amending soil conditions in the immediate root zones of Lavender and documenting results. (Years 1-3)
    2. To research multiple different cover crops for surrounding soil to match water conditions of lavender and reduce field competition. (Years 1-3)
    3. To provide site visits and publish results of this research and encourage the adoption of best practices to Lavender farmers in the Southwest region. (Year 3)

     

    Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture or SARE.