Lavender harvest in Thuringia: a pleasure for insects and agriculture!

Lavender harvest in Thuringia: a pleasure for insects and agriculture!

Gotha, Deutschland - The harvest time for lavender is initiated in Thuringia! Since the beginning of July 2025, farmers and scientists have been looking forward to the first yields of the fragrant plants. In the past two years, lavender fields have been created at five locations in Thuringia - including in Mühlhausen, Erfurt and Nöbdenitz to examine the growth and suitability of this medicine plant. The Erfurt University of Applied Sciences plays a central role in the project, which under the direction of Prof. Dr. Wilhelm stands and also focuses on nature conservation. According to an employee of the project, the plants look great and attract numerous insects that benefit from the rich nectar.

The goals of the project are clear: it is about making the lavender cultivation in Thuringia sustainably and expanding the variety of crops. Not only the growth of the plants is recorded on the lavender fields, but also the quality of the essential oil obtained. The first harvest began now, and the fresh plants are brought to the technical college, where they are checked with special devices to evaluate their agricultural ecological suitability and economic load-bearing capacity. As reports the [University of Applied Sciences Erfurt] (https://www.fh-erfurt.de/projekte/erprobung-des-lavender cultivation), the project runs until the end of the year and aims to promote the habitats for local insects.

a paradise for insects

An important aspect of the project is to investigate the effects of lavender cultivation on biodiversity in the agricultural landscape. In view of the alarming number of 48% of the bee and bumblebee species rated in Germany, which are considered threatened, valuable work is done here. The lavender fields should not only serve as a source of food for wild bees and tags, but also upgrade the adjacent areas and promote biodiversity. This concept was developed as part of the "Lawita" project, which is supported by the [German Federal Environmental Foundation] (https://www.dbu.de/projekt database/38063-01/)

With long -term and soil -friendly use of natural resources, a sustainable cultivation of lavender is sought. At the same time, the population is to be sensitized by educational work for the topics of sustainable land management and nature conservation. The range of lavender could not only enrich the agricultural businesses, but also increase the ecological qualities of the region.

first successes and challenges

The first harvest results show promising yields between 35 and 77 grams per plant, with the essential oil being won from the fresh mass in a concentration of 0.56 to 0.86%. Nevertheless, there are also challenges to master, such as the necessary coexistence regulation, especially when the weather is damp. In order to examine the profitability of the lavender cultivation and analyze the influences on nature, extensive surveys were already taking place.

Overall, the lavender could become an important part of Thuringian agriculture, which not only offers economic advantages, but can also make a significant contribution to improving nature. The next few months will show to what extent the first successes in the novel and for the coming years and projects can have an impact.