Lavender Herb Questions

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Question

I have just potted two lavender plants and they seem to be dying - they are going brown. We used a large pot as recommended by the shop, we've added a few bits of crockery to cover the hole in the pot and help drainage as recommended, we added some potting compost and we water it regularly - but still the plant looks like its dying.
Please help.

The Green Chronicle replies...

Hi,
have you over-watered the lavender do you think? Lavender needs free draining and light soil to prosper. You might try re-potting in a sandier or grittier potting mix. This is the perfect time of year to take a few semi-ripe cuttings to propagate some new plants - just in case.

If you have any questions on Lavender, e-mail us and we may be able to help!

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I recently purchased a lavender plant and sat it in my window sill where it gets partial sun. It was doing wonderfully until I decided to open the window one day and the wind made all the flowering stems go limp. I stuck support rods in the pot and tied the limp stems to them, hoping they might stand erect again. Is this good, or is there something else I should do? Once wind knocks these stems down, will they eventually return to erect position on their own?
Thanks so much for the help. Also is water once a week too much? They have drainage, normally if the soil is dry about two inches down then I'll water, is that a good method?

#7 - Emily Bloom - 04/09/2008 - 13:09

Hi. I have a row of lavender plants that I planted just above the soil to allow for drainage. They have been growing for about 2 1/2 years now and have been fine but this summer i have noticed the leaves near the base of the plant have gone grey and the branches are starting to go yellow. It appears to be spreading. Should i be worried?

#6 - Hayley - 01/07/2008 - 18:39

Do you know whether your lavender is hardy or tender? If it is one of the tender varieties you would definitely need to protect it from frost.Lavender should only be pruned (see answer below)after flowering in late spring not just before a hard winter.The black leaves are probably dead.

#5 - mary - 10/13/2007 - 08:19

Thanks, Elaine! Now all of sudden I'm getting black leaves.....what causes this? Also, should I prune it back in the Fall 12 inch plant in a pot on my balcony and I don't want to cut it too far back. Since it is in a pot, should I bring it in this winter? I live on the ocean and it gets very cold and windy here in the winter. Sorry to be such a novice, but these forums are great and I thank you very much in advance!

#4 - Mary Harrison - 10/10/2007 - 15:54

Most lavenders do not flower in their first year. See what happens late next spring.

#3 - Elaine - 09/22/2007 - 04:51

I planted a lavender plant in late spring. It has full sun, I don't water it very much and the pot drains well. It appears to be growing fine, but it hasn't bloomed. Do they sometimes not bloom the first year?

#2 - Mary Harrison - 09/21/2007 - 12:16

Lavender can be trimmed after flowering in autumn or if you live in a wet, cold climate it is better to trim it in spring. The thing to watch is not to cut into the old wood as this can prevent the growth of new shoots.

#1 - Simon - 05/30/2007 - 11:58

I'm wondering what to do each spring with my lavender plant. Should I cut it back or does the part that appears dead come back to life? Not sure just how to treat it. Thanks for any tips you can offer.

#0 - Joyce Nagle - 05/30/2007 - 08:10


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