I'm trying to save this Lavender...pic

[dannyo]

So we had a couple empty pots and my wife thought lavender would be a nice fragrance on the patio where we spend a lot of our evenings. We don't know anything about flowers, herbs, or gardens so we're trying all three this year Never the less I read that lavender needs good drainage and when the plant started turning white all over I thought it might be too soggy.

Here is the plant in the new pot, it's a cheap glazed foam pot, which I drilled holes into the bottom. When we repotted this this plant we put 2-3 inches of gravel in the bottom, and tried to mix the soil about 50/50 as we went up, but we did not disturb the root ball at all.

This picture was taken the day we put it in new pot so it really shows the condition of the old pot. Does lavender need Sun, Shad, or part. Do you think our little plant will live?

 

[Reinbeau]

Can you not plant it in the ground? Lavender isn't a great potted plant. It wants sun, a sweet, well drained, gritty soil, think Mediterranean climate.

 

[Greenthumb18]

I agree lavender doesnt appreciate being in a pot it needs to be in the ground. Make sure the soil is well-drained. I hope your plant will grow fine, if not you can always try again.

 

[rebbetzin]

One time I checked out a great Herb book at our local Library.. of course I don't recall the title.. but... there was a very detailed article on growing lavendar. The planting hole had a layer of rocks, the most important thing was having the "crown" of the plant be 1/5 to 2" above the soil line. And to let it dry out between waterings. I have NEVER had good luck with lavendar!!! But, I have seen it doing wonderfully in some gardens here.

 

[dannyo]

Well if this pot does no better, we'll find a spot in the yard thanks all; very informative as always

 

[Greenthumb18]

Hey dannyo give us an update on the lavender, is it thriving?

 

[DrakeMaiden]

Hmmm . . . what the picture says to me is that:
1. The plant (root ball and all) is in very wet soil
2. The surrounding soil is very dry
3. The two soils do not intermix

I would recommend that when you plant it that you do disturb the root ball and then thoroughly water it into the new soil. The best soil to use would be well draining, as others have said, so if all you have is store-bought potting mix, I would mix that with a generous amount of sand . . . builders sand, or horticultural sand, not beach sand.

If you plant it in the ground, make sure that it is in a spot that does not puddle when it rains.

The reason you want to disturb the roots is that they need to adapt to the new soil or they may never establish into the new soil.

 

[Sylvie]

I agree that you should disturb the root ball. Pull it apart a little to loosen. When you do that look to see if it has well formed roots. That will give you a hint as to whether the plant will survive in general. If very few roots, you can trim the leaves about 1/3 so the plant isn't putting all it's energy to sustaining the leaves instead of the roots. I'd trim it anyhow, if it were mine.

One thing I don't like about your photo is that I shouldn't be seeing the nursery pot soil, that should be covered with your potting soil because the medium used at the nursery usually dries out fast. Covering that slightly with help it establish beyond the original soil boundary by keeping the moisture uniform.
You won't need to elevate it in your pot, plant at the same depth that it was planted in it's little container.

I grow many lavenders in horrible heavy clay soil. They are set only a couple inches higher than the surrounding "prone to standing water in spring" ground. It is large, lush and 15 years old. I do mulch it to maintain moisture in summer when my clay could turn to rock.
I don't find it necessary to have sandy soil. I'd add a few handfuls of garden soil to your pot if you add sand.

It does best in full sun.

 

[ozark hen]

Having just purchased a lavender plant....I am waiting till the 25th..per Farmer's Almanac to replant it. It is good to see Sylvie's advice as we, too, have clay soil in the area where I want to plant it. But my dh just moved the wood pile and cleaned up that area and the soil is very black where the wood decayed over the past thirty plus years so I am thinking of putting it there? I was planning on putting other herbs with it in that spot but now am wondering if the lavender needs to be alone? How much space will it take up?
Sylvie, if I plant it in the clay area, what should I do to my soil there? thanks for helping me with all these questions.