Lavender Question?

[GardenGeisha]

I transplanted 2 small clumps of lavender about 5 weeks ago, watering them in well, in hopes they'd settle in. I thought they looked good, but checking them out from a different angle yesterday, I noticed that one side of each plant showed dried up leaves, wilting, shriveling looking. I was afraid they'd gotten root rot, as we've had rains, but when I dug them up I discovered their rootballs were much drier than the surrounding soil, and the roots appeared awfully dry. So I soaked both plants for quite a while yesterday and replanted them, this time in much deeper and wider holes with good, fine soil, in hopes of encouraging the roots to take off. Do you think there is hope? I've read that once lavender roots die out, the plants tend to be doomed. Is it possible enough good roots remain that the soaking yesterday might help them take off? I put the plants on a mound this time, where they'll have more space, better air circulation and no weeds to compete with, and I mixed in crushed oyster shell. Should I tear away the dead-looking part of the lavender plants, or leave it, in hopes the roots might recover and send up new growth in those dead-looking areas? Half of one plant still has green, and almost all of the other one does. I've had these plants since 2007, I think. They looked good out front and always bloomed and got lots of water and didn't mind. They were on a slope there, which they liked. They never got any bigger across than about 8". All suggestions will be appreciated. Thanks so much!

 

[so lucky]

I don't have any advice for you; I have a hard time keeping them alive myself. But it sounds like you did the right thing.

 

[GardenGeisha]

Thanks, so lucky! Does anyone else have any advice? Should I water the transplanted lavenders with diluted blue Miracle-Gro? Would that help invigorate them with new growth??

 

[digitS']

I took root cuttings of the neighbor's lavender, 2 years ago. I was helping him clean his garden and a large lavender plant was completely in the way. He wanted to just sacrifice it, altho' he said it was a gift from his 90+ mother.

I had 5 cuttings in fairly small pots. Two set roots well enough I put them in the unheated greenhouse through the winter. They were moved outside where I essentially forgot about them other than that they had water. The 2nd winter, I moved them back in the greenhouse. This spring, I gave the 2 plants back to him.

Still small, I think they were just suffering somewhat in the 4" pots. They were very rootbound but ready to grow! He promised to find a good place for them in his yard.

Steve

 

[so lucky]

@GardenGeisha , It occurred to me that lavender, like many of our herbs, doesn't necessarily want rich soil or fertilizer or very much water. I don't think Miracle Grow would be the way to go. "They" say not to fertilize a stressed plant. I don't really know who "they" is, though.

 

[GardenGeisha]

Great story, Steve! This plant is tiny, though almost 10 years old. How would I take root cuttings of it? Do I just remove parts of the plant and put them in a baggie with soil? I am trying this with a dahlia sprout I broke off, accidentally, and it is greening right up.

 

[GardenGeisha]

I agree with you, so lucky. I was going to tell my friend who suggested the Miracle Gro this, but she seems sure diluted Miracle-Gro won't hurt a plant. But I think I'll go with my feeling that it doesn't need fertilizer. I did put some Miracle Gro potting soil in the ground, mixed with the native dirt, and it is supposed to feed for 6 months, so I think that would be enough.

 

[Todd Ziegler]

Lavender is native to Mediterranean and they are much better off without fertilizer and heavy watering. The soil were they are native to is rocky with poor nutrient base. They area is also considered an arid land. So I would not keep the roots wet and it's best to let it dry out before watering. The soil should be slightly alkaline.

 

[ninnymary]

I'm always moving my plants around at the wrong times of the year. Because when I want to move something, I want to move it NOW. I've moved my "Hidcote" lavendar several times. Sometimes a part of it does die out but it always comes back. I never fertilize it and treat it like an herb, fairly dry and no fertilizer.

Mary

 

[GardenGeisha]

It looks like more and more of the one lavender plant is dying away every day. The other one seems to be holding its own.