I LOVE lavender, but I'm having a heck of a time getting them to grow. They are suppose to like heat and sun, but I know they don't like hot winds. I've been planting them in areas that have some shelter from the wind. I have had about 3 that have been wonderful, but I've had at least that many that just seem to dry up and die. Right now I'm trying to keep 2 of my younger one's alive. The one that's a few years old is great. Don't worry, with our drought, no chance of overwatering, but maybe there is something else I'm missing. Any ideas anyone?
Help with Lavenders
How much are you watering them? If your soil is on the clay side it's not hard to overwater them even if you're not watering often. They do best if you have perfect drainage. I don't know what sort of irrigation system you have, but my experience with them and other drought tolerant plants is that drip irrigation is not good for them. They also aren't especially fond of humidity so that could be a problem for you too. Lavandula stoechas is supposed to be better able to deal with humid climates than some of the other lavender species so you might give that one a try.
My soil is on the clay side, but I've amended it a lot in the areas where I've planted my lavenders. We've been having 100 plus temps for the last 6 weeks and are in the midst of one of the worst droughts in Texas history. I water twice a week with a sprinkler. Anything not established is watered by hand as needed. I do have a lavender that was planted early this spring and was larger to start with. It's not been watered as much because of its location, but it too is struggling.
I don't know how much you've been able to improve your drainage with your amendments, but if the drainage is still a bit on the slow side, twice a week watering might be too much for the ones that have been in the ground for a couple years. Once mine are established I water them once every two weeks and they're fine even when we're having a heat wave (we typically get no rain at all from May through October, so they get no help from Mother Nature). We're not over 100 every day for 6 wks so you may need to water more than I do though--when we have heat waves they typically last 3-5 days, then it'll drop back. You might try the finger test--before the next time you're about to water, stick your finger down a few inches into the soil and see how wet it feels--if it's still feeling wet then I'd back off on your watering frequency and see if that helps.
The one that was just planted this spring isn't established well enough yet so it'll definitely need more water than your others do.
Also--when you amended, did you just amend a small area for the planting hole, or did you do a wider area? If you just amend the planting hole, you can wind up with the "clay pot" effect where water will sit around the roots for a long time waiting to drain out into the clay.
Your climate unfortunately is not ideal for lavenders because of the humidity (at least I'm assuming it's humid because the parts of TX that I know are very humid). They're native to Mediterranean climates where the summers are hot, dry, and low humidity.
I amended the whole bed, the other bed is raised. I'm in West Central TX. What parts of Texas have you visited?. Most of the bigger cities are in the eastern and southern parts of the state which are the more humid areas. We're rolling grasslands and considered semi-arid. We actually have lavender farms in some parts of Texas. But I'll back off the water and see if it helps. Thanks.
I'd try the finger test before you decide what to do on the watering. Watering frequency depends on so many different factors, so it's hard for me to say for sure one way or the other whether you're watering too much, it's just something I'd consider as a possibility. The other thing to look at is whether you're watering deeply or not. The best thing for plants is to water them less frequently but more deeply--that encourages their roots to go down deep. Otherwise if you just give them little sips of water, the soil never gets very wet and the roots stay really shallow which makes them more sensitive to heat/drought. So if the finger test comes out OK but you think you might be watering too shallow, then I'd try watering more thoroughly when you do water, but do it a bit less often.
rambrat: how did your lavender survive?
I planted 2 in pots. They both died, within weeks. I think it was just too hot. I started thinking about what the ones that survived had in common. All of them got at least some shade. The one that had done the best spent its first 2 years in a bed on the east side of the house. Everyone tells me that they can take heat and sun, but I'm beginning to think they can't take Texas heat and Texaas sun, at least not until they get established. I'll keep trying.
I live in Mo. I have humidity which lavenders don't like. I also have clay soil. I am sure you have heard this before, but sometimes gardening is trial and error--and eventually finding the "right" place for the plant.
Here's what I do:
1. Mix the soil 1/2 and 1/2 with sand. The planting hole is about 18 inches deep and 18 inches in diameter. You may want to go 1/3 sand 2/3 clay.
2. Mound the soil up about 3 inches above the ground. Then, plant the lavender. (and say a prayer and give it a blessing!!)
3. I water it in and probably water it a couple of times there after.
4. I plant lavender in the spring. We get quite a bit of rain in the spring, so I don't have to coddle it that much.
Lavenders usually die out due to winter moisture, (drainage) but it seems yours does not make it past the summer. I would probably try the above method and/or you might want to try planting your lavender in the fall, so it doesn't have to go through your very hot summers; since it seems the heat may be the problem. You will probably have to purchase the lavender in the spring or maybe call and talk with the seller and see if they will send a plant in the fall or ask them if they have any suggestions. If you have to keep it through the summer to plant in the fall, keep it in the shade in a place where you can check on it frequently. Plant it in a big pot as it will hold more moister and give good drainage.
Even it you buy your plant locally, talk with the seller. I would also call an online source and talk with them. Call or e-mail them in the off season when they or not so busy and I am sure they will be happy to make suggestions. High Country Gardens specializes in xeric plants. They could probably give you some suggestions.
There's a new lavender out that has won awards: Lavandula angustifolia 'Purple" or Lavandula angustifolia "Sky". They may be a little tougher. They are suppose to grow only 12 inches.
I sure hope you can eventually get lavender to grow. I love mine, and it is so pleasurable to run your hand through. Keep me posted, and we will continue to brainstorm.
If it's any help, DD lived south of Nashville, TN and planted her lavender on the east side of the house. It did get full sun until noon. And her sun was hot! The soil was horrible, up on top of a ridge - hard stuff with lots of rocks - but it didn't get supplemental watering. But perhaps she got more rain than you do.
I have not had very good luck with lavender in pots, for me at least they do better in the ground. If you don't have really good draining soil then you need to be really extra careful on the watering. Some of them are also more sensitive to humidity--they can take heat & sun but if there's too much humidity then that can cause problems for them.
Lavandula stoechas is supposed to be more tolerant of humidity than L. angustifolia so you might try that one instead. I think it's also a little more tolerant of poor drainage--I can grow L. angustifolia too but L. stoechas tends to be longer-lived. I have clay-ish soil but water VERY infrequently (once every 3 wks during the hottest part of summer and much less often the rest of the year). L. stoechas does great, and L. angustifolia does fine for a couple years but tends to die in ~3 yrs.
howdy from Las Vegas…regarding the temperature off 100 plus for a week…we have that regular like. :) It is what I use a good dose of water every morning watering at the feet, not on the leaves part of the plant, holding the humid in…I also had a couple hours of shade every day. Wind was never a problem, we did get a tad dryer flowers faster in the windiest hottest part of summer but the blooms came back ini the fall with a 15-15-15 fertilizer. We have sandy soil that gets hard and compact. Three different types of lavenders all did well in these environs, over many years, 2-3 by 2-3 ft with fat blooms. I think the dry warm sun, with a couple hours of shade are the keys and i (as always) agree with Ecrane3 bout the containers…not good unless they are very large, at least the size of the maximum growth for the plants full age.
Good information.I was considering potted lavander.
Hi. I wanted some lavender when I moved to Roswell NM four years ago because I couldn't grow it back east because of the humidity so I planted all kinds of different seeds:
Munstead English
lavender lady
Lavender French Long
Lavender Hidcote Blue
Lavender English
Lavender Rosea
Lavender Sancho Panza
Vincenza Blue Lavender
White Ice
Lavender Lady
Munstead
I was very surprised that they all came up so I planted them out in my 24 x 24 herb garden with parsley, sage, borage, rosemary, celery, nepeta, yarrow, thyme, oregano and some marigolds. I have rocks and clay and amended it with a small amount of peat, a little bone meal and a tiny bit of blood meal. My soil test came back with alkaline at 11 and no nutrients! The herb garden is on the east side and a girl here said to plant all herbs here in a place no other plants will grow, the poorest soil you can find. So, I tried it. Since I have a low roof line, only some of the garden gets a little shade in the afternoon, the rest of it is full sun. The sun is VERY hot here, between 0 and 15% humidity, temps range from 100 to 117 in the summer and high winds. Makes me miserable but the lavender seems to love it. I set up irrigation but it quit working after about three weeks because the water quality is so bad, it blocked it up and it was too hot for me to get out and fix it so I started watering with an overhead sprinkler. We are supposed to get 10" of rainfall a year here per year but the last two years have been severe drought. We only got 2" last year. My neighbor complained that my overhead sprinkler was blowing onto her car so I quit watering and assumed everything would die and got depressed and was just going to let it go back to grass. But, everything surprised me.
I lost all of my labels with either the sun or the wind so now I don't which plants are which variety :(, except of course the white ice!
Here's a picture after three years from seed and very harsh conditions. The marigolds actually reseeded everywhere but you can see how dry and yucky the soil is. This was taken at the end of sept last year.
I want to move some of the lavender plants to another part of my yard for landscaping plants because they've taken up most of the herb garden but I'm not sure if I can get a shovel in this hard ground. Has anyone had any experience in transplanting lavender? Do you know how far down the roots go?
Your conditions may be tough for a lot of plants, but that's the sort of conditions that lavender loves (and therefore why it can sometimes be more finicky in wetter more humid climates). As far as moving it, I've never transplanted mine so can't help you on the roots, but I'd suggest doing it in the fall so it has time to get established during cooler weather and give it more time before it has to deal with summer heat.
PrissyJo: Rockwell N M does not sound like a place I would want to retire!!! :) So glad your lavender is doing so well.
Just a side note: I have had lavender in pots all summer--I lose them when I bring them inside for the winter.
ecrane - thanks for the advice.... I wish I'd thought of it last fall!!!! Now I have lots and lots of baby herbs to plant in there where the lavender plants are, plus, I got some guys to plow up a plot in the front yard to make an area to have some plants, instead of just grass, so I'm going to have to try it I think. I really hope they make it; but if not, at least I know I can grow some more next year!
birder - It's too bad you have to lose your plants every year but at least you get to enjoy them in the summer. You're right Roswell is a tough place in my opinion but it's a strange thing that the people who are from here are just as tough... they don't even notice what I call the "harsh" conditions. I'm trying to toughen myself up, too!!!
Prissy: I have lavenders in the ground, and they do great every year. I just can't seem to keep them alive in pots over the winter even if I bring them into the house. Perhaps, I could try putting them in my downstairs garage under lights with other plants I over winter. They don't like the house environment.
I like to put a pot of lavender on my deck I can run my fingers through. The fragrance is so pleasurable.
birder - just wondering, do you pot them up because you think they won't overwinter in zone 6b? Is that why you put them in pots? We had minus 9 for a solid week and mine were fine. They've been in the ground here for three years, they get a little brown (I figured this is because I don't water them at all during the winter because our water is frozen and we get no moisture during the winter) but by March they've greened themselves up again and are some of my most beautiful plants that come out early. Just curious...
Prissy, I have lots of lavender in the ground and leave them there to return to their glory in the spring/summer.
I also like to put one potted lavender on my deck-- just so I can reach down, rub my fingers through the leaves and smell their lovely fragrance.
The ones in the ground are fine, in fact prolific.
The one I put in the pot--doesn't make it in my house over the winter.
I am sorry I confused you.
I think I killed mine by pruning too early.
Hi birder - oh, sorry I misunderstood. I've never tried to grow it inside.
ge1836 - I never knew you were supposed to prune :)..... Do you mean cutting the blossoms or the leaves?
I'm going to try to transplant this year because they just keep getting bigger and bigger and I need some spots for other plants.
I prune ( but obviously not too well ) because I didnt want them to get bigger and bigger.
There are pruneing instructions in Google. Dont prune past the new growth into the wood.
I am not sure about your zone but I have never transplanted successfully.
Yesterday I pruned one that is near a rose and the lavender was just getting too large - PrissyJo's problem. We'll see if it comes back or not. There was new growth way down low. If it doesn't return I won't plant another one so close to a rose.
They seem to resent transplanting and show it by dying.
Ohhh Yes mine have died when transplanted. I keep hopeing with Aprils warmer and more consistant temps I will see green deeper into the plant. I read where trimming should start the first year if size controle is important. Ther is a You-tube on the subject. I'll see if I can find it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5pJs99MV28
I agree, I would definitely suggest starting pruning early rather than waiting years until it gets overgrown. Even if size control isn't important, they can get sort of ugly and overgrown looking over time, and since you're not able to do a ton of pruning because you can't go back into the woody area, you're really limited in what you can safely do once they've gotten to be a few years old.
As far as transplanting, I've moved a couple of mine and didn't have any trouble--maybe in dry western climates where they're happier to begin with they're a little less temperamental? I do try to do it in the fall though so they have the benefit of cooler weather to get established. If you move it in the spring and then weather warms up quickly I think it's going to be hard to strike the right balance of watering enough to help it get through the hot weather when its roots aren't well established but not watering it enough to kill it.
lavender loves a dry sandy soil. I had no luck with them until i pulled them out and replaced the soil they were growing in with a very sandy fast draining one. They immediately perked up and have grown and bloomed well ever since. Another consideration is not to prune them back until after the last frost in the Spring.
I mix my soil with about 1/3 to 1/2 sand. MIx it up very well. Then, I plant them in a mound a little above the rest of the ground. It has worked very well for me.
ge: Thanks for the video. It was quite informative. I have always wondered just "how" you were suppose to prune lavender. It's certainly not like pruning other shrubs!
ge1836, thanks for the utube link - it's very useful.
When do you all usually prune your lavender. I don't know about you, but I like to enjoy the flowers outside all summer, so I don't prune until they're dying off in late summer. The exception being that I'll usually prune one plant early to get some bouquets. The video mentioned pruning in spring - is that necessary if I've pruned in the fall? Of course, it depends on the type of lavender, but I mostly have grosso, which doesn't bloom early in the spring. I do prune my spanish lavender, when the blooms slow down in late spring/early summer.
I always go to Google.
Years ago I noticed that when nurseries (in my former zone6 area) over-wintered lavender by sinking the pots in a trench and covering them with hay, leaves or mulch, they cut them back past the flower stalks, just straight across the top. I don't protect mine for the winter, so I don't prune in the fall. But in the spring once I see the beginning of new growth, I take out whatever looks dead, and prune back just above the woodiest part where the strong buds end- probably about 1/3 of the plant. Where I have several plants in a group I try to keep the heights consistent, as you would with a hedge. That's been very successful. This year I haven't done it yet-- we had snow yesterday! Yikes!!!
Pam