You don't say what zone you are in or where you live--that's important.

Lavender likes lean soil and dry conditions and is actually a small shrub rather than a perennial. The advice to cut back in fall was bad--glad you didn't do it. Leaving the growth over the winter helps protect the plant. Try scratching the stem with a fingernail. If you see green, the plant is alive.

Nice photo! How did you like the Stokes Aster? I love mine (have the light blue ones).

Anyway, the above poster is correct - best to trim back in spring and prefers lean, drier soil.

I haven't seen any signs of new growth on my lavender either, last time I checked, but I've had it a few years so I know it's established and happy where it's at - just have to give it a bit more time.

Thanks laceyvail & mxk - Im glad to see I didnt cause the demise of yet another plant. I purchased my house in Fall on 2005 and have been trying to establish a front garden ever since. This year was the first year Ive been mildly successful. Im in either zone 5 or 6 (it changes depending on what source I use to determine the correct zone, i.e. hardiness map or online resource). I live in Cincinnati and am bout 7-10 miles away from the Ohio River.

What does "lean" soil mean? I started out with HARD CLAY soil but couldnt get anything to grow in it so I amended it last year with compost & manure. I have the lavenders in the amended soil. As for the dry aspect, Im pretty bad with watering and tend to forget about it until the soil starts to look "ashy" and then I remember that I havent watered yet. Im getting better about it though and watered at least every weekend last season (unless it had rained already during the week).

One other quick question: If I choose to move the lavenders to a different spot, when should I do it? Spring, Summer or Fall?

Thanks Again :-)

I think lavender are hit and miss, depending on the variety you try. We have clay soil but I amend it before planting anything. I tried 3 lavender "Lady" plants purchased from Bluestone that lasted only one year and did not return. I then received two different lavenders in a trade in the fall of '06 and both are going strong. And they are planted in similar soil. Go figure. It seems like they either like where they're at or they don't. And you find out when they don't come back.

I trim of dead ends and don't take off more than 1/3 of the stems in the spring. I also cut back any completely dead, woody growth. Both plants are thriving and have already greened completely up. It seems early to me, but I'm already seeing flowers and lots of buds on some iris already, so things may be a little ahead of schedule this year.

Linda

Okay so its been a month of waiting and only 1 of my lavender plants seems to be doing well. The pic below was taken three weeks ago & it looked like the first and middle plants were gonna "pull thru". I didnt cut back any of the woody stems (in fear that I might do more harm than good) but the 1st plant hasnt seemed to have minded that because its greening up nicely and the new leaves have almost grown over the woody stems. However, the middle plant hasnt gained any additional green leaves and the 3rd plant looks exactly the same with no new growth at all. Any ideas on why only one of these plants is doing well while the others arent.....especially since they're all in the same spot, with the same sun/water/soil conditions? (p.s. this past week was the only week that it didnt rain in Cincinnati. Previous weeks have yielded at least 2-3 days of rain.)

{{gwi:213712}}

Lavender needs really good drainage all year long. The point is to get lots of air to the roots so they do not rot. If you have amended clay, that is pretty dense. When I plant lavender and other that need really good drainage, I dig the hole 3 inches deeper and add 3 inches of rough pea gravel and then put the plant right on top. That allows air to the roots even if its a wet winter.

Yup. Good drainage is the key for success with Lavender. I don't prune mine at all, unless I want to "shape" it. I do remove the old flower stems in the Spring, using my BARE hands. Just grab a handful of dried stems and bend them GENTLY near the branches. The dead stems will snap off, and the live branches will bend, then bounce back when you release them.
It looks like you lost one of your Lavender plants, and the other two are struggling. I would follow Gardenerme's advice and dig them up, and replant them with the gravel. You might want to add some sand to the surrounding soil too. Kathy

Yea, look like you have lost the one on the end. I have clay soil, before I put in any plants, I use top soil, compost and vermiculite to amend the soil. From what I understand, the soil in my area already has a lot of sand. I also use a product called Earthright twice a year to help breakup the clay. I've been successful with provence, hidcote pink, grosso and one which I can't find the name of. I did lose my grosso last year, I think to root rot. I've tried Lady but it didn't make it. I even tried white lavender twice but kind I got was for zone 6. I was told I might have better luck with white grosso. However, finding it has prove somewhat difficult. I did replant the grosso and put in hidcote blue this spring.

the same thing is happening to me right now. Last summer I planted 3 munstead lavender. One of my lavender is completely in full bloom. The other two have foliage and buds but only on the front and back of them and the middle is empty on both of them. I was hoping that eventually they would fill out like the one did, but now I am having my doubts.

Since you have clay soil, I'd recommend putting them in pots with a nice light sandy mix and growing them that way. If you do want to grow them trying the pea gravel in the hole, then I'd suggest that you enclose the gravel in some landscape fabric so the clay doesn't infiltrate and clog it up.

Best of luck!

It's telling that big scale Lavender growers use mounded rows to keep their plants in sharp drainage.

I have amended clay but it takes years for it to be unlike is natural self...too dense for roots and too water retentive. Some plants adapt and now I know others never will. Lavender is in the latter category.

If you don't mind the look you could make little mounds of fast draining soil (without your clay included)over the gravel amended holes already suggested. That's a double duty drainage/aeration situation might allow you to grow Lavendar in the shorter term.

I've got Hidecote in pots as I can't stand losing any more Lavender. I even amended the potting soil with some pea gravel and "soil conditioner" so the peat in potting soil didn't collapse and replicate bad drainage of ground soil.

I've got second year Lady Lavender plants I grew from seed that I need to separate from holding pots and spread around in only raised bed I know has sufficient drainage. Rest will go in pots and get placed among other plants.

I don't know why so many of us want to grow Lavender when we don't have the conditions for it but it's a great pollinator attractor and it's pretty! Just gotta do what they need to survive.

I sympathize. I have always wanted many of the plants that require better drainage then the clay soil I have. But I suppose, if I had some other situation, I would be craving something else. [g] My clay is not as bad as some. I can get a shovel into it and it breaks up fairly easily. But I still have problems growing plants like Lavender and Salvias and western Agastaches. Even Iris need good drainage. So my solution has been to raise some of my perennial beds with a rock edge. and everything appreciates the better drainage. I have one area with full sun in the front that slopes slightly and when I made the bed, I mounded the soil and amended it well, and added a layer of gravel about a foot deep along the street side, where I planned to try those type of plants. So far, I've had good luck with them, including Lavender. In less sun I added three Lady plants last year to another area that was on the side of a mound and they all came back and look vigorous.