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brit5467

Lavender - am novice - need HELP !!

brit5467
13 years ago

Currenty have Lavandula stoechas 'Passione' (so the tag says) in a gallon pot. Had it for a couple weeks now, and been testing it out in different locations. Doesn't seem to like full sun. Shriveled up. But no matter where I put it, don't think it's blooming like it's supposed to. At least not like pics I've seen.

Wondering if that's because it is still in the pot? Have pic (scanned) of a bloom. Don't know if this is prior to it getting flowers or after the fact since I'm new with this plant. I ask this since I've yet to see much lavender color on it at all.

I admit, I have not really looked hard at it on a day-to-day basis. So being unfamilar with this plant, I can't even tell what's old bloom and what's new.

Guess my point is, I expected lots of lilac colored flowers by now (like my Low Walker's Catmit (which is going wild) anf Russian Sage (not very full - has blooms but apparently not enough sun). So I plan to move that and replace with the Lavender.

Guess my main issue is, although it's a very healthy plant, I want COLOR where I plant it. And if this is all it's going to do then it's not enough color. Like I said, I've not watched it EVERY day but it seems it only gets a bit of flower here and there, like this pic. Are the blooms just not opening up all the way? Again, I don't understand this plant at all....so new to it.

Also, another issue - I planted another one (not same type - no ID tag) that outlived the winter in a 4" pot and it came back beautifully. But as soon as I planted it about a week ago, it died on me. Was told it may still has a root system and may come back. But I don't want to make same mistake with this very full, lush plant (minus blooms) so any help would be appreciated.

Hope this all makes sense.

{{gwi:244644}}

Comments (23)

  • ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
    13 years ago

    i gave up on lavender long ago .. its a real foo foo plant.. that either lives or dies... those that succeed win.. the rest of us get frustrated ...

    did you put a black pot out in the sun ???? if so.. that is why it wilted ... it can easily get 20 or 30 degrees above air temps.. with the sun heating the black pot ...

    beyond the wisdom .. i have nothing on where to put it ... i hope others will chime in ... i seem to recall high drainage is a prime consideration ...

    ken

  • gringo
    13 years ago

    Hi Brit. I just went outside & had a look at my Lavender 'Anouk' to compare. The flower bracts on mine, appear to be quite different. In fact, so much so, that I'd have to question...
    Could what you have there actually be some sort of Clary Sage, instead?

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  • mori1
    13 years ago

    I grow several different types of lavender but the one you have I call spanish lavender is an annual in my neck of the woods so I don't bother with it. It should be able to take full sun but then again I don't grow lavender in a pot. Maybe try it in partial sun for right now and don't over water they don't like that.

  • gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
    13 years ago

    It is definitely a Spanish lavender, Lavandula stoechas, but hard to say if the cultivar 'Passione' - this is supposed to be one of the 'darkest' purples of the Spanish or butterfly lavenders. Not sure why yours is not showing much color, but if not in full sun, I'd make sure it was - all lavenders need full sun conditions. There is also the possibility it was mislabeled and it is actually a selection of Spanish lavender called 'Lemon Leigh', which has pale lemony-yellow, almost chartreuse flower bracts. Since yours is showing really no trace of lavender color, I'd lean heavily towards this possibility.

    Will be marginally hardy in zone 7 - this is not one of the hardier species of lavender and is generally limited to zone 8. It is sometimes even a bit tricky to grow here well, as even with excellent drainage it is often too wet in winter for this plant to thrive.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Lavandula stoechas 'Passione'

  • gringo
    13 years ago

    I became curious after seeing gardengals post, so I looked up the online patent info for the 'Passione' cultivar & the closest Lavender they could compare it to, was viridis.

  • brit5467
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Been under the weather past few days, so don't really feel up to responding, but really wanted to thank all you guys for the feedback and I'll be taking time to read it all as soon as I feel better...

  • brit5467
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Wow, Ken....that black pot thing is probably one of the problems. TKS !!

    Cameron - thanks for reminding me of that technique. I remember seeing it in my "Birds & Blooms" but had forgotten. Had even cut it out (Lord only knows where it's at now). So I printed your post and will follow it. Boy, doesn't seem like the plant is worth bothering with, it's soooo fussy :-)

    Gardengal - quite possibly mis-tagged. I guess I'll see what I end up with once I get in in the ground and in full sun. But at least now I know that it may not get deep purple, therefore I WON'T be putting it where I wanted. TKS !

    Gringo - definitely not a Clary Sage. Not enough bloom. So far, the blooms are doing not much more than my pic shows, with maybe a bit more color on the tip, but not even blooming down the entire "whatever" that thing is that should be a flower.

    Tks to all !!!

  • DYH
    13 years ago

    As the lavender farmer says "dig a $10 hole for the $5 plant."

  • gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
    13 years ago

    All lavender really needs to grow well is well-draining soil and sufficient sunlight. WA state has more commercial lavender growing fields than anywhere outside of France and they grow in ALL soil types, as long as they drain well. NO fancy, amended planting holes, no special requirements regarding pH......jut plain ole well drained soil in full sunlight. Minimal watering once established and never fertilized.

    I believe many lavenders are quite a bit hardier than are generally considered......it is not the cold in winter that does them in but rather wet soils and wetter weather, including snow cover. Keeping the plants as dry as humanly possible - given they are growing fully out in the open - is key. btw, the area where most of the lavender is grown in WA state is also one of the driest areas of the country, averaging 15" or less of total rainfall annually. And you all thought we were all half underwater out here in the PNW!!

    Washington lavender fields:
    {{gwi:244645}}

  • brit5467
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    OMG !!! IF ONLY !!! G-gal...that has got to be the most striking color I've ever seen (& definitely NOT what I have, although the "Lemon Leigh" pic doesn't look like mine, either). Tks for the info AND the pic. WOW !!!

    I have a really basic and probably dumb question, but.... since I only know what 'my' soil is like, how do you KNOW what 'well-drained' soil IS??? I'm 3 blocks up from the beach but don't have sandy soil. Actually, there's clay when you dig down deeper than the topsoil that was put down for growing grass.

    In my garden, I've amended it with manure and peat and good store-bought soil but that layer probably only goes down about a foot, if that much.

    And I'm having a problem when I water with sprinker that before it perculates (sp?) down into the ground it starts to run off onto the sidewalk. Thought it might be slanting that way so I built it up with more soil but stil doing that. I'm guessing THAT is not well-drained, although other plants seem to do fine.

    Please define 'well-draining' ...tks !!

    Bonnie aka brit5467

  • brit5467
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Oh, & BTW 'wonby'....that made me laugh. I agree. Sometimes plants are more trouble than they're worth :-)

  • lori_holder
    13 years ago

    I would ask how old this plant is, too. I've grown lavender, more or less successfully, for six or seven years. It takes them several years before they start putting out impressive displays. And when they do...IME, the picture above of the lavender fields isn't anything close to what I get from my plants. I moved a couple of years ago and put three strains of lavender in, and they're doing quite well, but I wouldn't characterize even the three together as providing a mass of color like catmint or russian sage. It's a much more delicate look, more of a sprinkling of color rather than a big mass of color.

    If you do want big masses of deep blue or purple color in your bed, you might want to take a look at May Night Salvias. Those *will* produce dramatic color masses, and they're incredibly unfussy about their planting conditions.

  • brit5467
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Lori - bought 3 wks ago. Probably Kmart since that's the last place I've been, being a frugal shopper (I'm cheap :-). Seem to remember being surprised to see such a large pot (gallon) of Lavender for under $5 bucks.

    When you describe 'a sprinkling of color'...well, that's what I'm getting so far. Guess it's time to get it out of the pot and into the ground and just wait and see. Maybe it's just a pale species.

    Do YOU subscribe to the FULL SUN conditions? Although it's still in that deadly 'black pot' that Steve pointed out was bad, it seems happier in dappled sun. Remember, you're upstate whereas I'm on the coast & Zone 7. Our sun here is a real scorcher, with high 90's lately, and with our humidity it's in the 100's (so the weather guy says). Esp. the next two months.

    Tks so much !!

  • brit5467
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    ps - lori, you're right about the salvia. I had Victoria (accidently dug it up this fall) and it was such a great bloomer all year long with no dead-heading needed. Tks for reminding me of that flower....

  • Ann
    13 years ago

    OK, so you guys have me wanting to try lavender AGAIN....

    I just ripped out my weed-like perennial bed (spiderwort and lambs ears) and am looking for a replacement plant. I have tried every variety of lavender sold in my area and although some of them did extremely well for a year or two or three, all died eventually. After reading the above posts, I suspect over-fussing was the problem. I did't think I overwatered, but from a lavender's point of view, maybe I did.

    So. If I try this thing again, can anyone suggest a variety? My prior goal was to turn part of my garden into a lavender field with rows of different varieties. Right now I'd settle for one row of one variety doing well!!!

    Any suggestions would be much appreciated. The area is full sun and well drained. The soil was previously ammended but not touched lately so I hope it'll be OK...

    Thanks,

    Ann in 7A, Maryland

  • DYH
    13 years ago

    The lavender farmer wrote a guest story for my blog and she provides a list of lavenders that she has grown, along with the attributes, bloom sequence if you want color for a long time and size of the plants. Also, she includes lots of information on care and planting.

    Since Annie is in zone 7, her advice should work for you.

    Hope this helps.

    Cameron

    Here is a link that might be useful: How to Grow Lavender in Your Garden

  • Ann
    13 years ago

    That is a WONDERFUL article---thank you!!!

    Ann

  • kentstar
    13 years ago

    I'm with Ken, I gave up on lavender. No matter where I situated it or how I cared for it, it would just shrivel up and die on me. Lavender is too fickle for me! I just planted salvia in it's place this year.

  • calistoga_al ca 15 usda 9
    13 years ago

    We had a neighbor with 4 acres of lavender grown for use in cosmetics. Her field looked very much like gardengals photo. A double row was planted on a raised berm with a drip line down between them. Very well drained soil and lots of heat, here on the edge of the Napa valley. Al

  • melaroma
    13 years ago

    I hear that putting grit on the bottom of the hole helps with drainage. I personally haven't tried it but my Spanish Lavender is doing fine. I did amend my soil to improve the drainage though. I did hear that it is a big No-no to fertilize it.

  • sharondval
    13 years ago

    There are only 13 out of the 50 United States that do not have at least one Lavender Farm. Check out the link for farms listed by state below so that you can visit one in your region for help and suggestions.

    Here is a link that might be useful: List of Lavender Farms

  • a2zmom_Z6_NJ
    13 years ago

    I would also include Wellsweep Herb Farm for NJ. While not a lavender farm persay, they grow 85 different lavenders (as well as hundreds of other herbs) and are more than qualified to give growing advice.