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A few Lavender Lady Questions

17 years ago

I started Lavender Lady from seed this past spring, and I got 3 seeds to germinate. I couldn't bare to thin it out so I kept all 3 goin when I finally potted it up. It did nicely, blooming prolifically, and all 3 grew out, about 10"-1 ft tall/wide. But it clearly needs more space, esp, because there's 3 plants in 1 pot.

I just started harvesting my first batch of homemade compost ever, and wanted to save some to use as a potting soil substitute, the lavender being one of the target plants.

Should I transplant it into a bigger pot now, or should I wait until spring? I plan on keeping it in a pot. I like keeping it on our back steps so I can rub the foliage between my fingers to get a sniff when I come and go out from the garden.

Also, would burying the pot or keeping it on the patio over the winter be better for it? Should I prune it or anything now, or wait til spring?

Here are a few pics.

And a closeup shot of new growth

Thanks!

Todd In Philly

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Comments (5)

Heathen1
17 years ago
transplanting... well, as lavender doesn't do well in pots here... HERE it's a great time to transplant it, in California, I am not sure of there.
I wouldn't use compost, lavendar is happiest in lean soil... you would probably be overfertilizing it severely.
parad0x
Original Author
17 years ago
Hmmm...ok...yeah...I forgot that lavender doesn't like rich soil. Ok, scrap that idea. Perhaps I could find a spot in the garden for it somewhere....but I'd rather not....have to look into that.

If I were to decide to move it to the garden (out of the pot), anybody else know if it'd be better to do that now or spring?

Thanks!
Todd In Philly
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granite
17 years ago
Too late to do it now,wait for the spring.

Keep Lady trimmed back after flowering or it sprawls, gets woody, and dies back.
vera_eastern_wa
17 years ago
Yes, definatley wait until spring to seperate and transplant.
As a tip to what granite said...I have prevented my 4 year old Lavenders from getting too woody by spring pruning all plants back to the lowest point of new growth on the plants....for most it is a far back as 5" from the ground and I do so in a rounded fashion. They still come back big and beautiful :D
I then lightly prune into the foliage (down 2-3 sets of leaves) when harvesting the first flush of wands and leave the 2nd flush of blooms in late summer/fall up keeping the plants intact until spring providing extra winter protection. If you leave the 2nd flush up, look out for seedlings growing around the plants in late spring/early summer! You would be amazed too at the finches and other small birds that dig those Lavender seeds!!
For the most part mine remain pretty evergreen throughout the winter. I have 'Munstead', 'Lady' and 'Vera'. I did have a huge 2 year old 'Grosso', but lost it when I tried to dig it up and move it this spring.

Vera
parad0x
Original Author
17 years ago
Thanks for all the replies. Hopefully it'll survive the winter in its pot, I know it's crowded in there. Would leaving it on the backsteps (not sheltered at all) or burying the pot equal to ground level be better?

Todd in Philly

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