Plant now to get benefit of winter rains.

Now is good but don't worry if some die. Usually it's a 50-75% chance of them making it so looks like yours are doing pretty good. Lavender is fickle.

Needs good drainage. Not good on damp or heavy soils. It's only "fickle" because people try to grow it in unsuitable situations. Many other kinds of shrubs require well aerated soil conditions also, will rot off it the rooting environment isn't kept right for them. This includes at the nursery, before you buy them.

Lol a 50-75% success rate? That's terrible. You must be planting in inappropriate soil or inappropriate irrigation. I've spec'd out thousands of lavender and have only had a handful fail.

Thanks so much Red Berm for saying that... some of mine have exploded into massive 3' shrubs, and others seem to limp along. I'm trying out several varietals to see if some work better than others. Also trying to figure out if the time of year when I plant them is part of the key. I'm thinking perhaps the intensity of our summer heat and drought might be too much for them without first a cool(ish) winter to help them get established.

Hi Nil13, can you share some advice? Everything I've read says that lavender needs very well-draining soil, never wet feet (not an issue here), and flourishes in a Mediterranean environment of full sun in summers with cool and moist winters. Is this wrong? Incidentally, my best lavender plant was one I planted that is in full shade for half the day, yet my second happiest is baking in the sun from morning to night. I just can't quite figure it out.

If they come from the nursery with root rot or another rooting area issue such as dried out, water repelling potting soil develops before or after planting then the top can't develop fully.

Thanks Embothrium. It's a good point, and definitely something to look out for when I go get my new replacement plants...

I grow Goodwin Creek Gray. It seems pretty foolproof, but I have fast draining soil. It blooms year round and attracts all kinds of bees. I would like to find another silver leafed lavender that has flashier flowers though.

Some selections have been marketed as being disease resistant in the past.

I had a french lavender on a clay slope in full sun get 5 feet across, take an hour to deadhead with hundreds of flowers and bees. I should have cut it back sooner and it got woody. When I did cut it back it grew back with a vengence. Goodwin creek did ok in clay on a flat surface. Possible not enough sun. Fern lavender got frosted and died.

The first step is getting good plants that haven't been in the pots for a long time. I plant them all over the hills of Los Angeles. Fast draining slopes with sandy soil. A little afternoon shade doesn't hurt either. Drip irrigation next to the crown is a big no-no. I tend to use MP Rotators on hills.