Potted french lavender not growing well

Dirty Harry

Bought these earlier this year, potted one and stuck the other in the border-




I completely deadheaded them both at the same time when the blooms were spent, now a few weeks ago. This is now how they both look-




As you can see the one in the border is doing very well, the one in the pot is quite the opposite though, having barely changed at all in that time. Any suggestions?

I don't think I've been over/underwatering the potted one but there's obviously something amiss.

In the autumn I was going to put the potted one behind the one in the border anyway (there is currently a straggly specimen in behind it already that was in a pot last year, the beast from the east caused a fair bit of damage though, hence looking to replace it with the potted one), just don't want the potted one to be too ill in the meantime.

Valley Gardener

I must admit every time I bought French Lavender and kept it potted,it just didn't like it.The planted in the soil ones always fared better.I'm not sure if vine weevil find them tasty,it might be worth hoiking it out to investigate.

Borderline

I must admit, French Lavenders are quite temperamental, and your photos demonstrate just how unpredicatable they are, when pruned back in mid summer. Most of them don't re-flower, but the one in your border did which is not really usual. Also, make sure your soils are free draining. The soil in your pot looks very rich. Keep them in more loam based compost with plenty of grit, and then dress the top layer with gravel to keep the base dry. I think over-wintering will not be worth it. They always never look like how you bought them in the first place.

Valley Gardener

How true Borderline, though fingers and toes crossed,I bought two this spring from Lidls,which are the best ones I've ever had.They are planted in the garden,have flowered non stop and still look great! Next year might be another story though,as I don't trust them.........Froggies after all!!

Dirty Harry

To be fair, the one I had last year I regularly deadheaded and it flowered into autumn.

Does English Lavender get a second bloom? I've got two of them with flowers just past their best but the bees are still using them.

Valley Gardener

Mine are past their best too,but bees still on them.I think they only flower once,then you have to trim them down into a ball shape.

Dirty Harry

That's what I like about the French ones I have had, blooms for a long time.

Lyn

They don’t overwinter here very well,  they always look woody in the centre. I just grow new from seeds every year. 

Dirty Harry

Here it is out the pot, if there's anything you can make of it?

Lyn

It desperately needs to go in the ground, it’s got more root than soil there. And it’s too dry.

Dirty Harry

I potted it as you would any plant, going roughly a size up in container.