lavender-dying
Town gardener
Posts: 4
I have been trying to grow Lavender Hidcote in containers this year but have had a high failure rate(50%). Many of my starter plants didn't grow then died. When I pulled them out they all had small round creamy white insect eggs in the root ball at the base of the plant but no grubs or larvae. Any idea what my problem is?
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Posts
Hi TG
I think you will find that they are not eggs but were either perlite or slow release feed that came with the compost they were planted in.
How much root was left? More likely cause is overwatering. Lavenders really don't like to sit in wet compost.
They all formed good strong root growth and I did keep them covered during heavy and prolonged rain to avoid overwatering issue.
Were the containers in a windy spot? I know that if they get rocked about they often die back..
I bought them as small plants and then transplanted them 3 to a 60 cm trough. Some have done really well but they all got the same watering. Maybe I will try the staged increase in pot size in future.
When small it is better to have them growing in a pretty sheltered spot with maximum sun. Wondering if you started them off in our miserable spring/early summer weather. They would not have liked that at all!
Use a soil-based compost with one third horticultural grit added. They really don't do well in soil-less composts and they need really good drainage,
I could never grow lavender in pots until I started using 50 50 grit and compost. Since then they have all thrived.
They did get started in the colder weather in the spring so cpold and wet may wel;l have been the problem. I have planted the replacements in a much more gritty mixture and they seem to be OK