Lavender Deterioration/Concerns

JimBob87

Hi all,

Im not an experienced gardener but i know the basics to grow my my own fruit and veg, look after lawn in our little garden (which i'm quite proud of ) and other plants outside.
Usually a quick search online gives me the answers i'm looking for if a problem ever leaves me scratching my head! But i'm struggling with whats going on with my two lavender trees and wondered if anyone can help me out at all.

 

Ive had two planted in large pots since spring time, say around April and both have been doing really well, growing nicely with one blooming amazing purple spires which i'm just beginning to start cutting off. One variety is a Lavandula Ginginsii and the other i'm not too sure on, im guessing Hidcote.

As said, they have been really healthy plants, until we hit August! Within the last two weeks or so i've noticed deterioration in both plants which im concerned about as both me and the missus really like them and don't want to lose them.
The Ginginsii has begun turning yellow from the inside, what was once lovely grey/green foliage is turning a sickly yellow. The tips of some leaves are starting to turn brown and crispy (like tip burn/scorch).
The other tree is going completely brown from the inside, again seems to start of with the scorch look and eventually this takes over the whole leaf. I began to pick the foliage off when noticing it but its certainly persisting!

Both plants receive lots of sun (when its out) and checking the soil, it doesnt seem overly wet. Ive even drilled more drainage holes in the bottom of the pots and gravel/stones was used in both pots when the trees were planted to aid better drainage.

ill post some pictures to see if it helps at all and see if anyone has any ideas. Or am i just worrying too much about them? Ive heard that lavender gets a bit "blergh" this time of year as it comes to the end of flowering.

any help guys would be great, thanks in advance 

JimBob87

 

 dont know how helpful these will be, they are also the wrong way round :S sorry!

pansyface

Yellowing leaves are mentioned on this website.

http://everything-lavender.com/problems-with-lavender-plant.html

Also, have you seen any rather pretty, metallic green, striped beetles on the plants. They could be rosemary beetles, which damage both rosemary and lavender plants' growing points.

hogweed

They do look a bit sad don't they? The only thing I can think of is that it does look a lot of plant for what looks to be a smallish pot. I would repot in new free draining soil in a much bigger pot and see what happens.

JimBob87

Thanks for the replies both of you.

Now, I have seen them about but only a few over the past few months, they are almost ladybird size if I'm right? I have checked and kept an eye both trees and have not noticed any pests anywhere on the plants.



I did think the about the pot size but the photo makes it seem as if it's rather small.

I'll post a pic of both trees showing the pot at a better angle (if I can work out how to add another photo)

JimBob87

I was in the middle of giving them a tidy up this evening as they are certainly overdue and have also pretty much finished flowering. Then the rain came...again.

Thanks for the advice, I'm only pruning back a few inches or so and as you've said never into the older wood.



If they are root bound can this also cause the burn/scorch look on the foliage??



I'll finish pruning and consider moving to a larger pot to see if it'll help, the rain we have had today has probably saturated them again so that may not be helping.

Hostafan1

I've given up with lavender. If it's happy, it's soooooooooooooooooo happy, otherwise it's so flippin temperamental, I've just given up