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Lavender growth

r.bourke.8OoraZOVSr.bourke.8OoraZOVS Posts: 28
in Problem solving
Hi,

I’m still very new to gardening but everything seems to be going well so far except the lavender. I planted some lavender in our front garden in May. Nice loose soil, so well drained, on a south facing fence so gets plenty of light and it isn't growing much, if at all, it has flowered( although not as bright as my lavender in pots) it isn’t going brown or anything to indicate it’s struggling where it is. I water once weekly now as I know lavender prefers drier conditions. 
Am I going wrong somewhere  or is there anything I can do to give them a boost? They’re the only thing not growing like crazy at the moment!
Thanks! :)

Posts

  • Mr. Vine EyeMr. Vine Eye Posts: 2,394
    It’s just getting established. Will probably perform better next year.
    East Yorkshire
  • r.bourke.8OoraZOVSr.bourke.8OoraZOVS Posts: 28
    Ok thanks for the advice, it’s finished flowering now so I will cut it back a little ready for next year
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Was it watered well until established?
    It's a common mistake - because they prefer free draining soil, people tend to think they don't need water, but they do - until they're properly established and can cope. If you've had dry weather from May onwards, with no appreciable rainfall, they've probably struggled. 
    Were the plants a decent size on planting? If they were small, they will simply be establishing a root system. With small plants, its also worth removing flowers so that they put their efforts into the roots.
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • r.bourke.8OoraZOVSr.bourke.8OoraZOVS Posts: 28
    Hi, 
    thank you, I do plan on cutting the flowers back now they have spent. They were on the small side yes so I was hoping that the reason they were not showing growth was that the growth was underground. It was quite dry here so I had been watering them every other day, drenching them rather than a trickle here and there. I then started to slow the watering down as it got a bit wetter and cooler here now I give them a good water weekly unless we have had a good amount of rainfall
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    I meant removing flowers before they develop, not afterwards.  :)
    The plant is using resources on flowers when it can be better used on the root system. For many small plants, it's a good idea to remove developing flowers so that energy is better utilised.  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • r.bourke.8OoraZOVSr.bourke.8OoraZOVS Posts: 28
    Oh right, I’m with you now. :) So when I deadhead I should also remove the flower buds it’s producing? There’s not a lot of them now but that would help it start to fill out instead?
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Yes - removing developing flower buds on immature plants just helps it diverge energy into producing the root system instead.  :)
    Next year it will be a better specimen as the roots will have matured, and you should get a decent amount of flowers. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
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