Lavender All Dying

Posts

• Borderline Posts: 4,700

  July 2020 edited July 2020

  What size were the plants when you planted them out? A photo of some of the surviving ones might also help others to diagnose. Small plants are more weaker and easily damaged by cold and extreme hot weather. Some plants may also need a period in a protected environment (against a warm wall) to acclimatise to garden conditions because of their previous controlled growing conditions. Then they can be ready for planting up.
  
  New plants do need watering in to help the roots establish into the soil. They however don't like damp heavy/sticky soil around their base. Prolonged dampness may encourage slow rotting up to the plants.

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• AnniD Posts: 12,585

  July 2020

  Any chance of a couple of photos please?  That may help to identify the problem 

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• honeybean Posts: 50

  July 2020

  AnniD said:

  Any chance of a couple of photos please?  That may help to identify the problem 

  Here are a few pics as requested. You can see the healthy one in the pot. Although others in pots have died. Some in beds healthy. Some on last legs... any thoughts?
  

  Thanks 🌻

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• Borderline Posts: 4,700

  July 2020

  I could be wrong, the soil looks quite heavy and if you have not turned or prepared the soil over through digging over and added extra compost to create a more open structure, the plants may not thrive because their roots are refusing to grow out into the surrounding soil because it is too heavy.
  
  Heavy soils or compacted soils can also hold moisture for a long time, and Lavenders need a more free draining soil. Very possible the roots may have rotted or did not get enough water on the ones that have died. A compacted surface can mean water runs away from the top layer, therefore unable to penetrate down into the soil.

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• AnniD Posts: 12,585

  July 2020

  Thanks for the photos
  The heavy soil may well be the problem. What is that grey stuff in the third photo, is it all around the garden or just in one particular section ?

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• honeybean Posts: 50

  July 2020

  AnniD said:

  Thanks for the photos
  The heavy soil may well be the problem. What is that grey stuff in the third photo, is it all around the garden or just in one particular section ?

  
  

  The grey stuff is dead lavender, not quite sure why I thought I would show you a picture of it?!! 
  
  To be honest I am not sure what kind of soil I have...
  

  Thanks 🌻

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• honeybean Posts: 50

  July 2020

  Borderline said:

  I could be wrong, the soil looks quite heavy and if you have not turned or prepared the soil over through digging over and added extra compost to create a more open structure, the plants may not thrive because their roots are refusing to grow out into the surrounding soil because it is too heavy.
  
  Heavy soils or compacted soils can also hold moisture for a long time, and Lavenders need a more free draining soil. Very possible the roots may have rotted or did not get enough water on the ones that have died. A compacted surface can mean water runs away from the top layer, therefore unable to penetrate down into the soil.

  I did dig a load of soil improver and compost to the flower beds. Although I guess that may have been too rich for the lavender? The pots just had general purpose compost. I may not have dug down deep enough to loosen the compacted soil though... I think I put food in with them too which might have been a big problem too...

  Thanks 🌻

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• honeybean Posts: 50

  July 2020

  Treeface said:

  I think she meant the grey stuff around the dead lavender! I assume it's really dried out soil...?
  

  I think its just a bad picture. I don't have grey soil!

  Thanks 🌻

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• AnniD Posts: 12,585

  July 2020

  Sorry yes, that's what l meant, maybe it's my tablet , but mainly to the right and bottom of the picture it looked grey on my screen. Thought it was a bit strange !

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