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Dead lavender in border

Siberian KhatruSiberian Khatru Posts: 19
in Plants
We planted a lavender border in our front garden in Spring 2020. All was well for the first couple of years with the plants filling out and creating a nice border. However, this spring a couple of significant dead patches appeared and in the last month or so another small area seems to be dying off.

I cut the dead bits back hard during the summer, but have yet to remove the roots. What is the best thing for me to do going forward? Do I just remove all the dead stuff, including roots, and replant with new stock, or is it better just to remove the dead stuff and let the remaining plants grow into the space provided, in which case the continuous border will probably be lost?

Posts

  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    edited September 2022
    @Siberian Khatru I think the most important question before you do anything else what is your soil like. Lavender needs good drainage. If you have cut right back to old wood they may not recover. You could take out the affected plants and replace. Even if you know exactly which variety you have they can vary. 

    Just to add it is always a good idea to have some extra plants potted up as spares should you need them.
    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • Siberian KhatruSiberian Khatru Posts: 19
    GardenerSuze said:
    @Siberian Khatru I think the most important question before you do anything else what is your soil like. Lavender needs good drainage. If you have cut right back to old wood they may not recover. You could take out the affected plants and replace. Even if you know exactly which variety you have they can vary. 

    Just to add it is always a good idea to have some extra plants potted up as spares should you need them.
    Hi GardenerSuze! Thanks for your reply. I live in Liverpool where the soil has quite a high clay content, so it may well be that the drainage is not quite to their liking!

    I think the only way of preventing huge gaps appearing is to cut out and replant. It's a bit of a faff and makes me wonder whether lavender is the right thing for my garden, but I will try it going into next year and see how it goes. When it's in flower it is spectacular....to the point that people stop and admire it!
  • PlantmindedPlantminded Posts: 3,580
    I think you're right about your clay soil not being to their liking. If you want to plant more lavender, incorporate lots of horticultural grit in your soil to improve drainage.  Alternatively, Nepeta gives a long-lasting show of blue flowers which bees like and it tolerates clay soil, but it will also benefit from lots of incorporated grit.
    Wirral. Sandy, free draining soil.


  • GardenerSuzeGardenerSuze Posts: 5,692
    edited September 2022
    @Siberian Khatru I think the problem is the drainage. In a clay soil Lavender can cope for a couple of winters if not too wet. Adding grit and mixing in well will help. It would have been better if grit was used throughout the area before any planting took place.
    Long term I think you will have a fight on your hands to keep them going, personally I wouldn't invest too much financially unless you accept you will need to replace them ever few years.
    I do agree Lavender makes a lovely hedge.

    I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
  • bertrand-mabelbertrand-mabel Posts: 2,697
    We have many lavenders growing on clay soil BUT they are slightly raised up with broken slabs and gravel around them. This year they have been fantastic with all the heat. We do cut them back and the insects and us love them.
  • Joyce GoldenlilyJoyce Goldenlily Posts: 2,933
    My soil is slightly acidic so I give my lavender a light dusting of lime around the roots each year. This seems to be to their liking as the bushes are now quite a few years old. I give them a haircut each year after flowering, they are in a raised bed, in full sun which gets very dry during the summer most years.
    A gritty soil, around 12 inc, inches deep should be alright for them, in full sun. 
    My sister has a lavender hedge from her gate to the front door which passersby often stop and admire when it is in full flower. A lovely sight, alive with bees.
  • Siberian KhatruSiberian Khatru Posts: 19
    Thanks folks! I have noted all your points and will investigate horticultural grit and lime on my next trip to Dobbies!

    Part of me thinks that the dying off is part of a natural life-cycle for the lavender plants indicating that they may not be suited to the local soil conditions, but I will keep plugging away for another year and see if I can keep my border intact!
  • PlantmindedPlantminded Posts: 3,580
    They are short lived.  Once they become woody and untidy, I replace them, normally every three years or so - but I don't have many!  You'll only need to add lime if your soil is acidic, they're quite happy if it is neutral or alkaline.
    Wirral. Sandy, free draining soil.


  • Siberian KhatruSiberian Khatru Posts: 19
    Is it OK to plant lavender this late in the year? I could buy three or four plants and fill the gaps in my border, but should I wait until next spring to do this? 
  • PlantmindedPlantminded Posts: 3,580
    edited September 2022
    Ideally it's best to wait until spring, but if you don't like looking at the gaps you can plant now while the soil is still warm and not too wet.  (Don't forget to remove the flowers if they've faded!).
    Wirral. Sandy, free draining soil.


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