Garden

[Growing]

I planted Roberta's lavender plants last year and gave them a great review because they grew gangbusters for a while. Then 2/3 died off. I have the remaining ones which are big and bushy in a planter box (a waist high soil filled "box" made out of concrete blocks) that has irrigation. It looks terrible, one row of lavendar on one side of the box. Have done vincas for years as they grow well here and tolerate the heat but wanted perennials. I asked about it on here and others told me they don't have good luck with this brand. I have to do something with this planter box and I am asking if any of you have luck with lavender? 

[Still Raining]

Had some out front in what passes for full sun in Oregon.  Never impressed.

One positive is that the deer left them alone.

[WRXtoo]

I'm in eastern Oregon where we get lots of sun and heat in the summer (get all four seasons), and my lavender goes crazy.  It all started with one plant from a local nursery and now I have huge mounds and it continues to self seed.  I either pull it up or share.  We have compacted clay soil which gets water 3 times a week with the lawn sprinklers.  Full sun, 85-95 degrees typical in heat of summer, extremes are 30's to below zero in winter.  I was very surprised the lavender loves it here.  And no, the blasted deer don't eat it, thank goodness.  The goldfinches love it!

[skatting44]

 I have Lavendar in a big planter pot that I've had for a few yrs. The variety  I have need good drainage and don't like to be to dry . I drag the big planter into mt garage for the winter  and drag it back out all winter on the very mild sunny days . My area has mild winters but it can get cold and snow.

[Kachina624]

People grow fields of it here here in NM where its hot, dry and the soil is sandy and well-drained, even at higher altitudes.

[gardenman]

I find it to be a short-lived perennial here in South Jersey. I can get two or three years from a plant then it's gone.

[JustJazzmom]

It prefers dry poor soils. Being in clay soils causes it to flounder & not do well. In the spring, the lavendar should have winter damaged stems removed. It will put out new growth but leaving the damaged growth with the new, makes lavendar struggle. 

[Growing]

Thank you all!

Great advice. We have clay soils here but my planter box is gardening soil from bags and compost, it is hot and dry often in the summer. Hot means 90-100 degrees F. What is weird about the Roberta's brand is that some of it is growing gangbusters and some died. Same planter, same soil, same watering, same sun.  I am going to go cut back some of the drier stalks of what is left since today is nice weather and tomorrow will be rain. Will rethink my planter box!

[Flatbush]

Living in Southern California, I thought I would be able to grow it, since houses pretty near me have large sections of it in bloom. But, it died on me the few times I tried, perhaps too much water from me.Maybe they don't like the soil, I am not sure.

I'm not too disappointed because I see many of the lavender patches, have become very woody and need to be replaced. I don't need more work. They don't last for that many years.

[candys mine]

Just a thought but you say the plants are in a concrete container?  Could it be that the section of plants that died off were on the side that got the most sun/warmed the concrete. and the roots dried out?  the section that lived was on the more shaded end?