What's wrong with my lavender?

Discussion in 'HortForum' started by Jonathanchuachua, Oct 12, 2018.

  1. Jonathanchuachua

    Jonathanchuachua New Member

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    The middle stem started browning. Should I cut the brown parts and use the tips as cuttings?
     

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  2. thanrose

    thanrose Active Member 10 Years

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    You could, but you don't have to. Do you know what sort of lavender you have? You're too tropical for Lavendula angustifolia to survive the summer. You could possibly keep it alive if it's Spanish lavender or Lavendula stoechas. The brown color is naturally occurring and not a sign of anything wrong. If you cut it just above a node, you should be able to get a branching of a few more shoots. Then of course you could try rooting the top. Just remember to keep the pot on the cool side, and probably filtered sun. Not too wet and not too rich a soil, either. In your area and mine it is hard to strike a balance of enough water to keep the pot cool, and enough drought to satisfy the plant. I found the larger the pot, the better.
     
  3. wcutler

    wcutler Paragon of Plants Forums Moderator VCBF Cherry Scout 10 Years

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    Isn't lavender a shrub, so the stems should go brown and harden up? I'm not sure what we're seeing in the photo, but I'm wondering if it's just the way it's supposed to grow.
     
  4. Jonathanchuachua

    Jonathanchuachua New Member

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    Based from the supplier, it is an English lavender. I got worried because the middle stem turned brown and the proximal leaves were slowly turning grey. Will try to add cloth on top of the lavender to decrease the sunlight intensity. I placed in on a direct sunglight for 6 hours since it rained the previously.

    The brownung started in the middle part. The lower ones didn't turn brown.
     

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  5. thanrose

    thanrose Active Member 10 Years

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    Looks pretty normal to me. We want them to look like they do in more temperate areas, but English lavender, the Lavendula angustifolia I mentioned, is going to be difficult to grow for you. I've given up on them completely and will only do Spanish lavender in the future. This may limp along like this for a while if you are lucky.
     
  6. HollyHok

    HollyHok Active Member

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    Been growing English, French and Spanish Lavender for years In zone 8, in pots and beds. Your Lavender plant is fine. They love full sun and your angustifolia English Lavender wants to be in the ground so to freely spread it's wings to it's 3-4' height and width. When you have them in pots however make sure to give them a good drink once a week during dry hot periods. In the cooler months of the year, pull way back on the water.
    The secret to keeping your lavenders looking beautiful for years is to neglect them somewhat, deadhead as soon as flowering has commenced and trim annually in late summer so to avoid the shrub from becoming woody. Should your plant become looking straggly it can be cut back hard in late March or April to promote bushiness and encourage new growth from the base.
    The lavenders I have in beds have been there for close to 15 years and are still looking beautiful, going strong and that is the angustifolia's. Right now the french and spanish are in one gallons still.
    One suggestion would be to pot your plant up to a 2 gallon as it looks to be in a 1 gallon pot right now. If you have to keep it in a pot at all. If you can plant it outdoors, do so anytime between Sept and Mar, weather permitting. Lavandulas prefer any garden soil so as long as it is well draining. Again Lavenders prefer a sunny location.
    Lastly, if that was my plant, I would cut that tall piece back to just above where you see the new shoots coming. That way you will loose the tall pc and will allow it to shoot out new growth so to become more aesthetically appealing. I assume this plant is indoors? In or out, it would be okay to just leave the little thing until early Spring and give it a bit of a hair cut then. Don't baby it. Just leave it alone until Spring. If it's indoors, give it a shot of water every so often - every couple weeks - until then. Know that your little Lavender plant would of been doing just as fine if it were left outdoors to overwinter in it's pot too btw.
    In my zone I wouldn't take any plant I have had in the house and set it outside in it's pot right now but in a zone nine you may be able to get away with it. Otherwise just wait until Spring. All my Lavenders that are in the ground and in pots love the baking hot sun of high summer. The one gallons I have in an open green house and they love it. They need weekly water though. Truthfully I did wind up moving all the one gallons to a spot where they'd get afternoon shade simply because I wasn't always able to get to them weekly for water. They are all doing ok, resting for winter and yes, the winter cool, frost and freezing temps do give the lavenders, especially the ones in the ground a kick. Frost will blacken the tips I've noticed and freezing can damage some, which will be trimmed back in the Spring. A Lavender isn't necessarily deciduous though. Browing of stems is common, especially if new shoots are forming elsewhere. Just nip it off to a node where new growth can begin. Do this in early Spring. Best of Luck and Enjoy.
     
    Daniel Mosquin likes this.

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