Lavender

[Cheryl in SD]

Is there a trick to growing this? I keep trying & it just won't do anything. TIA

[Danaus29]

Are you having problems in the spring/summer or do you lose the plants over winter? What is the soil like? Are you adding fertlizer? What time of year do you plant the lavender? Do you water it well all season after planting?

Good info here:
http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/lavender.html

I have mine planted next to the concrete foundation of my house on the southern side. I mulch in the fall with leaves and rabbit litter pan waste (sawdust with poo and urine).

According to the sites though I should add some oyster shell to my mulch.

Sandy, well drained soil is essential but they will do ok in rocky clay well drained soil.

[Cheryl in SD]

I planted in a lasagna bed and it just sat there not growing alll summer and didn't return this spring. Last attempt was in the retaining wall with fill dirt and it did the same thing. Time before that was a garden with just regular dirt, no additions, and it did the same thing. That is three kinds of soil, in three different locations. I wondered if it needs warmer nights? (Summer nights are often below 50 & can be below 40.)

[Danaus29]

What zone are you? And what type of lavender? I would suspect your location is too cold for planting it in the garden. You could try planting some in a pot, use a combination of sand and compost with some egg or oyster shell added, and bringing it in over the winter. Most lavender will not survive a zone colder than 5 and some won't survive a typical zone 5 winter. I lost a huge plant one year when it got really cold here and last winter did a lot of damage to my one remaining established plant.

[Cheryl in SD]

Zone 3. LSunday night it was 38. I may need to forget trying to grow it.

[Rowena]

Find someone who is growing it if you can, or talk to local nursery. They do not like really fertile soil, needs good drainage, long deep watering once a week here, but grew like crazy here through the Spring with night time temps still in 40s, but it is a variety I bought at the local nursery and he only buys what grows here, he is really good at picking out the right species. I have many other varieties that are not doing nearly as well.

[Danaus29]

Cheryl, yes, I think it's too cold there. Unless you can keep it in a cold frame or hot house through the summer I don't think it will do well for you. Sorry. I wish I could have been more help.

[Wolf mom]

I have some lavendar plants & they seem to thrive on benign neglect. Also mine really took off the second year.

[culpeper]

Knowing where a plant originated from is often the key to successful growing. Lavender comes from the Mediterranean region - known for it's hot and sunny climate, and its moist cool (not cold) winters. Therefore, you need to provide it with a LOT of heat from a strong sun, and sunlight for a minimum of 6 hours a day, and preferably 8.

So - you'll need to provide your lavender with similar conditions, or it won't do well at all. It MUST have excellent drainage - it can take a fair amount of water, but that water must be able to get away quickly and easily. Lavender just won't tolerate having constantly wet feet. This means a friable soil, and if necessary a raised area (or plant it on a sloping area).

The pH should be around neutral (7.00).

[Marcia in MT]

We're in zone 3a - 4b, and lavender is not reliably hardy here. The lowest zone rating I've seen recommended for it is 5; isn't SD colder than that?

I don't think it's the cold alone as much as it is the open, dry winters. There's no protection from the wind and drying out, and lavender has a really hard time. I've had some people tell me it lives over in really sheltered microclimates, but they are few and far between.

I would grow it in a pot and bring it in during the winter -- that's what we do and it does well.