Why lavender is dying

Indeed winter went late. I do not really care about the look, but I love the smell. Would you suggest me to leave it a little time, and try for instance propagation by cuttings? Softwood cuttings should be taken within the next month though, link contains propagation info rhs. Decided I ought to add it to the answer rather than just in a comment I should have put the cutting question in the OP too — Laurent Duval.

If you'd added it to the question later, I wouldn't have known about it - people usually ask further questions as a comment, so no worries. Show 1 more comment. Sign up or log in Sign up using Google. Sign up using Facebook. Sign up using Email and Password. Post as a guest Name. Email Required, but never shown. Featured on Meta. Now live: A fully responsive profile. Of all the reasons that lavenders may not be at their best, woody lavender is the most difficult to revive. The only way to revive woody lavender is to prune it back , but do not prune into the woody growth.

The wood at the base of the lavender is unproductive and will not support any new growth. Lavender only flowers on new seasons growth, so cutting into the woody will prevent it from flowering and potentially kill the plant.

Instead cut the top third of green growth and prune the lavender into a mound shape as much as possible as this will help to resist weather and prepare for Winter. To be honest aside from pruning, there is not much you can do for woody lavender and you may have to simply pull up the plant and replace it with a new lavender. A cost effective alternative is to take cuttings from the lavender for propagation.

Propagating lavender is reasonably easy and can be done without hormone root powder. The best time for taking cuttings is in the early spring.

Watch this YouTube video for a clear, visual explanation of propagation from cuttings. The most common reasons for potted or container lavenders that look unhealthy and in need of revival are:.

Ideally pots should measure 16 inches across with a similar depth. A pot this size has the capacity for enough soil for insulating the roots from cold weather and to contain the right soil mix of sand or a porous texture and good drainage.

Small pots can limit the growth of your lavender. Lavender soil need to have a porous structure so that water drains through the soil and away from the roots quickly and so that there is enough oxygen in the soil for root respiration. All lavenders pots or containers should have drainage holes in the base so water does not pool around roots.

A common mistake is to use a drip tray underneath to catch the water so it does not go over a patio or indoor area. This will have the effect of keeping the soil moist and will promote the conditions that lead to root rot. Lavenders do not need watering often if at all once established so I would recommend that you move the lavender pot onto a lawn or somewhere similar for 30 minutes after watering so that the water does not trickle over the patio or indoor area.

For the full guide, read my article on choosing the best pot for lavender. All lavender species require full sun to grow to their full potential and produce the strongest blooms, oils and fragrances.

The less sun a lavender receives the less it will flower. Lavenders that see less the 6 hours of sunlight during the growing season Spring and Summer will likely have stunted growth and die. The only way to revive lavender that has been in the shade is to transfer it to a pot and place it in the sun as quickly as possible.

Lavenders require sun all year round, including during the winter dormancy so plant the lavender in a nice open space that is not under a tree canopy or any other shade. Lavender plants are fairly insect-resistant. Still, there are several types of insects that do infest and harm these plants. One of the more common Lavender infestations is the spittlebug, which is also called the frog-hopper bug. Spittlebugs begin as early as spring and create a foamy substance that covers the stems of the lavender.

Typically branches of the plant may die from spittlebugs, but not the entire plant. Spraying the entire plant with a strong stream of water often removes the foam and the insects. In some cases of abundant infestation, commercial insect killers are necessary. A second insect pest that attacks lavender plants is the whitefly. Whitefly infestations distort the appearance of the plant and hamper its vitality. The greater danger caused by the whitefly is an accompanying substance they leave on the leaf that can result in mold infection.

Commercial insecticides do little to remove whiteflies. They can be removed from the plants manually with a strong stream of water. Placing aluminum foil, or other bright, reflective substances around the plants also deters whiteflies.

Aphids also infest Lavender plants. While the aphids themselves are not particularly harmful, they carry a disease called alfalfa mosaic virus , which we will discuss in the next section. To prevent the infection, however, growers need to deter aphids. Horticultural oil, Neem oil or Diatomaceous earth DE are all effective treatments for aphids. Bear in mind that using commercial pesticides to control aphids also kills other beneficial insects, including those that feed on aphids.

As mentioned, alfalfa mosaic virus is a fairly common disease in Lavender plants. Often the yellow patches twist the leaves. Although alfalfa mosaic virus usually does not kill the lavender plant outright, it does stunt the growth of the plant. As the virus is contagious, growers should remove and dispose of infected plants to prevent the disease from spreading to other Lavender plants. The best protection against this virus is the removal of aphids not only from Lavender plants but any plants in adjacent areas.

Lavender plants also experience infections from Septoria lavandula , a fungus that causes dark splotches to grow across the leaves. Instead of using potting soil exclusively, consider adding other elements that improve its aeration, drainage and water retention rate.

For the best results, my growing medium typically consists of one-third potting soil to one-third perlite to one-third clay stones or oyster shell. Here are the benefits of each:. The first thing you should take note of when it comes to lighting, is that the plant originates from the Mediterranean and parts of Northern Africa. Both of these areas are known for their sunny climates, meaning lavender thrives in full sun. But for potted lavenders kept indoors, providing sufficient light can be an issue.

Failure to provide enough light can affect the color of the leaves and flowers, and in the worst-case scenarios, hamper growth. To avoid these, ensure your lavender is receiving 8 hours of direct sunlight each day.

So to provide the best sun exposure, consider placing it on a small table or plant stand. Alternatively, you can set up artificial lighting fixtures to supplement or substitute sunlight.

The standard fluorescent tubes are suitable for this application. Opt for the high-output varieties, which emit twice the amount of light as traditional tubes. Once you have these fixtures, position them between 6 and 12 inches above your lavender plant s. While you might not think much about it, choosing the wrong lavender variety to grow can break your whole experience. A case in point, the English lavender Lavandula angustifolia , is hardier and has a longer lifespan than the French and Spanish lavenders Lavandula dentata and Lavandula stoechas.

A plant resulting from a cross between the Portuguese lavender and English lavender. Compared to other lavenders, it bears more flowers at a time and blooms for longer. It means you get to enjoy the stunning beauty of its flowers for an extended period. But most importantly, Lavandin is robust and displays better tolerance to wetter soils and extremely cold climatic areas.