Lavender is actually considered a very easy-care plant, after all it needs a lot of fertilizer or water or is particularly demanding when it comes to the soil. However, that is only half the truth, because with the wrong care measures and a location that is too cold, the lavender is quickly overwhelmed and dies. Here we list the most important reasons why your plant does not want to thrive.

It is essential to avoid wetness or excessive humidity

If your lavender plants are browning from the bottom up and the leaves are drooping, then in most cases too much moisture is to blame. In this case, you should first dig up the affected plants or take them out of the pot and examine the roots. With lavender, wetness often causes the roots to rot and the plant eventually dies. If the rotting process has already started, then cut away the affected root parts and pot the plant in fresh soil. However, be careful not to damage the taproot.

Potted lavender needs large pots

Pots that are too small can also cause the lavender to gradually wither. Balcony boxes (€109.00) and similar containers are not suitable for Mediterranean plants, because the flat boxes in particular store far too much water - waterlogging forms, which in turn leads to root rot. Deep pots are also necessary because lavender develops quite long and branched roots.

Fertilize little and, above all, be stingy with nitrogen fertilizer

Especially if you combine lavender with plants that require more care, such as roses, it often dies off due to over-fertilization. In the beginning, over-fertilized lavender “shoots into weeds”, as the gardener says, which is usually due to the nitrogen concentration in the fertilizer being too high. After two or three years at the latest, the plants that initially seemed to grow so well simply die. Caution is also advised with natural fertilizers: both stable manure and horn shavings (€32.93) are rich in nitrogen and should therefore only be used sparingly (or not at all in the case of horn shavings (€32.93)).

tips and tricks

Lavender needs a location that is as full of sun as possible, where it is actually in the sun all day long. However, there are also some (few) varieties that can thrive in partial shade, including e.g. the white lavender.

IJA

Category:

Herbs