Lavender.............what's the trick?

I tried growing Lavender last year. 2 different types, both died. Had in separate beds, full sun, but some had more afternoon shade then others (because were facing SW). They ALL died. What's sooooooooo hard about lavender?

I grew the common Munstead, and also Provence which I read about in an article in Texas Gardening does well in a Lavender farm in Blanco, TX. I transplanted one into a pot, in full sun after hearing they are drought tolerant (figured I might have given them too much water). It died too, but it might have been too late for it.

Anyone had luck? What's the trick? Share the cultivar's name if you can.

Ah, me too! I tried Chica Rose, which limped along for awhile before it finally croaked. I had it in the bed next to the some rosemary, so it got less water than the rest of the plants but more than the rosemary. Couldn't seem to find a happy medium for watering. So sad-it was pretty while it lasted.

lavender doesn't make it thru the humidity of summer for me but does ok in the winter--I quit growing it a quite few years again--It's like tarragon; I would really like to grow it but it just doesn't like our climate. :(

Oh BUMMER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Don't want to hear that!!!!!!!! I REALLY wanted a huge amount of lavender in my garden!

I found 2 links that have information on growing lavender in Texas. The second one offers a booklet for sale, but $35.00 seems like a lot. The successful Hill Country lavender farms grow a variety of French Lavender, Lavandula x intermedia which requires fast draining alkaline soil.

http://www.highcountrygardens.com/article192.html
http://www.hillcountrylavender.com/LavenderGrowing.html
Veronica

Magnolia may just be far enough from the Gulf humidity to make it--they did really great in the winter and bloomed when nothing else would. Give them a try! Just start with a few plants until you see how they do.
Deb

I think Magnolia is about as humid as Conroe, which is very humid (at least when we aren't in the worst drought in 50 years.) I read - was it in the Houston Chronicle, or at The Arbor Gate? - that Goodwin Creek is one of the best lavenders for our humid climate. Last spring I planted four types or lavender, all in pots to insure really good drainage: Spanish, Goodwin Creek, Gray Form, and Fern Leaf. The Spanish was the first one planted, did really well, then suddenly up and died, but I really think it's because of the drought. I wasn't really aware at the time of how extremely dry we were! Throughout the summer the others did fine, about as you'd expect for the first year's growth. Some flowers, but not an over abundance. This winter has certainly been weird weather, and my Fern Leaf has been blooming its head off for about 4 weeks now! The Goodwin Creek has retained the best shape, and now has flower buds. Gray Form is looking alright, it will be interesting to see what it does this year.

Some people in the Chapel Hill area (near Brenham) have started a lavender farm. A friend and I went to see them last July, talked to one of the owners for a while. It was their second summer for the plants and she said it really takes two to three years for the plants to really start producing. They are really in a wetter climate than where most lavender is grown, and they had to do a lot of different things to be sure there was plenty of drainage for the plants.

Here is my Goodwin Creek, newly planted in a chimney flu (I got the idea from Arbor Gate in Tomball.) It's in full sun.

Wow! Thanks y'all! Nice to know it's possible! Maggiemoo we're practically neighbors. Where did you buy yours?

I got the Spanish lavender at Houston Garden & Patio (the one with the striped umbrella logo), all the others at Arbor Gate in Tomball. Arbor Gate also has some growing in their garden. They're pretty close to you, too. Have you ever been there?

No. Where is Arbor Gate? I don't think I have ever heard of it.

It's 1.5 miles west of 249, on 2920. They are the reason I didn't give up on gardening that first year, they're wonderful people! They have great gardens, too. Here are some pictures from my Webshots page: http://community.webshots.com/album/178222742GKCBMj

Debbie (dmj1218) and I are going to be there next Sunday, the 29th, for their fruit tree sale and talk (the talk is @ 11am.) Let us know if you're going to be there, we'll be sure to hook up!

I remember going to a class in TN on growing herbs. The soil was clay and the summers were hot and humid. My lavender would just die. A lady from Mouse Creek Nursery showed pictures of her lavender. It was gorgeous. She said to work limestone gravel into the soil because lavender needs excellent drainage and likes alkaline soil. I haven't tried it here, but it worked in TN.

Calalily, sounds like a perfect idea. I knew about the drainage, but not the alkalinity issue. The limestone gravel WOULD be perfect for that! Going to try it!

Maggiemoo, I must have passed it a million times!!!! I'll check it out. I believe I did go there once, but I usually go 2978 to 2920 to 249 to go S. and bypass the W. side of 249 entirely! Thanks for telling me. Not sure about the tree sale next week, hubby and I need a few specimen trees but can't decide on any specific type just yet. I'm thinking Magnolia, or Fringe tree, he's (like a man) thinking Oak! We'll see who wins. We need a landscaper to settle the dispute. Figuring on hiring one for a consultation to start with.

In the area I like Spring Hill (I think it's called) nursery on 2978. It's N. of 2920 about 1/2 mi. or so (if coming from 2920, it would be on your right). There's a garage or something in a long white building next to it. If you blink you'll miss it. I really like that place. Talk to Bonnie if you go there, she's so nice!

Maybe we'll meet up soon, perhaps at the big bash in CS on 4/29. I just found out about it from Dave. I had sent an email (I'm new here) to Dave asking just if there were ever any events in CS, he sent me the link to the post about it. Glad I asked. Can't wait. My mom is moving to CS March or April so I should be able to be there! Me, hubby and our girls :o)

Ladyborg, I live near Blanco and actually volunteered at last year's 1st Annual Lavender Festival...I got to work at Hill Country Lavender Farm, which is the first lav. farm that was started in this area (we have several in the area now). Rob Kendrick is a photographer for Nat. Geographic and was in France when he discovered Lavender Provence...he and his wife own Hill Country Lav. Farm. The main problem w/ growing lav. is drainage. Wet feet is a sure death for lavender. Use raised beds, they can make a big difference. One grower told me that when growing lavender, if you think it needs water, wait till tomorrow! Lots of sun is another thing they love. You can check out HC Lav online at hillcountrylavender.com. (I'm pretty sure that's their website---if not, let me know and I can get it). They also have some GREAT lav. products for sale. Good luck w/ your next attempt at lavender....us gardeners never say die!

Yes, that's the Lavender farm. I remember it from last year's article in Texas Gardening. It was a great article and really made me want to grow lavender.

I KNOW I killed most, if not all, with too much water. Now I know better. Will put them in my flower bed but in a pot on top of the soil

The pot on top of the soil seems to do the trick. Planting in a chimney flu was an idea from Arbor Gate, and it works great. You just have to know that that is where the plant will stay, because the flu has no bottom and it would be extremely difficult to move it to another location. Mine is in the year-round sunniest spot I have, right on top of gravel (keeping grass and weeds away from the AC unit area). I placed window screening at the bottom to keep ants from moving in and sand from moving out, then gravel and sand, then soil with sand mixed in. As I said, the Goodwin Creek that is planted in the flue looks very good!

Now I need to figure out when to cut these back. I was figuring I would do it early spring, but they are already blooming! Maybe after the flush of blooms is over.

I planted 2 Provence Lavenders from Arbor Gate last spring in the ground, in filtered sun. One is dead as a doornail, and the other looks great, but probably has not grown 2 inches. Glad to know about the Spring Hill nursery, I have not been there before, and will try it out soon.

I drove by it this morning, it's actually called just Spring Nursery. I always get their name confused with the name of a catalog. It's just N. of the railroad tracks, just past the Shell station and 1st stop light. You can't miss it (if you know what you're looking for) :o)

Ladyborg, thanks, I will try it! While thinking about herbs, and since we are so close to the same area, you might want to try (if you have not already) a mexican mint marigold. I bought a tiny plant at arbor gate, and it turned into a Fabulous small shrub. It has delicate foliage all summer, then when things stop blooming in the fall, it puts on a great show and is covered in tons of small yellow flowers. It is tidy the rest of the year, gets about 3 or 4 feet tall the first season. Full sun

Here's a link that may be helpful:
http://www.chamomiletimes.com/herbs/lavender.htm Yuska

Thanks for the link, Yuska!

davesgarden5, that lavender really wants full sun, try moving the remaining plant (being sure to get plenty of good drainage.)

I really enjoy the Mexican Mint Marigold, too. The master gardeners at the local extension office told me they cut theirs back by half on the first of April, May, June, and July, so it will get really bushy and put out even more flowers. I only got started doing that last year, then a colony of ants moved in and almost totally covered the whole plant! I finally found an organic way to get rid of the ants, but the damage to the plant was done. It still bloomed in the fall, but this year I will be sure to keep up with cutting it back.

I still believe, in Houston; if we had a normally humid summer---those lavanders would be history. Brenham is not near as humid as we are.

I have grown several types of lavender. They would do well for the first 2 to 3 years with seldom receiving any irrigation once established and then would develop a fungus on the lower branches. No matter what I did to try to prevent the fungus from developing or rid the plants of the fungus, it would spread thoughout the plant. This did not kill the plants, but made them very unsightly eventually necessitating their having to be dug up. I had used cypress bark as a mulch. The nursery people told me to use several inches of pea gravel, river rocks or marble chips (or similar chips) as a mulch if I ever planted more of them. It is best to plant them in areas that do not have other plants in it that require frequent watering.

Maggiemoo thanks, I didn't know that trick about the mint marigold, I was going to cut it ALL the way back. I learn so much from this website!! jackie

I have a Provence lavender in a bed that is just slightly raised, It's in a slightly sandy soil area with rocks also. It's been several years now...doing great near a rosemary bush! I'm in the Hill Country.

Hill County and San Antonio both much less humid than Houston--that fungus gets them quick down here.

The information on the link Yuska gave us said that in the humid South, lavenders don't last much more than about three years. The writer suggested planting a few new ones each year, so you always have some coming into maturity as others are dwindling.

The fern leaf is still blooming away, Goodwin Creek is starting to bloom a little. The aarea I have them in is near the AC unit, though not directly in the path of all the hot blowwing air. I think when the AC is running it may help to keep that area drier than usual though.

Has anyone done cuttings of lavender? A friend of mine said she stuck some unrooted cuttings in the ground, watered for a while and got some new plants. Is that neat or what?

Thanks for the info, I'll have to try that. They would be great plants to give at a swap and the RU.

I've rooted lavender from cuttings. Its really not that hard... but I learned (when I became a Master Gardener last year) that you can propagate anything!... I'm working on seeing if that's really true!

Thanks! Good idea, I will try propagating the lavender I just bought to multiply my plants!