We have lavender plants partially edging two of our fruit beds. I am trying to create a complete edge around the beds but originally I didn't have enough plants and so I compromised and edged just two sides of the beds. The beds only have three edges - I know that sounds strange but along the fourth edge is the row of summer fruiting raspberries. I planted some rooted cuttings along the third edges last year but these are only growing really slowly.
The large purple dots represent the old lavenders and the small dots represent the smaller ones taken as cuttings but seeming not to want to grow.
I do trim the lavender hedge every year to try and prevent it from becoming bare and leggy but the problem is that over time weeds and grass has grown through the lavender and I want/need to remove it somehow! The only option seems to be to dig up the lavender plants and clean them of weed roots and replant them but ... when should I do this?
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Lavenders can be tricky and I'm afraid I have killed the mature ones that I have pruned/dug up and replanted to remove weeds:( Perhaps RHS website for hints? I am sure the lavender edging is wonderful for bringing pollinators to the fruit as well as being kind for the bees!
ReplyDeleteOh dear, sweffling I could well have to put up with the weeds! Thanks for taking the time to comment.
DeleteI do like the idea of using lavender as a hedge.
ReplyDeleteI've just weeded my overgrown herb garden, like you I had grass deep rooted in it. I dug everything out and left them in buckets of water. I lost everything, lavender, rosemary, curry plants....the digging took so long the water killed the herbs. Good luck with yours.xxxx
Oh dear - I guess if I do it speed is required, Snowbird.
DeleteI haven't regenerated a Lavender hedge, I have to grow it in pots here as it wouldn't survive the winter. My daughter saved about 20 big plants from the skip at work last year and I've planted the ones that survived into long low containers to use as a low hedge that can be bought in for the winter. I also have about 25 plug plants that I got from Gardeners world mag but tbh I'm struggling to get them to take.
ReplyDeleteI pruned the new growth of the larger plants a few weeks back and they're romping away now, then I prune them once they finish flowering and as long as I don't cut into dead wood they seem to respond pretty well.
I'm not too sure about the best time for digging them up but personally I would do it around now, certainly well before flowering anyway. However if I move younger plants I would personally cut off flowering stems for the first year after transplanting simply to encourage more leaf growth.
Good luck Sue
Linda - The Tenacious Gardener
Maybe I'll leave it this year, Linda as I have lots to do at the moment and I have tidied it a little.
DeleteLavender plants are so finicky, Sue. I've lost count of the number that have gone woody in the garden, or that I've managed to kill off. If it's any use to you, there was a special offer in May's Gardeners World magazine for 48 lavender plants for £5.60. The code to use was GW688 on the Thompson and Morgan website. I know they'll only be tiny plugs, but it might help you replenish the hedge. I'm not sure when they'll turn up though, as I'm still waiting for mine.
ReplyDeleteI'm thinking of taking some cuttings and sowing some seed Paula as this lot were grow from seed taken from my original plants. I read the offer and it has something about minimum order of £10 so presumably you had to order something else too.
DeleteSue, usually it is better to do it earlier in April but to be honest this year is not a normal year.They don't like too much water so if your ground is heavy I would dig a hole and put some grit in with some slow release fertiliser. I have just dug up my lavender alba for the same reason as you- dreaded grass, I didn't plant mine deeper as they tend to shoot quite low anyway.Good luck, as for the cuttings I don't think the weather has helped them and once they DO get some sun on them they should get going.
ReplyDeleteWe do have heavy clay but surprisingly lavender seems to do quite well - the ones in the photo have been there for quite a few years now. If my cuttings don't grow then I'll take your advice and dig up and replant next year. I think I'm going to get some more plants going too. The large ones in the photo were grown on in a sort of nirsery bed and then planted out once they were quite big.
DeleteIt sounds like quite a job, not one I'd fancy tackling myself. It's a lovely idea to edge the bed with a hedge, I bet the scent is fantastic.
ReplyDeleteIt is Jo especially when weeding amongst the plants
DeleteThe smell of lavender is wonderful. Your design of the area is a great job; its always good to see the bigger picture.
ReplyDeleteI've been meaning to do a plan of the garden, Kelli but it's something I still have to get round to. One day!
DeleteMixed feelings about lavender , Sue.
ReplyDeleteYou can't eat it and it smells of a past age. Also 3 out of four alongside our garden path died last winter. So, no help from here! Sorry.
But you can eat it Mal - haven't you had lavender biscuits. Must admit I haven't either as I don't really fancy them.
DeleteGreat to see your garden plan Sue!
ReplyDeleteI have also taken lavender cuttings, I did it in 2011 and they are still just tiny plants, not sure where I am going wrong, can they really take this long to get growing? If they don’t put on some healthy growth this summer I will be just chucking them. I consider lavender a relatively short lived plant, you’ll get 7-8 years at best, possibly only 5 if you want it to look really good.
I can't remember how long these ones took to grow into mature plants, Helene. They were seeds sown by collecting from some other plants and I first had them growing on in a sort of nursery bed. I think this is their third home but I transplanted them when they were quite small - it's the large plants I'm not too sure about moving.
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