Poorly lavender?

[Mumbles]

I have 6 lavender plants all purchased at the same time and were originally all the same size. The two green ones on the left have grown a little and are all completely green. The others (apart from the one in the very front) are at various stages of going purple and shrinking. The one at the front is the biggest and slightly purple.

Any ideas what going on with them?

Thanks

[Two_Sheds]

I can't see them, the photo's too tiny

[Raybon]

Enlarge by tapping on pic then further using two fingers to widen.

[Mumbles]

I'll do an enlarged photo on the computer when I get hone

[Scarlet]

Are you using the app on your phone ? If so, go to the main site using safari and upload from there....the picture size and quality is much better but it usually comes in rotated.

[Mumbles]

here is a better picture...hopefully

[mothhawk]

Sorry to say they look as if they are dying to me, all bar one. What compost are they growing in? Having said that, though, it may be shock at being repotted, or from the change of conditions from where you bought them, and they may re-shoot fresh growth from the stems. Are they outside? That's where they need to be at this time of year.

[Mumbles]

Yes they are outside. They were plug plants (posted with no pots) and I planted them in MPC. I was hoping to move them in to the herb bed later in the year (when I make it )

[mothhawk]

I don't use MPC so don't know how strong it is fertiliser wise, but lavender prefers a poorer soil rather than a rich one, without too much organic matter in it, at least until it is big and strong. When I take cuttings I put them in JI number 1. You could try taking a couple of the sick ones out and potting them up into plain garden soil if you don't use John Innes, or just planting in the garden to see if that improves them.

Growing Lavender Guide | Cotswold Lavender

[Martin H]

Like most mediterranean shrubs, Lavender does best in fairly hungry, gritty, well drained compost. MPC could well be too wet and rich for them. Your plants obviously aren't happy as they are so I'd be tempted to tip them out and re-pot in more suitable conditions. As long as there are a few healthy roots they may well recover.

Like mothhawk said.

[Mumbles]

Ok thanks, will get them sorted in the morning then, I'm not too fussed about it but my OH loves it so it was a 'look I'm thinking about you while taking over the garden' purchase, could do with keeping it alive!

[Alison]

Enlarge by tapping on pic then further using two fingers to widen.

You'll be a long time doing that for all the many people not using a touch screen interface, would just give my laptop a mucky screen

[bobbin]

Were they mail order? If so I'd get straight onto company you purchased them from. I took my own cuttings and many failed to root with similar results. .So sounds like root system poor or stressed or damaged. I doubt very much they'll recover. I'm sure the company...if you reassure them you handled them correctly will replace. Be firm though. They may not have cost much but that's beside the point.
Last year I asked on GYO about two roses sent to me by a friend (£60) which started to die off the moment they were delivered! I doubt they'd been hardened off which could be your problem. As another contributor said to you,they do need to be outside.

[Mumbles]

Have re-potted today with a mix of sand and MPC 50/50 all but the green plant came out of the pots as the plug they went in them as. The green plant pot was full of roots.
They were mail order plants so if nothing happens to them now would I be right in ringing the company to ask for a replacement?

Thanks

[Chris172]

Hi

Recently been to jersey and visited the lavender farm. They do not like good soil or all the feed you would like to give them, only gritty porous soil it's a fact I have seen.

Best idea would be to plant out with sharp sand or grit mixed in the soil but don't water very often as they come from an area wheee it has been baron to thrive

Happy gardening