You've partly answered your question yourself! Neglect, and plenty of it, is the answer. And room to spread for the plants - even if it's only a couple of small holes in the bottom of a pot.

Take a look at where those older plants are. Sunlight, soil, protection from wind, good drainage - I bet it's all there. So that's what your new plants need, too.

Now, since we know that lavender LIKES it where you are, what could be the problem? Several suspects:

When you buy your plants, do you take the whole thing out of the pot to inspect the root system? Are the plants potbound, are the roots growing round and round the pot instead of straight downwards? This is the death knell for any plant, and nothing you can do will make those roots straighten out so they can feed and drink.

So the plants look good above the soil. So what? Unscrupulous nurseries and plant suppliers know exactly how to achieve that - for a quick sale. It's a deceptive little ploy. Another one is to suppress the growth of certain plants over periods when sales aren't so good - which means you're getting a much older plant than the size might indicate. It doesn't do the plants a heap of good, but it can boost sales when better weather arrives.

I suggest buying plants well into spring, or even summer. By then, hopefully, any tampered-with plants will have gone to other unsuspecting customers.

When keeping plants in pots, take a look at a fully mature plant that isn't in a pot (or is in a huge pot). Visualise trying to squeeze the above-ground bits into the pot you've chosen. As a rough rule of thumb, the bits below-ground will need as much space as the bits above. A potted plant will always be stunted to some degree, but this is a fairly good guide to the size of pot needed. Lavender roots don't grow deep - they like to spread themselves out fairly close to the soil surface - and if they have to squeeze out through small holes to get at what they want, they'll do it, as you've discovered.

Keep the pH of the potting mix at 6.5-7.5. Let this measure guide you as to the addition or not of lime.

Lavender prefers a poor soil, so keep the fertilisers away from them. Just use fresh potting mix each time you repot to a larger size pot (or if in the ground, a handful of compost every blue moon or so won't hurt, and will help improve the soil condition - friability and drainage).

In winter, keep protected from extreme cold and wind, and allow the soil to dry out almost completely. Just a little misting now and then to keep it alive.

I've got a lavender that is about 10 years old and winters outdoors. Drainage and poor soil is key. I neglect the poor thing and it likes it best that way. Look for english lavender varieties for best winter hardiness. My 10 year-old plant is a English - "Munstead."

Try to make sure you have good drainage for your lavender plants - sitting in water during the winter time will croak them for sure!

FataMorgana

I laughed out loud with the chickens running off with the labels! I'm sorry, I know it's not funny to you, but the image of a couple of rogue chickens saying, "Hey! Let's play with the human's mind a little. You get that label and I'll get this one!" is just so funny!

My problem and question about lavender is this: I have mine planted fairly close to some small gardenia plants and I'm wondering if they need more room to grow. They did bloom a little bit last summer (they were a year old then), and they are still as of now. Do I need to move them to give more room for them to grow? If so, will they still produce blooms?

Thanks! I hope you find the answers to which you are looking!

Beverly

My Lavender Munsteads (the ones that grew through the bottom of the pots into the ground) are each about 30" wide when they finish blooming, but I don't know about other varieties.

I don't know enough to give advice about transplanting, although I may try one of my Munsteads soon. Of course, which kills it, my growing techniques or the transplanting???

Sue

Extremely unlikely!! The only possibility would be if the foundations were already badly damaged. Even tree roots will not have a significant effect on foundations unless the foundations were already structurally compromised.