Lavenders in California

Question

I've had 4 Lavender de Provence die on me. They are drying up and dying. I've always considered myself a green thumb, but these plants and I are just not grooving. I was told they're the best plant for gopher repellant, drought tolerant, and do well in rock gardens.I've planted 8 of them 4 have died in the last 3 months.

I've dug one up to see if maybe there was no soil from all the gopher activities, but they seem to be fine. Roots are there, plenty of soil, not too wet, nor too dry...I'm stumped. Any suggestions?

Answer 1

Not sure what Lavender de provence is - there's a Lavandula intermedia 'Provence' https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/201924/Lavandula-x-intermedia-Provence/Details so perhaps that's the one you mean.

Lavender prefers neutral to alkaline soil conditions, though this particular variety will tolerate more acid conditions. You don't say when you planted your lavenders, but if it was this year, despite being drought tolerant once established, they do need watering like any other shrub or plant in their first year in order to establish themselves properly, so I wonder if that might have been the problem.

Answer 2

There was at least one previous question on a very similar issue, so you might check out the interaction there.

A couple of observations: first if the plant roots are in a potting medium that tends to cling to moisture, having free draining material below the plant is not going to help a lot, particularly if there is no continuous free draining. That's to say roots are best in sandy gritty material from the surface down to Australia or wherever the other side of the world happens to be. Second, lavender tends to go woody fairly quickly and can snap easily but without obvious signs on the top side. The foliage is minutely hairy and will tend to retain moisture in the top growth even if the supply from the roots has disappeared or been severely restricted. By the time you notice it is too late for irrigation to affect the situation. Examine the dying/dead plants at the surface and see if it is wet right there in the junction between top and root, where you are most likely to have air and moisture.

Answer 3

Presumably "Lavender de Provence" is a French variety, and in general French lavenders are less hardy and more short lived than English varieties (i.e. Lavandula angustifolia and L. × intermedia crosses).

Lavender doesn't tolerate waterlogged soil or lack of direct sun, but the English varieties at least are pretty tolerant and (obviously) grow well in English weather conditions without much special care and attention.

I have no idea about gopher tolerance or repellent properties - that's not a problem in the UK!