Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), which is used as an ornamental and medicinal plant, is well-known and valued for its purple flowers, which exude an intense fragrance. Cultivation is possible both in the garden and in pots or tubs. Over the years, it will get bigger and stronger, necessitating a change of location or transplanting into a larger pot. But when is the best time to do this and what should be considered?
Transplant lavender
In the garden, this plant can reach an impressive age of up to thirty years, in a bucket much less. This is of course also noticeable at some point in the size of the lavender. Accordingly, after a while, the old location can become too cramped, so it is time to move it.
time
The best time to transplant lavender depends primarily on the prevailing weather and temperatures. Since these plants are somewhat sensitive to frost, they should not be transplanted too early or too late. Ideally, spring should be chosen, around mid-March. Then no more severe frosts or night frosts are to be expected and the lavender has not yet started to sprout again.
If the right time was missed or it was too cold and/or too wet in spring, it can still be implemented in July, but no later than the first week of August. It wasn't supposed to be later. Otherwise, the plants will no longer be able to root sufficiently until winter and, in the worst case, will not survive it. If it is already too late, it is better to wait until next spring to transplant.
Lavender in the garden
Transplanting lavender: instructions
When transplanting lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), a certain amount of sensitivity is required. If the roots are damaged too much, it can die. In most cases, however, the plants will recover within the next one to two years. You should know that they have deep-reaching taproots and otherwise a far-reaching root system.
- Find a suitable location before transplanting
- Dig a sufficiently large planting hole at the new location
- About a third wider and twice as deep as the pad
- Dig up the plant with as much root system as possible including soil
- Damage roots as little as possible
- Then put the lavender in the middle of a new planting hole
- Fill with soil and press down firmly
- Water the plant thoroughly
- Water floods cavities in the planting area
- This promotes faster growth
- In the last step, cut back the plant by a third, maximum half
- Don't cut into the old wood
tip: Lavandula angustifolia is a very good plant partner for roses. Both species are sun-loving, and the fragrant lavender can keep pests away from the roses.
Harden off young plants first
Young plants that have been pre-grown indoors or in a greenhouse need to be hardened off before transplanting outdoors. This is important so they don't go into shock when planted out in the garden, because by then they'll have been raised under controlled conditions. In order to prepare them optimally for the move, they are placed in a place with lower temperatures and less humidity for about two to three weeks before moving. Then they can be transplanted to their final location in the garden.
Transfer to the garden
First, the soil in the planting area must be loosened up to a depth of 20 cm and weeds must be removed. Then you dig out small planting holes and carefully plant the young plants. The holes are then filled with earth and pressed firmly with your hands. The young plants should not be planted too deep, this could affect successful growth. All that remains is to water well, which must also be maintained during the following weeks.
Transplant lavender in the bucket
This blue-flowered beauty is a very undemanding plant that also feels at home in the tub. However, this assumes that the pot or bucket is large enough. The material also plays an important role. Planters made of clay, terracotta or ceramic are best suited, because their porous structure allows excess moisture to evaporate more easily. This is not the case with plastic pots, where waterlogging can form very quickly.
If the pot has good roots or the plant does not bloom, it must be transplanted into a larger pot. This is usually the case every year. Plants that have just been bought in stores should also be repotted as soon as possible after purchase. The reason for this is the substrate, which is usually not optimally matched to the plants in question. The best time to transplant is in spring, although potted lavender can generally be transplanted at any time from March to September.
tip: Lavender varieties with a low habit are particularly suitable for cultivation in tubs. With a sufficiently large pot, for example, the spike lavender, which can be up to one meter high, is also suitable.
Instructions for potting
- Lavandula angustifolia roots need a lot of space
- Both in width and in depth
- Bucket should be big, especially deep enough
- Drainage holes in the bottom of the pot, a must
- Excess water must be able to drain off easily at all times
- On the bottom of the pot, first put a drainage layer
- For example, from gravel, broken pottery, pumice or expanded clay
- Then cover the drainage with fleece
- Fleece prevents soil from trickling through the drainage
- That could clog the holes in the ground
Now fill the bucket about halfway with a suitable substrate and remove the plant from the old pot. After you have removed most of the old soil, you put it in the new pot, fill it up with soil and press it down. As with transplanting in the garden, lavender in pots must also be watered abundantly at the end.
Suitable substrates for growing in tubs
The right substrate is usually half the battle. Lavender thrives particularly well in soil with a high pH. A high pH value means that the substrate should be as calcareous or alkaline as possible. In addition, it should be dry, low in nutrients and permeable. Commercial potting soil is not very suitable for these plants, it is too rich in nutrients.
It is better to use a special soil, in this case a herbal soil. Such substrates usually contain significantly fewer nutrients and are tailored to the specific needs of certain plants. They also contain a certain amount of sand, which ensures permeability.
true lavender, Lavandula angustifolia