Garden Q&A: How can I keep the lavender in my pots healthy?

Whether you're a gardening beginner or expert, Irish Examiner columnist Peter Dowdall has the answer to your questions    

Lavender likes a very free-draining compost, but that does not mean bone dry.

Question

I have two lavender pots, and some of the lavender looks like it’s dying. Am I giving the plants too much water, or should I take away what looks like the dying flowers?

Answer

The important thing is to work out whether it is just the flower stems dying back or whether the whole plant is deteriorating. If it is only the flowers, that is completely normal at this time of year. 

Remove the dead and dying flower stems, taking an inch or two of foliage with them. This helps keep lavender compact and bushy. Never cut hard back into old woody growth, as lavender generally will not regenerate from it.

If the foliage itself is turning brown and the whole plant looks to be dying, watering may be the issue. Unfortunately, overwatering and underwatering can produce similar symptoms.

Lavender likes a very free-draining compost, but that does not mean bone dry. I would always err slightly on the side of underwatering rather than keeping lavender too wet.

Got a gardening question for Peter Dowdall? Email [e-mail]