Is my lavender plant beyond repair?

[Office Planter]

I received this plant about a month ago. It has been steadily declining in health. I have read up on care and keep getting conflicting answers on whether it's too much water or not enough water. I recently moved it from my home to my office to get it more sun, but with no improvement. Any help? TIA. I cannot get the picture to rotate correctly. Sorry.

[applestar]

I think it's not enough drainage. From what I can see of the potting mix, it looks very dark. I would rather be seeing lighter color mixture from about 1/3 sand and aquarium gravel or lots of white blobs from perlite.

Also, this appears to be a glazed pot with matching saucer. Often this kind of pot only has one smallish drainage hole and the saucer is attached which blocks the already limited drainage hole -- is it? Lavender would do much better in unglazed terracotta clay pot with a large drainage hole or even orchid pot with slashed sides.

I don't know if the plant can be saved, but the conflicting info you are getting is probably because root damaged plant will look similar since it can't take up sufficient water to support the upper growth. I think you might want to trim off all of the upper 1/4 or so of the plant, including all of the flowers which are sapping its energy, then try slipping the soil/root ball out of the pot -- is it too wet? -- speed up drying of the potting mix by leaving it out of the pot in a cardboard box or paper-lined tray. Take a picture of the rootball and post if you'd like us to take a look.

[rainbowgardener]

Yup, all of what applestar said. Staying too wet, too much of the time. Lavender is a desert adapted plant that does best in sandy, very well drained soil.

Also lavender is not really an indoor plant. It needs lots of sunshine. It probably still isn't getting nearly enough light. As soon as you can, you should transition it to outdoors. It will need to be hardened off gradually, but once acclimatized it is pretty cold hardy. I grew lavender outdoors all winter when I lived in zone 6. I did lose my lavender plants one year when we had a super record-breaking cold, snowy winter, but otherwise it did fine.

[Office Planter]

Thank you for the replies. I transferred it to a cardboard box for now and trimmed it. You were right-- very wet soil. What is frustrating is it was purchased for me and came in that pot and with that soil. I have it in direct sunlight right now. Sadly I don't know if I can move it outside. I live in an apartment that does not get great sun even on my deck.

[rainbowgardener]

If your deck doesn't get at least six hours of sun a day, here's your alternative:



Keeping it indoors with fluorescent lighting just a few inches above the plant, on sixteen hours a day.

[imafan26]

Lavender does not like the leaves wet and it likes slightly alkaline soil. You need a pot with very good drainage, use a clay pot, it breathes and cactus soil, it drains well. Let the plant be almost dry before you water and try to avoid wetting the leaves. Do not let it sit in a saucer of water, ever.

I don't know if the plant is salvageable. The new shoot will have to come from the bottom.