ellie4181
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French lavender half dying??? Please HELP!!!

PLEASE help me revive our lavender plant... It was doing just fine indoors, by a window sill with full indirect sunlight.. until I watered it one morning (just enough) and came back next morning to see half of our plant wilting and changing to a pale purple color.

So I took it out of the pot, gently teased the roots, let the roots sit in a bowl of water before repotting and placing it outside on balcony, in case it needs more sun.

Attached pics- two showing the dying half and one showing the healthy half.
Attachments
1BEABC42-C3D5-42C5-910A-7001849453E6.jpeg
D1356663-F9F7-404A-82FD-143214DC1440.jpeg
7DE1CA80-F634-434B-B76A-7FA4C37F8F24.jpeg

ellie4181
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Clearer picture of dying half
Attachments
BF0E8D2D-D762-4FC0-B0F4-764C470A41B5.jpeg

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applestar
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I feel like I should mention that putting it outside when it has been inside “to give it more sun” might have been a mistake, and that it could have suffered from sunburn and/or wind burn/dehydration.

HOWEVER, let’s go back to when it first wilted. — you said you watered it, then came back next morning to find half of it in the condition above. But was it as bad as the picture (or do you think the damage got worse)? Did you make sure there was no water left in the saucer before leaving it?

You said window sill — is it a public area or in your own home? Could It have been damaged in some other way? Blinds dropped on it, something thrown in it like a ball... somebody poured leftover beverage in the pot (alcohol would be worst, but even hot coffee or something). or could there have been somebody cleaning the window?

Windowsill area typically has air conditioning vents — hot or cold air — blasting.... was the weather in any way different overnight?

Finally, is there any sign of mites?

ellie4181
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First-hand THANK YOU FOR RESPONDING!!! (*hug*)
We kept in near our window sill in our living room- so private, and we don't have kids- so no foul play would've been involved..

Temperature has been maintained at 76 F, and there is a vent above but really high ceilings and vent is directed towards middle of room, away from plants below it.

No sign of mites either...

I just remembered.. I did put 1 plant Spike/fertilizer towards one side of the pot... Would that kill the plant???

Should I bring it back inside?

Thank you again!!

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applestar
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Well, the rest of the plant seems to be doing OK, so maybe just the stressed part couldn’t handle it/recover? I think it is better for lavender to spend the summer months outdoors. Bring it back inside once it gets too cold in your area for it to survive the winter.

What kind of fertilizer spike was it? Do you remember the NPK values? Was it the kind that is about 2 inches long and 1/4” in diameter? Lavender tends to dislike “rich” soil, but that may refer more to moisture holding soil consistency. They do prefer sandy, calcium/lime rich soil... or more precisely they do fine in such gravelly inhospitable-seeming location. High nitrogen might be harmful, though, and maybe burn their roots?

...at this point, I would snip off damaged branches with dried up leaves so they don’t attract pests or host fungus/mold, and so the plant will have chance to grow new shoots.

pepperhead212
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Years ago, when I tried growing rosemary in pots, they would get rootbound the first season, maybe a little larger than your lavender (with a pot even larger!) and they would wilt, but come back quickly after watering. Then, within a day, they would wilt again. Since you mention "gently teasing the soil", I assume that was somewhat rootbound? Maybe you need to be a little more vigorous with it; I have to do this with some of my plants when I re-pot them, root pruning half of the roots away (pruning away even more of the tops of the plants), and severely loosening them, and they almost immediately get large areas of new growth on them, after re-potted.

imafan26
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Lavender does have a good root system and it looks like it could have used a bigger pot. It also likes to be cut frequently to keep it from getting woody. Usually it gets and annual haircut cutting back all the new growth but avoiding cutting into older wood. It does not need a lot of fertilizer. I only give it a little slow release fertilizer once or twice a year. It will die if it has wet feet. It needs good drainage and likes slightly alkaline soil.

I still manage to lose lavender in pots because they cannot be overly shaded or crowded and they don't do well if the leaves get wet for a long time and the roots rot.



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