@Cantillon .............

Thank you.

Since I last posted, it snowed and I have been shoveling snow a LOT. I should have gone out and shaken the snow off of the plants and have that task scheduled for tomorrow.

I cannot winter protect anything in containers up here. Actually, I avoid all container gardening because of the extremely hot summer temps up here.

It's good to know that in spring I can take cuttings, if they make it through the winter. Also, it's great to know that if they fail to make good garden plants, it was because of the abuse they went through when they were relocated to my garden.

Thanks, again.

Smiles,
Lyn

Hi Lyn,

I thought they may not make good garden plants as they may have become too woody and adopted peculiar shapes. They may not have got any decent anchoring or feeder roots down before the snow arrived. I hope you are fortunate with them, if not, think about throwing some seeds in a quiet place.

I have attached some notes gleaned from the Royal Horticultural Society website which may help you. None better.

RHS Publications: Hardy lavender bulletin

Cultivation notes

Growing in the soil

Lavender is best planted between April and May. It thrives in poor or moderately fertile, free-draining alkaline soils in full sun.

On heavier soils, like clay and clay loam, lavender tends to be fairly short-lived, becoming woody at the base. To prolong the life of your lavender on heavier soil, add organic matter and gravel to improve the drainage and plant on a mound. If growing as a hedge, plant on a ridge to keep the base of the plants out of wet soil.

Space plants 90cm (3ft) apart, or if growing a hedge, 30cm (1ft) apart or, 45cm (18in) for larger cultivars.

Once established, lavender is fairly drought-tolerant.


Pruning
Pruning Back to top Lavenders should be pruned every year to keep them compact. On established plants use secateurs to remove flower stalks and about 2.5cm (1in) of the current year’s growth, making sure that some green growth remains. At Wisley, pruning is undertaken in late summer after flowering, although spring pruning is sometimes recommended in books. Lavender does not break readily from old wood and neglected specimens are best replaced.

You can easily make more lavender by taking semi-ripe cuttings in late summer.

Sorry about the weather,

Peter

Peter ....

Thank you so much for the information. I was going to research lavenders this winter. You have given me a head start.

It looks like just setting the plants on top of my clay soil and mounding them with sandy loam was a good way to plant them.

Having these plants to deal with was just one of those unexpected events. Even if these plants don't make it, I will learn something from the experience. I visited a lavender farm down in the valley a couple of years ago and had planned to add lavenders to my garden in the street bed, but just hadn't gotten to that bed just yet.

Your hedge sounds like it will be beautiful.

Re: Snow .... we only get snow at my elevation a few times a season. It just means a few extra chores when it happens. It generally doesn't stick for more than a few days.

Smiles,
Lyn