I was given a lovely lavender plant for Christmas, and I need some advice. It is unlikely to thrive in its pretty pot, but I have never seen lavender growing this far south in Texas. How should I care for it to give it the best chance here? We have sandy soil that drains well, but the humidity is high.

Sharp draining soil. slightly elevated site that gets great air flow and CROSS your fingers.


Here is some info I hope helps.

http://www.texaslavenderassoci...

http://www.gabrielvalleyfarms....

http://www.hillcountrylavender...

http://sunshinelavenderfarm.co...

Thank you, Jean, those sites are very helpful.

You are most welcome. The quote below is from Sept. 2009. It is from Thailand and a gentleman wanting to start a Lavender Farm. if you have the time to skim through or to check out his FB link, you may glean even more useful info.

"We living in tropical zone, which our terrain (to be farmed) is Hill side, 200-400 meter high from sea level, humid (40%-80% in average annually), rainy but not heavy, temp in winter during 10C-20C, summer 20-30C and rainy during 18-28C"

And this is pictures and info from his facebook page. The last post was November 2015. His efforts have inspired folks in Malaysia and Nambia to do the same.

https://www.facebook.com/TheSt...

with Jean, and it does sort of depend upon the variety of lavender you've got. I've had the odd one make it through the summer here, with cactus mix in the pot, elevated and kept as dry as possible in our humidity.

I buy it every year in the early spring, just because I love it. But more often than not it succumbs to the humidity in summer - root rot from not drying out enough, I think. Might try it in a hanging basket this year, in fact. My orchids do manage to dry out pretty well . . . even in summer.

I think L dentata (French) and L stoechas (Spanish) do best with humidity and heat, Do you know which species you have? I seem to remember L dentata Candicans being a good choice in hot and humid climes.

http://www.smgrowers.com/produ...

FWIW since I'm in a completely different climate, I've had L. dentata growing on a pot for about four years or so. I can't plant it outdoors because it would never survive the winters so it is always indoors on a sunny windowsill in winter. I find it surprisingly thirsty and I have to keep a careful eye on it because it wilts readily if it gets too dry.