3 Ways to Revive a Dying Lavender Plant

Lavender is a herb native to the mountainous region of North Africa and Northern Africa. It has several medicinal uses that inspire people to grow it in their homes. Though it does not require much maintenance but maintaining the optimal conditions for the lavender plant is necessary. It thrives in well-drained sandy soil, full sun, and low to medium fertility range soil.

The main reasons why your Lavender plant might be dying are:

• Lack of sunlight- Lavender requires at least 6 hours of sun exposure.

• Root rot- Due to overwatering and improper drainage system.

• Highly fertile soil or high Nitrogen content- Leaves turning yellow

1. Lack of sunlight

How to know?

• If you observe that your plant is having fewer flowers and less aroma, then you know it is due to not getting enough sunlight.

• In its native Mediterranean region, Lavender receives sunlight all day, throughout the year. The hot climate and less humidity allow the plant to grow properly and produce the maximum number of flowers with a high aroma.

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How to revive?

This is how you may revive your Lavender from sun deficiency:

1.If your Lavender is planted in a pot, then move it to that area of your garden which receives the most sunlight. It must get at least 6 hours of sunlight.

2.If it is planted in the ground, then you need to unroot it first and then transfer it. This part can be quite tricky but don’t worry, we will guide you through it.

3.The best time of the year to transplant Lavender is late winter or early spring as it will lower the chances of transplant shock. But you can do it in any other season too as the Lavender plant is quite tolerant to getting transplanted in any condition.

4.To unroot the plant, your best tool should be a fork. Try to do it as gently as possible in order to cause no severe damage to the roots.

5.Now plant it in a sunny place, approximately 2-3 feet away from other plants or in a pot with well-drainage.

6.Firm the ground with your hands to provide stability to the plant.

2. Root rot

How to know?

• If you’re observing brown foliage in your Lavender plant or it is having a drooping or wilting appearance just like the one shown in the image, then these are the signs of root rot.

• Root rot may be caused by overwatering, improper drainage, less sunlight, high humidity, etc.

• People often get confused by the wilting appearance and take it as a sign of water deficiency. Due to this, they water it more frequently leading to the quick death of the plant.

• Lavender is a drought tolerating plant and can survive without water in the scorching heat of the Mediterranean region during summers. So you should stop worrying about killing your plant with excess thirst during summers.

How to revive?

Try to follow the guidelines mentioned below to keep your plant healthy:

1.If you notice your plant showing signs of being overwatered then do not water it for at least 3 weeks. Keep the plant in sunlight and protect it from rainfall in the recovering period.

2.Pruning the affected areas is also necessary. Trim just below the brown foliage with a sterile pair of scissors.

3.You will notice an improvement in the health of the plant after 3 weeks. After that resume the standard watering schedule of once every two weeks.

4.If you recently planted a new lavender then water it once every week for four consecutive weeks and then once every two weeks.

5.For the Lavender plant more than two years old (established Lavender), no need to water at all if the area receives a significant amount of rainfall, otherwise once every two weeks.

3. Highly fertile soil or high Nitrogen content

How to know?

• The first thing that you will notice in your Lavender plant if your soil has high Nitrogen content is foliage turning yellow, similar to the one shown in the image.

• If the plant appears leggy which means the leaves grow unevenly and the plant looks floppy and untidy, then it is also a sign of high Nitrogen content.

• The soil in the Mediterranean region is of poor fertility and sandy which is the best for lavender. Moreover, it does not require any kind of fertilizer too.

How to revive?

This is how to keep your plant healthy-

• If you are using fertilizers for your lavender then stop that immediately. The plant will definitely recover until the next season.

• If you have not applied any fertilizer to your Lavender, then it means that your soil is naturally highly fertile. To solve this problem, either transplant it to a new pot with 30% sand and 70% potting soil or dig up your plant and add plenty of sand into the planting area and then replant.

• Do not worry about harming your plant with a lot of sand as the native region of Lavender has sandy and poor quality soil and it thrives in it.

• If you see any dead matter such as leaves, insects, or other organic substances in or over the soil, then remove it. The dead matter provides more nutrition to the already fertile soil which is not good for Lavender.

Conclusion

The reasons mentioned above are the most common enemies of the Lavender plant if you are growing it at your home where you do not possess the natural conditions required for it.

Lavender oil has various medicinal properties and it is also used in massage oil essential oil blends. If you want to gift someone lavender essential oil, you can use custom cosmetic boxes to show your love.

Follow the above steps to have a thriving lavender without much effort.