Re: Sudden Death Strikes Lavender

Olwen Williams wrote:
> 
> I'm told lavendar is not long-lived.  I dug up some stoechas lavendar
> and moved it, and it died. (I shouldn't have tried to moved it)  But I
> do have lots of self-seeded lavendar, including from the plants that
> died.  I had a Lavandula Pinnata, which was growing well, and took a
> dozen or so cuttings from it which all grew, and the mother plant
> appears to have died, probably as the result of frost this winter.  The
> cuttings are outside, close to the house and are doing fine.  I'm taking
> large numbers of cuttings of my lavendars so I'll be able to replace
> them if need be.

Actually, I don't think lavender is necessarily always short lived,
sometimes the odd plant may last for years if regularly pruned. I had a
bush of a stoechas which lasted more than ten years, though rather odd
looking due to being jumped on by a small child early in its life! L
pinnata on the other hand is almost an annual with me, as it doesn't
appreciate my winters, so I have given up growing it.
> 
> I've been taking small cuttings (about 4 inches) of softwood, dipping
> them in honey, putting them in potting mix, and in the glasshouse (this
> ensures regular watering, and some protection from weather) until they
> are growing, then very carefully separating them and potting them
> individually.  At this stage they can go outside.  I read somewhere
> about using honey, and don't know if it helps, but the cuttings are
> taking.

This sounds an interesting technique, I don't have a lot of success with
lavender cuttings, so I think I will give it a go. One of our local
honeys -  Manuka (Leptospermum)- is used in wound dressings because it
has antiseptic properties, so this would seem a good one to use..

Moira
-- 
Tony & Moira Ryan <theryans@xtra.co.nz>
Wainuiomata, New Zealand, SW Pacific. 12 hours ahead of Greenwich Time
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