Help needed re lavender pot plant - can I plant in the ground?

[JustKeepSwimming]

Hi,

I am not a gardener so not sure what to do.

We were given a pot plant lavender by a busybody lovely old dear who lives nearby recently, and it kind of got left on the side, then put outside for a bit.
I think i should plant it in the ground out the front so she can see we've looked after it/appreciated it etc. but not sure if it will make it.

Do i just bung it in a hole and cross fingers?
It's not looking overly healthy already, would i be better off buying a new one to plant and compost ditch the nearly dead one?

[foofi]

Er, yes, just bung it in the ground and water it. Stamp down the earth around it as hard as you can.

[JustKeepSwimming]

Thanks, ok will do tomorrow!

[MadBadandDangerousToKnow]

And if you have heavy clay soil, bung a bit of gravel or grit into the hole before you plant it. If the roots get cold and wet during the winter it may die publically and you will be shamed as a plant murderer.

[MaryMotherOfCheeses]

LOL at potential Public Shaming By Lavender.

Tough old things. The three tiny plants I had last year from B&Q are now giants and have taken over my tiny border in the front garden. Hopefully you've got a nice neat variety.

I'd cut any flowers right back, and trim the leaves a bit, then bung it in the ground with some compost, water well, then ignore. I think it prefers somewhere sunny.

[LovelyTinOfSpam]

ROFL at ignoring the lavendar. Giving it the . Shunning generally to encourage growth.

Can you do that with children?

[JustKeepSwimming]

Thanks all

MBDTK - we have clay soil and i didn't read your post until i after i bunged it in the ground! oh dear. Well if it dies I can sneak out and buy another one at least

MMC - not sure i want it taking over out there, will keep a close eye on it - whilst ignoring it carefully too!

LTS - seems to work with my DC

[plantwoman]

Lavender plants hate to be wet, so make sure it doesn't get waterlogged in the ground, as someone else said, bung in some gravel or sand for drainage.

Cut back the flower spikes when it has finished flowering, but don't cut into the wood as it probably won't rejuvanate.
Lavender has a certain life span before it starts to look woody at the bottom anyway, and once it goes like that there's nothing you can do.