Moving garden

Hello everyone
Unexpectedly I have to leave my house at some unknown point in the next couple of months and would love some advice about transferring a largish lavender bush. It's roughly 4ft across 3ft tall so is quite unweildy to move as is.
It has leafy growth beneath and above the flowers and it may have to sit in a pot for quite a while.
I can't quite work out how to add a photo yet.
Do I cut it back and if so where?
Is there anything else I need to do to help it survive?
Or should I just leave it behind?
Thanks in advance - any suggestions welcome.

 

Hello and welcome to the forums @toadflax74
It can be tricky to move such a big lavender plant, can't cut lavender back into old wood, it won't sprout from it.
The roots will be difficult as well because they go right down, it will be best to buy another.
It's a shame that you have to move so quickly.

 

Hello Logan
Thanks for your reply. I hadn't thought about the roots but now you've mentioned it they will be too difficult to dig out because the plant is in an old wooden planter - I suspect it's welded to the ground! I'll take your advice and leave it behind.

 

Take some cutting from your existing bush to grow on for your next garden, I doubt if you could move the plant you have because of its size. If you decide to give it a try, trim the top growth back to a couple of leaf shoots on each stem, growing from the bottom. Lavenders will not shoot from brown stems below the first growing shoot. Try to lift as much of the root ball as possible and put into as large a container as possible with fresh sandy soil and keep watered in the pot and again when you plant it out in your next garden. Lavenders are not long lived so it may be nearing its end of natural life anyway so maybe say Goodbye and buy a new bush after you have moved.
Good luck.

 

Hello Goldenlily26
Thank you for your answer, I didn't know lavenders have a limited life span. I like your idea of taking some cuttings so I'll do that and then leave it behind. It will probably be happier to spend the rest of it's life where it has grown from a tiny plug.

 

I wouldn't risk trying to move it either. If your cuttings don't take, young lavender plants are usually widely available in summer and not that expensive, so you could treat yourself to a new one.

 

Hello JennyJB, thanks for your reply, yes I think I'll do exactly that, maybe even add a few others to my shopping basket while I'm there!

 

@toadflax74 you are welcome.