Lavender in a pot now has messes of roots growing out the bottom!
Glasgow,
United Kingdom 
I'm just off to work just asking a quick question re a 3 year old lavender plant. I bought it as a small pot plant then 2 years ago I transplanted it into a larger pot and put it outside. after spending quite a while in the garden last night (putting all the lovely stones down - see earlier question & I will post photos tonight) I noticed the lavender plant has about 4 inches of thick roots growing out the bottom of the pot! I'm not sure if I put the plant into the gound will I kill it? It has masses of buds on it.
4 Jun, 2009
Answers
I would say it would be happier in the ground than it is now, dig the hole a good bit bigger than the pot, I dont know what your soil is like but if it is dry and heavy as mine is I would put plenty of water in the hole then,a mixture of compost and bone meal, tease out the roots a little, fill around the plant with the compost mixt then fill back the earth and water well. It will grow faster in the ground than it has been in the pot so be sure to trim it in shape after the flowers have gone over not for it to get leggy.
4 Jun, 2009
If it were mine, I'd wait till it had flowered and then get it out of its pot. Useful life of a lavender is only about 5 years before it gets horribly woody anyway, and ripping it out of the pot will disturb roots and may stop it flowering now. Wait a couple of weeks and do it.
4 Jun, 2009
Bamboo I did not suggest 'ripping' the plant out of the pot but either cutting or breaking the pot so that the roots were not damaged. I've had lavenders that have gone on for far more than 5 years - you just need to keep them well pruned.
4 Jun, 2009
Too late, I've taken it out out of the pot (I gently smashed it and it came out quite easily). Its been well watered so fingers crossed. I will post photos over the weekend I'm just off to bed, been in garden since I finished work!
4 Jun, 2009
Good luck Penny... we are off on holiday later today for two weeks so I'll keep my fingers crossed for you
5 Jun, 2009
Previous question
I would suggest that you get the lavender into the ground as soon as and water well to help it recover from the move. Hopefully this is a plastic pot and you can simply cut it off without damaging the roots, otherwise consider breaking it to get the plant out without root damage.
4 Jun, 2009