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Replanting a lavendar hedge


JandM

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We have a 30 metre hedge of lavendar munstead dwarf that edges the raised concrete terrace. It's the only thing we grow, apart from grass and weeds, as it completely looks after itself. But it's ten years old and needs to be replaced. The soil is dense, heavy clay that's infested with couch, bindweed and what I think is ground elder. I keep them down by pulling them out whuch usually just snaps them off at ground level.

When I clear for replanting, I'm planning to deep dig and then hand weed it all, and dig in a lot of grit which I hope will make the soil more friable and so easier to get the weeds out.

Question: what sort of grit should I buy, how much per metre should I use (the border is two feet wide) and where should I get it? And what would you pay? Places like Jardiland are a bit pricey, but what are the alternatives?

Any advice, suggestions, comments much appreciated

James

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I've been away and only just seen these responses. Thanks.

Going direct to a quarry is a great idea - there are some gravel pits fairly nearby as it happens, so I suppose I should have thought of that myself. I think I'm going to buy a couple of tonnes and see how far it goes.

I've been trimming the lavender with shears in November, which seems to do the trick. I lose on average about six each winter, which I've been putting down to the claggy wet clay.
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From what you've said, grit will help, but IMO you need something to help loosen the soil.

If it was me, I'd be buying sackloads of the 'cheap & cheerful' compost that you can buy just about anywhere.

You know the stuff - 3 euros ish /bag. A lot of it is spent mushroom compost, but no worse for that for what you need. Equal parts of that, your existing soil (but sieved and generally broken down) and grit.

Having said all of this, lavender is pretty tough & resilient - you don't need to pamper it too much.
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