I'm looking for tips on how to look after lavender grosso plug plants (3cm x 3cm x 3cm) just transplanted into 9cm Diameter Pots a very hot arid climate. We're hoping to plant these little lavender plants out into a field in the autumn when it's a bit cooler, and we're in a Mediterranean climate, so it's very hot summer right now (e.g. between 30-40 degrees Celcius in the middle of the day, 85-105F). Humidity around 30%. What should we do with these plug plants once we have transplanted them into the 9cm pot? Should we put the pots in the sun? Or in the sun during the morning, shade in the afternoon? Or in a greenhouse? We're thinking it's better not to put them in the soil immediately, as we've read it's better for them to become established more in a pot first... We could put up a sheet high up above the plants to create shade so we can put them outside, maybe a white sheet to help get reflected light?
And do we feed them? I'm reading conflicting things on the internet! Some say don't feed, as you'll get lots of leaves but less flowers. Some say feed with a fertiliser with nitrogen in it. Maybe we should feed at first to get them established with lots of leaves, and then cut the feeding once we plant them out to encourage flowering?
And for watering, I've read they don't need a lot of water and only water once a week or so, but if they're in little plastic pots in very hot conditions surely they would need watering every day? Any tips would be gratefully appreciated!
And do we feed them? I'm reading conflicting things on the internet! Some say don't feed, as you'll get lots of leaves but less flowers. Some say feed with a fertiliser with nitrogen in it. Maybe we should feed at first to get them established with lots of leaves, and then cut the feeding once we plant them out to encourage flowering?
And for watering, I've read they don't need a lot of water and only water once a week or so, but if they're in little plastic pots in very hot conditions surely they would need watering every day? Any tips would be gratefully appreciated!
