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Care for lavender in winter


Caring for Lavender in Winter (Indoors & Outdoors)

Lavender grows best outdoors, but you can keep these aromatic gems alive through winter inside, too. Plus, lavender is not only pretty—its scent also brings a sense of calm to every room. Here are some lovely lavender varieties and advice on how to overwinter lavender.

Is Lavender a Perennial or Annual?

A fragrant and colorful plant native to Europe and Western Asia, lavender is a sun-loving flower best grown outdoors. Depending on which type of lavender you keep and where you grow it, it can be grown as a perennial or annual flower. Generally speaking, if you live in USDA Hardiness Zone 5 or warmer, you'll be able to keep lavender as a perennial plant outdoors, as long as you grow the right type for your climate. 

Types of Lavender

English lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) is the most common species available, and is quite hardy. We grow a variety called 'Hidcote' that has dark purple flowers. Despite its name, this plant is not native to England; it stems from the warm, Mediterranean coast of Europe.

English lavender is hardy in Zones 5 and warmer, usually overwintering in the ground outside just fine without any added protection. In an open winter with no snow cover, we may pile a thin layer (1 to 2 inches) of straw or shredded leaves over them for added cover. 

Spanish lavender (L. stoechas) and fringed or French lavender (L. dentata) are much more tender—hardy outdoors only in Zone 8 and warmer. They have to be moved indoors to survive the winter in colder zones. The good news is that lavenders are fairly compact plants that grow well in containers, which makes moving them between indoors and outdoors quite easy.

If you are re-potting them, don't use too large a pot. Only give them an extra inch of soil around the root ball. Too much extra soil will just stay soggy, which these plants won't tolerate. The soil does not have to be rich, either. Two parts potting soil with one part perlite or coarse sand will give them the quick draining conditions they need. To mimic the alkaline soil of the Mediterranean, add 1 teaspoon of lime to the bag of potting mix before using it in the lavenders' pots.

Spanish lavender is sometimes called "rabbit ears" for its unusual blossom.

How to Overwinter Lavender Indoors & Outdoors

As mentioned above, English lavender is winter-hardy to Zone 5 and may only need a bit of help in the form of a thin layer of straw. Otherwise, lavender shouldn't need any extra care outdoors. Spanish and French lavenders, on the other hand, are only hardy to Zone 8, and will need to be brought indoors in colder areas. 

During winter, the plants want to rest and will not produce much, if any, new growth. They are basically dormant from September until April.

While your lavender is indoors for winter, follow these practices:

The leaves of fringed (French) lavender (Lavandula dentata) have lovely toothed edges.

Even though your plant is resting, the foliage is still fragrant and will smell lovely when you brush against it. The relaxing, anti-depressant qualities of its aroma will be a welcome reminder of summer and help to get you through the long winter ahead.

Come spring, wait until your last spring frost has passed and nighttime temperatures remain above 50°F (10°C) to plant lavender outdoors again. Also don't forget to harden them off before exposing them to full sun and cool spring temperatures!

Lavender is more than a pretty plant. See lavender's uses for health and home.

How to Prep your Lavender Plants for Winter – Terre Bleu

General Plant Care for the Winter

Water less frequently than in the summer. The lavender will be undergoing its dormant period (will not be growing very much). If your plant will be inside for the winter, keep it in a cool, non-freezing location with sunlight and air circulation.

In the Late Summer/ Early Fall

Slow down watering of plants. Lavender prefers a dry soil, and the amount of rain that naturally falls will be sufficient for the plant.  If the plant is receiving too much water, once the ground starts to freeze, ice will form and will damage your plant. 

Lavender Plants in the Ground

Prepare plants for winter by pruning. Once harvesting has been completed for the season (ex. you have cut off all the lavender flower blooms), a light pruning to create a mound can help to minimize damage by snow.

Cut the newer stems, but avoid cutting the woody part of the plants. A major pruning will be done in the spring. The woody parts of the plant are weak and can be prone to splitting and breaking under the heavy snow and ice of winter.

Lavender Plants Outside

Dig a hole in the ground deep enough to place the whole pot in the ground, with the soil level of the ground the same as in the pot. This will give some protection and insulation to the roots and help it survive the winter.

If you cannot bury in the ground:

Move pot near a wall to offer some protection from wind (or into a shed).

Put pot into larger pot and fill the spaces in between the two pots will leaves and mulch to offer insulation.

Move pots inside to give more protection from the winter cold. (see below for details) 

Bringing Potted Planted Inside for the Winter:

When bring it inside for the winter, it will need to be acclimatized to its new location, to do this:

Move plant to a covered porch (receives less sunlight) to get it used to less sun for a few hours each day for a week or so, increase time toward end. Leave potted plant in this spot without moving for another week.

Move the plant inside house for a couple hours each day for a week, gradually increasing time inside.

Keep in a good spot that receives lots of sunlight and has good air circulation

Water less often than in the summer. Allow top inch of soil to be dry before watering again.

 Now that your plants are prepped for the winter, are you? Check out amazing gift options in our shop to get ready for the holiday season and bring total joy to the lavender lovers in your life!

         

 

 

© 2018 Terre Bleu Lavender Farm Inc.

Wintering lavender: how to cover lavender for the winter

October 27, 2021

Lavender is a heat-loving plant that can hardly tolerate snowless cold winters. Gardeners should properly prepare the shrub for the cold to reduce the risk of freezing. Do I need to cover lavender for the winter in the open field?



Preparing lavender for winter

Among the mandatory procedures for crops in the fall are weeding, removal of plant debris, loosening, followed by mulching the soil. Loosening is necessary to increase air exchange, reduce the likelihood of root rot. Further mulching of the soil will keep the roots of the plant from freezing and drying out. Straw, needles are poured in a layer of 10-12 cm. Do not use leaf litter and sawdust, as they contribute to the decay of lavender and its death.

Lavender pruning

After flowering is over, the plant is pruned. Autumn pruning is needed not only to maintain the decorativeness of the bush, but also to reduce the risk of freezing in winter. Long shoots of shrubs are most susceptible to freezing, especially when there is insufficient shelter. Such stems are the most fragile, easily broken by gusts of wind. Cut lavender in early autumn, choosing the method you like:

1. Shaping cut. The shoots of the plant are cut to the desired height, forming a bush in the form of a ball or in another way.

2. Heavy pruning. Leave only 3-6 cm of shoot above the surface. Even with minimal snow cover, such a plant will overwinter without loss.

Late pruning weakens the bush, so it should not be carried out just before the frost.



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Lavender supplement

Lavender seedlings for the winter must be fed with compounds containing phosphorus and potassium. These substances increase the winter hardiness of the bush, increase the immunity of the plant. Nitrogen top dressing stimulates new vegetation, they can not be applied from the second half of summer. Unripe shoots are most susceptible to freezing, this will weaken the lavender bush. Top dressing can be combined with loosening, embedding fertilizer in the soil. You can use water-soluble formulations that are diluted according to the instructions and used for irrigation. The soil should be well moistened before fertilizing so that the roots do not get burned.


How to cover lavender for the winter

Some gardeners mistakenly believe that the crop does not overwinter in the open field, dig up the plant and grow it in a pot culture in winter. Lavender tolerates low temperatures well, but young bushes can freeze in snowless winters. Therefore, sheltering plants in the first years is mandatory.


With heavy pruning, mulch will act as cover. It will prevent freezing of the root system. With high pruning in cold regions, cover with agrofibre and spruce branches is recommended.


Many gardeners do not know how to understand that lavender seedlings have overwintered. With weak pruning, young shoots start to grow when other plants are already in full bloom. And if a strong pruning is carried out, then the awakening of the plant will be delayed. You should not rush and dig up a bush with the onset of heat.



Successful wintering of lavender in the garden directly depends on the region of cultivation, the correct planting and care of the plant. A healthy plant in the new season will delight with lush flowering and high decorativeness. You can choose healthy lavender seedlings in the Agro-Market online store

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Keywords: Gardening

Autumn lavender - care and reproduction.

Pruning and shelter for the winter. Photo — Botanichka

In the south of Europe there are whole plantations of lavender, grown mainly for cosmetic purposes. Lavender angustifolia ( Lavandula angustifolia ), which is also called English lavender, is a frost-resistant and unpretentious plant that grows with pleasure on poor soils. Therefore, today it can be increasingly found in our summer cottages. In this article I will tell you what autumn lavender care activities should be carried out. I will also share my experience of propagating lavender in the fall.

Lavender in autumn - care and reproduction

Pruning lavender in autumn

In autumn, around mid-October, it is imperative to prune lavender. And if in the spring it is sanitary in nature (it is necessary to remove dry, broken branches), then in the fall, firstly, I shorten the branches for a decorative purpose, and secondly, so that they do not break under the weight of snow in winter. If the bush is old, then this is also a rejuvenating procedure.

I do not do autumn pruning of very young lavender bushes. Only when they reach 2 years of age.

Any mature lavender bush has woody, dry parts at the bottom and green parts at the top. I cut the branches, stepping back about 5 cm from the lignified part. The bush after such a haircut will look very modest, but it will become lush and will bloom profusely next year.

Can be cut higher, especially if you feel sorry for the bush. But remember that over time, the green parts will also become stiff and the bush will take on an untidy look. He, instead of a ball, will fall apart to the sides. Then you will have to carry out anti-aging pruning - cut the bush very shortly, 5-10 cm from the surface of the earth along lignified stems, and lavender does not tolerate this procedure.

I use pruning shears for pruning, but many people find it convenient to do this with garden shears.

I don't throw away the rest of the lavender branches. They have almost the same intense smell as flowers, so they still come in handy. I dry them. And then you can make ikebana out of them. And if you fill bags (sachets) with them and put them in a closet, then moths will not start there.

Lavandula angustifolia, before pruning. © Olga Olshanskaya Lavandula angustifolia after pruning. © Olga Olshanskaya

Soil care

The next thing to take care of before the winter sleep of lavender is the soil where it grows. Lavender likes slightly alkaline or neutral soil, loose, with good drainage. Lavender does not tolerate excess moisture, it can get sick from this and die. Therefore, you need to take care of the soil even when planting a plant. If the soil is acidic, then it is necessary to add ash, lime or dolomite flour to it in advance.

When preparing lavender for winter, I add quite a bit of compost under each bush. This will be enough for her. The fact is that lavender is used to growing on poor, stony soils. And she really does not like excess nitrogen. On the other hand, for abundant flowering, it is still necessary to apply fertilizer. Therefore, here it is necessary to observe the golden mean. Instead of compost, you can add ash or some phosphorus-potassium mineral fertilizers in the fall.

Because lavender does not like nitrogen, it should not be mulched with plant materials. The best mulch for her is pebbles. In my case, this is a bit of river pebbles. When pruning and in order to add compost, I remove them, and then lay them out again. This is mulch, and drainage, and heating for lavender. After all, the stones will heat up in the sun.

Soil needs to be taken care of when planting lavender. © Snapguide

Lavender Shelter for the Winter

English narrowleaf lavender is fairly hardy, especially as mature plants. They winter quietly and without shelter. And calmly withstand frosts down to -25 ° C. The root system of lavender is pivotal and goes very deep, where it does not freeze through.

On the other hand, under shelter there is a chance that lavender will become sick because it cannot tolerate the excess moisture that can form there. For this reason, I do not cover mature plants, but only those bushes that are 1-2 years old, their roots are not yet well developed, so they need protection.

Spruce branches (or lutrasil, or something like that) can be used to cover such lavender bushes, it will create a warm air cushion for them. If you have a lot of snow all winter, then you can sprinkle the bush with snow and then it will winter well.

I cover young lavender bushes only when the air temperature is confidently around 0 ° C for several days, not earlier. I make a hut from spruce branches and tie it with a rope so that it does not fall apart.

Lavender propagation in autumn

Lavender is very easy to propagate. There are several ways to do this.

Propagation of lavender by seeds

Lavender reproduces well by self-sowing. If you leave a couple of flowers on the bush, then the seeds nearby will fall and overwinter. And in the spring, under your bush, you will find small sprouts. This is how it happens in nature.

The easiest way for summer residents is to propagate lavender by seeds, sowing it before winter. How to sow flowers before winter, including lavender, read our article.

Lavender propagation by layering

My favorite way to propagate lavender is layering. And now is a great time to do it. Before cutting the bush, I inspect it and select a few convenient branches for layering. It's just that if you cut it first, the branches will become short and it will be inconvenient to work with them.

It is better to take twigs thin, not branched, not yet strongly lignified. I tilt the lavender branch to the ground, pin it either with wire pins so that it fits snugly, or, if there is no wire at hand, then with stones, which is less convenient. I sprinkle earth on top. And so I repeat with other branches. Instead of wire or stones, you can make "slingshots" from branches. And after that I sprinkle with compost and mulch with pebbles.

Stones will become an additional load for layering, which will make their contact with the ground tighter. And that's it. In the spring, I simply separate the young lavender bushes with secateurs, carefully digging them up. The branches will already form roots, and I will transplant them to a permanent place.

My favorite way to propagate lavender is layering. © Olga Olshanskaya

Cuttings of lavender in autumn

Lavender reproduces well from cuttings. This can be done both in spring and autumn. It is even believed that in autumn the cuttings take root better. Therefore, from those branches that I have left after pruning, I choose a few - 10-15 cm in length.

I clean their lower green part from leaves by 3-4 cm. And just plant them in the chosen place. You can first make a groove, how to spill it with water, spread the branches in it, and then fill it with earth.

It has been noticed that thin twigs root better.

Lavender cuttings in a container

I live in the south. In more northern regions, autumn cuttings of lavender in the open field may not have time to develop a sufficient root system and die from frost even under cover. In this case, cuttings are best planted in containers and kept indoors.

I put shards on the bottom of the pots, or some other kind of drainage is possible. Next, I prepare a mixture of garden soil and sand in a ratio of 3: 1, moisten it a little. Wet sand can be placed on the bottom for better drainage. I put a mixture of soil and sand in pots, and again a layer of wet sand 1 cm thick on top.

Cuttings, for better rooting of lavender in containers, can be pre-treated with growth stimulants. With the cleaned tips, I stick the stalk into the pot. You can stick them 2-3 in one.

There is another technique called push-ups. For better contact of the cutting with the ground, after I stick the cutting into the ground, I grab it together with a clod of earth with my fingers and try to press the ground closer to it. It's like I'm pressing.

After the lavender pot needs to be watered and create greenhouse conditions for it. I put a plastic bag on top. But it is necessary to make a hole in it or tie loosely. And so it stands with me for a couple of months. Then I make a revision, and if the cutting has grown, then the package can be removed, and it will winter well on the windowsill.

It is believed that lavender cuttings take root better in autumn. © Olga Olshanskaya

Reproduction of lavender by dividing a bush

There is another way to propagate lavender - by dividing a bush. Lavender has a long tap root that cannot be divided. However, it very easily gives additional roots. To do this, it must be spudded.

To do this, the lavender bush is almost half covered with light soil. It is important to sprinkle the earth between each branch. Then literally every branch will give additional roots. And if you spud a bush in the fall, then in the spring each of its rooted branches can be separated from the bush and transplanted.

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