I have several potted first year lavender plants I started from seed. The extra space allows better air circulation to keep the plants healthy and improve production.Use non-organic mulch. Consult the If you have access to a local nursery (rather than a big box store) I recommend you go in and speak to an expert there, perhaps bringing one of your plants with you. Good luck, and don’t hesitate to ask questions. Should I put mulch on them to keep them warm? When needed, young caterpillars can be controlled using Bacillus I did use sparingly, plant safe sidewalk salt. A lavender pot size of 12 to 16 inches is ideal since the plant can grow quite huge and bushy. Creamy cheesecakes, decadent pies, moist cakes and mouthwatering cookies are among our best holiday dessert recipes. The fragrance everyone loves also makes it unattractive to rabbits and deer.Willowfield Lavender … Depending on how old your seedlings are, there is a point when the base of the seedlings turn from the fresh green of a new plant to a more mature, woody base – so it is possible that this is what you’re noticing. As far as timing for frost, when we prune in the fall, we are usually done by 4 weeks before our first frost date. Pupation occurs in this nest. long. damp locations, with excessively wet soil. The purple flowers, when grown organically, are great for cooking.Pictured, from left: 'Hidcote Superior', 'Melissa', 'Caty Blanc', 'Provence', 'Wycoff', If you want to enjoy lavender in full bloom, visit lavender farms between June and August. The snow can be 1 1/2 feet deep at times.

I live in MI.

A few quick questions first: 1) Were the dead plants completely dead, mostly dead, etc.?

Kieran and Libbe O'Connor, who have nearly 4,000 lavender plants at Willowfield Lavender Farm in Mooresville, Indiana, space their plants 3 feet apart on mounded rows of well-draining soil. 'Royal Velvet' has extra-long flower spikes (up to 3 feet tall) that hold their navy blue and lavender color well in dried arrangements. I do recommend that if you have a greenhouse, and it stays above freezing inside, that is the best place for your plants. Our local lavender nursery Victor’s Lavender is a great place to start! kurstaki or acephate, which are among the Again, I strongly recommend you talk to a professional who can look at it and strategize what your best plan of action is (whether it is re-potting, fungicide, or simply scraping the fungus off the top of the soil). Orange tortrix caterpillar, Argyrotaenia citrana. Lavender may bloom its first year, but it takes three years for plants to mature. I live in CT. Should i take the plant inside or cover it with a plant fabric used in the cold weather? But this hardy small shrub adapts to the challenging growing conditions of the Midwest, too. But – if you think you’ve got a few more weeks before frost, I strongly recommend you prune your young plants before their first winter. Before buying plants, your best bet is to google lavender plants hardy to your zone, speak to a local master gardener, or peruse local gardening blogs and articles, and make a list of which varieties will work for your specific area and microclimate. My question is, when should I prune the lavender back? But once lavender is growing well, the plant is extremely drought-tolerant and doesn't need pampering or fertilizer. Next to sidewalk. I had them growing in my high tunnel unheated . Plant Health Problems Plants bloom for weeks, and their silvery foliage gleams from spring through frost. If you only have a garage, cellar, or shed with no light, consider a grow light timed for winter’s natural light (.

However, when they start to mature, their roots reach deeper soil that is compact or affected by a high water table right when they stop needing as much water.

You will not damage the plants if they have last year’s growth on them and then endure a heavy snow pack. This year, 4 were dead. with well-drained, moderately fertile soil. Lavender loves light – place it in an area where it will get a minimum of 6 hours of full sunlight a day. Tie six to 12 lavender spikes together and hang upside down on poles or hooks in a dry, dark place. Growth and flowering of lavender is favored by planting in a bright, sunny location The insect body is yellow, marked lengthwise on the wings with four black We don’t recommend moisture retaining mulch like bark because it will trap moisture and rot the roots.

The fragrance everyone loves also makes it unattractive to rabbits and deer.Willowfield Lavender Farm. Any ideas? Step #3: Fill the pot …

The pot should be as big, but not much bigger, than the plant foliage (not including stems). In addition, lavender is very hearty – and we’ve brought many a lavender plant back from the brink just by not giving up.

Hello! They get tons of sw sun. Go ahead and add some light mulch to the top (like pea gravel) and cover with white breathable garden cloth, and it’ll do fine. Now for the potentially bad news: Lavender (especially the lavandula angustifolia varieties) can survive regular frosts, though ongoing deep hard freezes can be a problem, depending on the variety – but they grow lavender successfully up in Ontario, Canada, so it definitely can be done. However, with un-amended soil you do run the risk of the plant not surviving, not because of the cold, but because of the wet. If you do not get good snow cover and don’t have the patience to worry about covering the plants, I recommend planting in containers instead of the ground. I’m wondering if it’s safe to cut back the lavender even though they have not seen a winter yet? The sooner you get them pruned, the happier and healthier they’ll be. Again though, this is for slightly more established starts (not baby seedlings.)

labels for dosage rates and safety precautions. If you decide to go for it and prune before winter, you could do a light pruning (just cut off the dead stems) and then another heavier pruning in the spring, to really shape the plant. As always, let us know if you have any questions—and definitely comment below if there are any tips we missed that you’ve used to successfully overwinter lavender. There’s no need to worry about covering the plants, and don’t be concerned if they look dead – the plants will go dormant and look brown/grey all winter, but you should start seeing green again in March of next year. This insect injures the new You will receive a link to create a new password via email. If you think a frost could come any day, you have good instincts to avoid shocking the new plants with a 1-2 punch of pruning then immediate frost. First off, if you are wondering “Can I grow lavender in my garden even though our temperature often gets below zero during the winter?” the answer is “Yes!”—although it will require a little extra attention and care on your part.

It should dry in about a month. What should I do? But the fungus on the soil is not good, and if nothing else you should try to remove it.

However, due to the polar vortex turning the Midwest into a popsicle right now, we thought it would be a great time to do a quick blog with tips for growing lavender in extremely cold climates. Don’t trust that the local big box store is going to sell you a lavender variety that is great for your specific hardiness zone. COVID-19 Information: Connecticut residents are urged to continue taking precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19. “Can I grow lavender in my garden even though our temperature often gets below zero during the winter?”. I have a concern. She considers it "the Swiss Army knife of herbs." generations a year. Now I have fungus growing on the surface of the soil and it’s turning the base of my plants have died and turned brown. Most likely, you probably don’t have to water at all during the winter/spring. Thousands of guests visit every summer during the peak flowering season of June through August. A cool (rather than warm) room is best for the winter, to keep the plant hardened for when you place it back outside. Check out my blog about pruning for tips. It’s a cold room, and I hardly get a lot of sunlight in the window now. I never over water. Soon the snow will be falling, and temperatures will as well. is about 1/2" long. So even if it isn't hardy where you live, you can grow it as an annual that reaches 16 inches tall.