How to protect English lavender from frost and how to get it ready for the spring

English lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) comes from the Mediterranean and loves heat very much. That being said, you need to prepare lavender for the winter well to make sure it survives.

Pruning

Autumn pruning is an important step as proper trimming helps the plant to maintain its beauty and decorative appearance. It also tells it that it is time to rest. First, inspect the bush and get rid of diseased, dry and rotten branches. Lavender stems tend to be lignified at the bottom and green at the top. Make the cut a few centimetres above the lignified part – the shoots cannot touch each other. This type of pruning is done after multiple flowering. Do not cut young shoots if the bush did not bloom yet.

You should be able to finish pruning before the end of October, i.e. before the cold weather comes. If you do it later, lavender may have not enough time to prepare for the winter. If that is the case, tie the shoots, bend them to the ground and cover them with twigs (brush).

Photo: Pixabay

Autumn mulching

Cover the soil around bushes with peat and straw. Do not use fallen leaves, they often cause rot and may be even infected with various diseases. Cover the part above ground with twigs and tie it with a rope to protect it from gusts of wind. Pay special attention to young plants that have not yet developed strong roots. Covering and mulching is a necessary prerequisite for a successful wintering. Never leave potted lavender outside. Move pots to a cold room before the winter.

To help the plant to “survive” the winter you need to water it and fertilize it. Garden shops sell complex fertilizers with minerals that will supply your plants with all important nutrients. Add 2 tablespoons of a fertilizer to a bucket of water and use it to water your lavender bushes.

Preview photo: Pixabay

Source: https://zena.aktualne.cz/levandule-lekarska/r~i:wiki:4488/, https://farmazdravi.cz/levandule-lekarska-to-je-nejvonavejsi-bylinka-na-svete/