Overwintering Lavender Quick Tips

Overwintering Lavender

Most of the times lavender plants die off due to the wet and waterlogged soil in winter. Take care to grow your lavenders in a dry well-drained soil.
If your soil is heavy add lot of compost, organic matter and sand in it to improve its texture.
Grow lavender in the South facing location of your garden as south part remains 5 to 10 degrees warmer in compare to other directions.
Cut back the flower stalks down to the leaves when flowers begin to fade so that the plant doesn’t consume its energy in them.
Just before frost and winter arrives prune your lavender plant to one third of its height, at least three weeks prior to first frost date to reduce its size and density.
When the temperature dip below the freezing point, do heavy mulching and cover lavenders 50-70% with straws and leaves for insulation.
Remove the mulch and let the fresh air flow in when all the danger of frost will pass away in spring.

Have a look at masterful tips for overwintering balcony garden plants here

Overwintering potted lavender

To overwinter lavenders growing in pots, move them inside if possible. If you’re using large pots and can’t move them inside, change their location. Place them in a warm and airy spot.
Water less, only when top two inches of soil dry out completely.
Don’t fertilize in the period of dormancy, mulch your pots heavily before winter arrives.

Peggy
March 27, 2017 At 2:18 pm
I wish I had read this article about over wintering my Lavender, before this years brutally cold winter we just survived here in Idaho….boy it was cold! We had snow on the ground for almost three months straight….I think it felt like Siberia! Anyway, when my husband gave me my Lavender tree, I kept saying, I was going to bring in it and overwinter it inside, because it was so beautiful and healthy. But I was informed by many helpful “garden experts” that I should just leave it outside. Much to my dismay, it died. I would have too if I had to endure the continuous freezing conditions my Lavender faced sitting sadly next to my front door. My husband has promised to give me two new Lavender trees this spring. Naturally I will follow your advice and bring them inside for future winters. Thanks again for your great article, I just wish I would have read it last fall.
Reply
Lethe
April 23, 2017 At 6:34 pm
Peggy – You seem to have accidentally stumbled upon a great way to propagate lavendar!
Reply
Amira
May 3, 2017 At 6:44 pm
I saw beautiful lavender trees in Costco recently and I wonder if i could plant it in my garden. I live in Utah, Salt lake city. How should I care for them in the winter season. Hope I get some advice. Thanks.
Reply
Kathy W
June 30, 2017 At 5:15 am
I have a unusual lavender problem. My shrub is two years old and i did trim it back last year but this is the end of June and the flowers are all fading Should i cut them back now? I live in Monterey, California
Reply
Bonnie
August 30, 2020 At 12:46 pm
I have two potted lavender plants (about 12″) and I have NOWHERE TO OVERWINTER THEM indoors! Help!
Reply
Jeni
September 19, 2020 At 8:17 am
Same! I have two pots. I will find a way to bring them in!
Reply
Gryz
October 22, 2020 At 5:40 am
Can I put two lavender trees in a pot in the garage, I had them all summer outside I live in Minnesota.
Reply
Kp
May 6, 2021 At 4:45 pm
Hi I recently bought a potted lavender and came across this article. Just curious did you leave it in garage? Did it help the plant?
Reply
Cindy Torango
October 17, 2021 At 8:27 am
Hi, I have lavender plants growing in the ground in Bay City, Michigan (zone 6a). Can I safely leave them over the winter (using straw and leaf mulch) or should I dig them up and pot them, bringing them inside until spring?
Reply
Lindsay
November 15, 2021 At 11:09 pm
I live in southern Ontario, and I have a potted lavender which I bring inside (the one from Costco mentioned above), but my Mom has the same type of lavender which she has left outside in the garden for the last 10 years and it has survived just fine, with a leaf mulch and the wood chips she has in the garden already.
Reply
Lethe
April 23, 2017 At 6:34 pm
Peggy – You seem to have accidentally stumbled upon a great way to propagate lavendar!
Reply

I wish I had read this article about over wintering my Lavender, before this years brutally cold winter we just survived here in Idaho….boy it was cold! We had snow on the ground for almost three months straight….I think it felt like Siberia! Anyway, when my husband gave me my Lavender tree, I kept saying, I was going to bring in it and overwinter it inside, because it was so beautiful and healthy. But I was informed by many helpful “garden experts” that I should just leave it outside. Much to my dismay, it died. I would have too if I had to endure the continuous freezing conditions my Lavender faced sitting sadly next to my front door. My husband has promised to give me two new Lavender trees this spring. Naturally I will follow your advice and bring them inside for future winters. Thanks again for your great article, I just wish I would have read it last fall.

Peggy – You seem to have accidentally stumbled upon a great way to propagate lavendar!

I saw beautiful lavender trees in Costco recently and I wonder if i could plant it in my garden. I live in Utah, Salt lake city. How should I care for them in the winter season. Hope I get some advice. Thanks.

I have a unusual lavender problem. My shrub is two years old and i did trim it back last year but this is the end of June and the flowers are all fading Should i cut them back now? I live in Monterey, California

Jeni
September 19, 2020 At 8:17 am
Same! I have two pots. I will find a way to bring them in!
Reply

I have two potted lavender plants (about 12″) and I have NOWHERE TO OVERWINTER THEM indoors! Help!

Same! I have two pots. I will find a way to bring them in!

Kp
May 6, 2021 At 4:45 pm
Hi I recently bought a potted lavender and came across this article. Just curious did you leave it in garage? Did it help the plant?
Reply

Can I put two lavender trees in a pot in the garage, I had them all summer outside I live in Minnesota.

Hi I recently bought a potted lavender and came across this article. Just curious did you leave it in garage? Did it help the plant?

Lindsay
November 15, 2021 At 11:09 pm
I live in southern Ontario, and I have a potted lavender which I bring inside (the one from Costco mentioned above), but my Mom has the same type of lavender which she has left outside in the garden for the last 10 years and it has survived just fine, with a leaf mulch and the wood chips she has in the garden already.
Reply

Hi, I have lavender plants growing in the ground in Bay City, Michigan (zone 6a). Can I safely leave them over the winter (using straw and leaf mulch) or should I dig them up and pot them, bringing them inside until spring?

I live in southern Ontario, and I have a potted lavender which I bring inside (the one from Costco mentioned above), but my Mom has the same type of lavender which she has left outside in the garden for the last 10 years and it has survived just fine, with a leaf mulch and the wood chips she has in the garden already.