I have two small lavender plants in the front of my home. Do I cut them back for the inter or just let them be? Or am I totally mistaken and they are annuals up here?
Lavender during the winter
Lavenders vary in their hardiness. I'm in 6b, and there are a many varieties that are hardy here and some that aren't. My L. grosso 'Fat Spike' has come back strong after 2 winters now, but I don't know what it's max hardiness is. Do you have any idea what variety you have?
I think DeBaggio says that lavenders benefit from being pruned and that early spring just before they put out new growth is the best time... I can double check that, but I do know that I won't prune mine this fall since it's already grown cold. Generally, you should give herbs at least a couple of weeks between their final pruning/harvesting and when you expect freezing temps.
I agree with critter about waiting till spring. They're semi-woody, so I'd wait till you can tell what's been nipped by cold. Good luck, Neal.
Also, pruning is not an annual "must" with lavenders. As with most herbs, pruning will help them get bushier. When it starts warming up in spring, preferably before serious new growth gets underway, shape them up a little if you like, and at least nip the tips off to promote branching. Don't remove more than 1/3 of the length of a stem, but do prune away any dead branches entirely.
Of course, that advice assumes you've got a hardy variety! I'll keep my fingers crossed for you.
Thanks for the information. I'll stake them securely to protect them from the snow and hope for the best.
You might consider wrapping them as DeBaggio suggests doing for rosemary..... A couple of times around with polyethylene sheeting, tight enough to draw the branches up a little for support, then tied into place with a wrap or two of soft string. I'm quoting from the info in their fall catalog (not mail order, just what's in their greenhouse now), haven't tried it myself, but might wrap my new rosemary this year. www.debaggioherbs.com
escubed- i'm a bit futher north than you and overwintering lavender is a much discussed topic in these parts- my experience leads me to this conclusion- don't cut back in the fall- not a good idea... as critterologist says-wait till you see growth in the spring- which actually takes a while and branches that look dead may in fact resprout. covering with evergreen boughs for the winter is really helpful and prevents a lot of die-back. the most important thing for me in terms of winter survival, actually, is how the plant was planted in the first place- which needs to be in a well drained spot (i even put gravel under my plants) and with a bit of lime added to the soil. lavender plants that i haven't planted well, that were in damp, humusy rich soil have all died in the winter! but, good luck! it just seems that some make it and some sadly don't- the answer is to plant a lot of plants!
I have some 15 year old lavenders that I do nothing to as far as protection. There is a lot of winter kill, and I do usually prune mine in the spring - they seem to bloom better for it. I also have them in an area where I don't really want them to get any bigger than they already are. one is Munstead, and I've forgotten the other. I also have a two year old L. rosea. These are all in raised rock beds, fairly near to the large supporting rocks. Oh, we have a fairly reliable snow cover as well.