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Lavender, the plant of Provence, impresses with an intense fragrance and bright flowers that shine from afar. It is a feast for the eyes for every garden and balcony. The plant from the Mediterranean is a distinctive spice, proven medicinal herb and provides food for bees, bumblebees and butterflies. Normally, the subshrub is quite undemanding in its care. Nevertheless, it can sometimes happen that plants show a gray or brown appearance after the winter. There can be different reasons for this.
Frozen or just dried up?
Not all lavenders survive the winter well outdoors. There are 30 species and countless varieties in this country, not all of which are as hardy as lavender (Lavendula angustifolia). It survives winter down to -15 °C.
When winter is over, the appearance of the lavender can sometimes be badly affected. It appears in a gray or brown tint. There can be various reasons for this, such as:
- Plant was not frost hardy
- lack of water
- excess water
- Cut back much too late
Check frost hardness
When planting lavender outdoors, you should always pay attention to the frost hardiness. If this is not the case, the plant should be placed in a large pot or bucket. So she can move into the house before the first frosts and hibernate there at 8 to 10 °C. Otherwise it can be outdoors over winter too frostbite come. In most cases, no pruning in the spring will help. The lavender just froze.
true lavender, Lavandula angustifolia
tip: Even sensitive varieties from the bed can be dug up before the onset of winter and transplanted into a pot. Subsequent hibernation in the house.
Dry up due to lack of water in winter
You read that right, the lavender can dry up not only in summer during droughts, but also in winter. A combination of frost and sun can be the undoing of the Mediterranean plant. The sun's rays cause the water in the leaves of lavender to evaporate very quickly, faster than the roots can absorb water from the soil. In the spring, the plants look dry brown or gray.
Waterlogging leads to root rot
Due to the evaporation of water from the leaves, it is necessary to water the lavender from time to time, even in winter. But be careful, waterlogging can occur here. The roots are then no longer able to absorb enough water. It is then impossible to continue to supply the above-ground parts of the plant. Ultimately, the plant dries up, although the roots have enough water available.
tip: Watering is only done on frost-free days when the ground is not frozen. The water must seep into the ground, otherwise the plant and its roots will freeze to death. Potted plants, on the other hand, need regular watering.
Check stem
There is a little trick to determine what type of dehydration is present. To do this, several stems are simply scratched. If there is a lack of water, the inside of the stems will be brown and if there is too much water, the inside will still be green.
The roots also provide information about the condition of the lavender:
- Light root network, the plant is fine
- Brown roots, signs of drying out and also of waterlogging
Cut back in autumn
It is usually recommended to cut back lavender twice a year, in spring and then in summer after flowering. However, cutting back in the fall can cause problems for the plant in the winter. The lavender goes with one too late pruning then weakened in the cold season. The new leaves are still soft and very susceptible to frost. Frostbite can easily occur and the drying of the plant can be accelerated.
true lavender, Lavandula angustifolia
Help for dried up lavender
- If it has dried out due to waterlogging, transplant/repot the lavender
- If it dries up due to a lack of water, radically cut back down to near the ground
- Cut off dried flowers
- Remove shoots that have dried up due to frostbite down to the ground
If the roots have not yet suffered any major damage, the lavender will soon sprout again. However, it may be that not all plants can still be saved, especially those where waterlogging was present.
prevention
Preventive measures for a successful hibernation:
- Plant in a sunny location
- The soil must be permeable and poor in nutrients
- Choose frost hardy varieties for outdoor planting
- Sufficient distance to neighboring plants
- Remove weeds regularly
- Loosen the soil regularly
- Fertilize once a year
- Water in the morning and evening in summer, the soil must be dry
- Cut back in spring just before they sprout, if necessary also in summer after flowering
- If possible, avoid pruning in the fall
- Always cut back a third to half
- Don't cut too deep into the wood, it will damage the plant
- In winter apply spruce brushwood to protect against the sun
- Water a little on frost-free days, potted plants regularly
