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Pruning Lemon Verbena

FinchFinch Posts: 15
in Plants
Hello. I have moved into a small caravan and brought my lemon verbena with me 😄.
I have to keep it inside as it's too cold and windy but despite the low light this has caused it to bud and start growing its new leaves already and it is no longer dormant. 
Would it be best to prune it now, which would allow the cuts to heal before it's time to put it out, and would check the growth before it gets even more leggy? Or is it best to leave it to grow and prune it in early to mid spring, as usual? 

Posts

  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    I think I'd leave it for the time being.
    Mine which is in the garden always looks dead until about late April early May, then it springs into life.
    Yours has started early due to the warmth of being indoors and the growth may well be a bit leggy and limp. So I'd let it carry on then give it a good prune in a month or so then the new growth that appears after pruning will be much stronger.
    The cuts will heal just fine.

    Welcome to the forum :)

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • FinchFinch Posts: 15
    Thanks!
    Do you think even if it weakens in the mean time by trying to reach better  light it'll become vigorous again after a chop and feed in the spring?
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    edited February 2021
    Yes - once the light gets better and it gets warmer I find mine grows quickly, so just prune it back a bit and it'll be fine.
    Not sure where you are, but if it's a nice day leave it outside in a sunny spot and so long as it's not too chilly at night it'll be ok outside too.
    I've only lost a couple to hard frost over the years

    oops - sorry - missed the bit about Cornwall..


    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • BijdezeeBijdezee Posts: 1,484
    I leave mine out all year and I'm further north than you. We've just got over 10 days of snow and a hard freeze and it's still alive when I scrape the twigs. It looks dead but very soon it will start to sprout again and that's when I cut it back by about half. 
  • FinchFinch Posts: 15
    It's in a pot so won't survive frosts very well but I'm not sure it'll survive here with gale force winds almost every day. In the last two weeks we've had three half calmer days of just breeze. It would be better for it to be outside but I can't afford to lose it.
    Do either of you have had them survive in relentless wind?

    How old are yours? Does it make a difference? Mine is three years old. Always been in a pot but previously I had a greenhouse to take it into in winter. 
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    I don't have relentless gales in my garden fortunately, so can't really comment.
    Why not leave it outside on days when there aren't any gales.

    I had one in a pot that was outside all year - it lasted about 5 years, but I didn't take very good care of it.
    The other is planted in a border in the garden is a sunny spot

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • FinchFinch Posts: 15
    What you are both saying, is that the general belief that they are very tender and not frost hardy is not at all what you have experienced. Therefore, maybe I should just put it out and hope the wind doesn't damage it too much? ? 
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    Go for it.
    Wind isn't going to kill it, it may just damage the foliage a bit

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
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