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Keeping lavenders in pots over winter

LeadFarmerLeadFarmer Posts: 1,500
in Plants
Looking for advice on storing lavender in pots over winter please?

I bought a few large potted lavender hidcote that were on a clearance sale in B&Q. The area I want to plant them wont be ready until next summer, so I need to store them over winter.

From experience I know they wont like sitting in winter rain so I could keep them in my greenhouse, or perhaps on the patio and make a bit of a rain cover for them. I could pot them on into gritty compost, but the pots are already quite large...



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  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    I'd just tuck them in against a wall @LeadFarmer, and up on pot feet or something similar.
    They should be fine for you kept like that, at that size.  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • SamBevingtonSamBevington Posts: 134
    I've got 48 large plug plants, shall i pot them up in a 2lt pot - say 3 to a pot and do the same until the Spring?
  • LeadFarmerLeadFarmer Posts: 1,500
    Thanks Fairygirl

    Sam - You will probably be ok doing that.
    I'm of the opinion that 'potting on' into pots that are too large means you can get lots of wet soggy cold compost that can stay wet. If potting on, don't go to large in post size.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Plug plants are best just moved into slightly bigger containers only, for the reasons given. Be guided by the maturity, and the size of root. Those little trays you can get for seed sowing and doing cuttings, would be ideal. Things like yogurt pots etc too. 
    The other problem with putting several into a bigger pot is that they can end up becoming entwined too, which can then be awkward when you want to plant them. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • Jac19Jac19 Posts: 496
    edited October 2021
    SamBevington said:
    I've got 48 large plug plants, shall i pot them up in a 2lt pot - say 3 to a pot and do the same until the Spring?

     Good idea.  I put some plus in the ground.  I have done the same with the remainder -- potted them in well draining John Innes No. 3
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    I would never plant plugs of any plant into the ground at this time of year. Too vulnerable.  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    Nor me,  but then we’re not experts @Fairygirl.
    They  rarely over winter here and if they do they’re very tatty.  I grow them from seeds every year, fresh straight from the plant so I have a constant supply of new plants which I keep on a lower shelf in the GH until May. 
    @SamBevington could you put them individually into slightly bigger pots and keep sheltered.
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • Jac19Jac19 Posts: 496
    edited October 2021
    Fairygirl said:
    I would never plant plugs of any plant into the ground at this time of year. Too vulnerable.  :)

     I did it 2.5 weeks ago.  They seem to be happy for now.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    edited October 2021
    That's fine then  :)
    My conditions are  ever so slightly different from the south coast of England though, as are many other people's. They would never survive winter here   :)

    Lavender rarely looks good here either @Lyn. It can be ok in summer because of the amount of rain, but gets woody very quickly, and looks dire. 
    The smell of it makes me feel sick. I grew it many, many years ago until I couldn't stand it any longer.  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • JessicaSJessicaS Posts: 870
    edited October 2021
    Lovely looking plants! I overwintered smaller potted ones last year, cold they are fine with, wet they hate so i put the pots against a wall and made a little open sided loop of clear plastic like a coldframe to keep them from getting soaked and just watered as needed.  Ive got a coldframe this year, so the smaller ones will go there.
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