The leaves are falling - winter is approaching with certain steps. Time to prepare your garden plants for winter and say goodbye to annual plant creatures. But what happens to the lemon verbena?
Is the lemon verbena hardy?
The lemon verbena is not hardy and can only tolerate temperatures down to -5 °C for a few weeks. To preserve them, you can either overwinter them in pots, replant them in spring or propagate cuttings in autumn and grow them at home.
Of long-term and short-term low temperatures
The lemon verbena is not designed to survive a Central European winter. It can only tolerate temperatures of -5 °C for several weeks. Temperatures should not fall any lower in the long term. That would mean the end for the lemon verbena.
This is unrealistic in this country. Most winter temperatures drop well below -5°C and last for several days and nights. Even in wine-growing regions it tends to get cooler.
Don't worry: If the thermometer suddenly shows -10 °C for one night, for example, that doesn't mean that the lemon verbena will freeze. It can cope with such sub-zero temperatures for a short time. But then you have to make it winter-proof immediately or bring the pot into the house.
Overwinter, replant or propagate
You don't want to miss out on your lemon verbena? The cool winter season requires you to either overwinter your lemon verbena or replant it in the spring. Alternatively, you have the option of propagating the shrub from cuttings in the fall and growing them at home until spring.
Overwintering is only worthwhile if the lemon verbena grows in a pot. This is how it works:
- In autumn, cut off all shoots up to 20 cm above the ground
- choose a dark and cool place to spend the winter, e.g. B. Garage or basement
- Rooms with high humidity are ideal
During the winter period, the lemon verbena should be given a touch of care: watering. This is necessary so that the roots survive and do not dry out. Water sparingly and only when the soil is dry to a depth of 1 cm.
Tips & Tricks
Even if the lemon verbena needs to be watered in overwintering mode, it should be protected from fertilizer. For this reason, make sure that the water you use for watering other plants at home does not contain any liquid fertilizer.
