Before planting lavender in your garden, you need to understand the varieties that are suitable for cultivation in your area. I will try to help you with this. Winter-hardy species include varieties of narrow-leaved lavender.
Plant varieties that tolerate winter in the middle lane
Munstead looks compact, reaches a height of up to half a meter. Inflorescences are light purple. The plant does not require special care, is quite aromatic, flowering occurs in July-September. Can be propagated by layering. The culture is frost-resistant, tolerates frosts down to -23 ° C.
Hidcote grows up to 30 cm in height. Blooms throughout the summer season. Lavender is frost-resistant, but growers cover the plant before the onset of winter. It is good to create bouquets from flowers.
Blue Saint is a champion of frost resistance, survives in frosts of -29 ° C. Large purple flowers bloom throughout the summer and autumn. The culture is unpretentious.
Phenomenal - French lavender. It tolerates frost well in the presence of snow. Reaches a height of no more than 80 cm. A plant with purple-blue inflorescences and silvery leaves.
Grosso Is a French lavender variety. With a snow cover, it tolerates a drop in temperature down to -20 ° C. Shrubs are compact, bloom in June-August, can grow in the same area for a long time.
All varieties are frost-resistant, but snow is required for shelter. And in the case of a snowless winter, during unexpected thaws, a snow crust may form, and there is a risk of freezing of the plant.
In this regard, it is necessary to use a shelter for safety net.
Preparing lavender for wintering
Experienced growers when growing lavender perform the following actions:
- Loosening the soil under the bushes. Lavender requires loose, breathable soil. This means that at the end of autumn you need to loosen the soil near the bushes, getting rid of weeds.
- Watering and feeding. After the procedure for cultivating the land and watering the bush, you can start applying fertilizers. To do this, add potassium magnesium in the amount of 15-20 g under the bush, and you can also use preparation "Fertika Autumn" in accordance with the instructions and a solution of ash powder (200 g / a bucket of water).
- Pruning. The procedure is carried out in September, so that the bushes have time to recuperate before frost.
- Shelter for the winter.
Shelter material
As soon as constant cold weather is established, it is necessary to make a shelter for the lavender. Usually this time in the middle lane comes at the end of autumn.
First of all, the branches need to be tied into a bunch. The soil is covered with mulch from peat, pine needles or compost. From above, each plant should be covered with a non-woven material, such as spunbond, spruce branches can be used.
It is convenient to build a hut over the plant from coniferous spruce branches to keep snow. In addition, microorganisms will not be able to start there, and various rodents will not penetrate.
If the winter turned out to be rather snowy and not entirely frosty, a snow shelter will be enough.
For the winter, especially young, recently planted plants, which have not had time to form a strong root system, are sheltered. Adult lavender is more frost resistant.
Growing lavender as an annual
In order not to bother with the cultivation of perennials, you can use the seed material of annual varieties - for example, Normandy. Seeds are sown in the spring on the site, and in the fall, ripe seeds are collected for planting next year.
From the outside, this method seems laborious. However, you will not need to carry out covering actions. So I advise you to use just this method of planting and try to plant an annual plant.
Read also: Rules for planting strawberries in August
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