Out of season right now. The next sowing window opens in May.
Growing Calendar
This month: Oct
Plan ahead for this crop
- •Check growing conditions
- •Prepare for next stage
Watch Out For
Not hardy below about -5°C: grow in a container so it can be moved somewhere frost-free for winter, or apply a deep mulch if planted in a very sheltered spot in a mild area
Often looks completely dead through late winter after losing its leaves: resist the urge to give up on it, established plants typically resprout from the woody stems surprisingly late, often not until late spring
Whitefly can build up on plants kept under glass over winter: check regularly and treat early with a soap spray if numbers rise
Common Questions
About growing Lemon Verbena in the UK
Is my lemon verbena dead? It's lost all its leaves.
Probably not. Lemon verbena drops its leaves and can look completely bare and lifeless through winter, and often stays that way surprisingly late, sometimes not resprouting until well into spring. Scratch a stem to check for green underneath before giving up on it, and be patient.
Can lemon verbena survive winter outside in the UK?
Only in the mildest, most sheltered parts of the country, and even then it's a risk. It's rated to around -5°C at best. Growing it in a container that can be moved to a frost-free greenhouse, porch or bright room over winter is the reliable approach almost everywhere else.
How do I use lemon verbena?
Fresh or dried leaves make a fragrant herbal tea, and the leaves are also used to infuse desserts, syrups and sugars with a strong, clean lemon flavour, generally stronger and less bitter than lemon balm.
Why is my lemon verbena leggy and sparse?
It naturally grows tall and can become straggly without regular attention. Pinch out the growing tips through the growing season to encourage side branching and a bushier, fuller shape.
Written from real growing experience, organic methods only. Our story · Our approach
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