Tips For Keeping Verbena Inside - How To Grow Lemon Verbena Indoors

How to Grow Lemon Verbena Indoors

Choose a container. Start with a pot or other container that is about one and a half times as wide as the root ball of the plant you've selected, at least 12 inches (30 cm.) ...
Soil and drainage. ...
Sunny spot. ...
Pruning. ...
Water and fertilizer. ...
Overwintering verbena.

Can Verbena grow in pots?

It's easily grown in containers, and a verbena hanging basket filled with trailing varieties creates a spectacular visual accent on the patio or indoors. Whether started from seed or established plants, even novice container gardeners can grow it.

Why is my lemon verbena dying?

One of the common ways gardeners kill lemon verbena is by overwatering during leafless periods; this is especially easy to do if you've been watering on a time schedule.

What do you do with lemon verbena in the winter?

To preserve the herb, dry leaves on screens or hang in bundles upside down in a dark, dry place. You can also freeze leaves whole, in plastic bags, or chop them and freeze them into ice cubes to use in recipes later. Lemon Verbena is tolerant of Black Walnut trees and air pollution.

Will lemon verbena root in water?

The cuttings of lemon verbena plants can be placed in a jar of water while you wait for new roots to form. Once they form, wait a few weeks for a good root structure to develop before planting into soil. ... Just remember that both the seeds and the cuttings need plenty of sunshine to form a good plant.

Can verbena take full sun?

All verbena needs to grow in full sun to light shade in well-draining soil. Perennial verbenas are heat tolerant and drought tolerant once established. They do well in xeriscape gardens. ... As, perennials, verbena can be a short lived plant, this is why many perennial verbena varieties are grown as annuals.

Does verbena come back every year?

Several species of plants fall under the genus Verbena. Although a few of these are annuals and need to be replanted each year, many more are perennials and come back year after year. As a perennial, verbena grows well in zones 7-11, but as an annual in cooler climates and zones.

Does lemon verbena need full sun?

Plant lemon verbena in loose, well-drained soil rich in organic matter. ... Full sun yields best growth and the most flavorful leaves, although plants in southernmost and desert regions benefit from light afternoon shade.

How do you revive verbena?

If there's life left in the verbena, it should perk up or send out new shoots within a few days. Assuming that happens, snip off any dead branches and keep watering. Once the plant is growing again, start to add a half- or quarter-strength balanced fertilizer every few days.

Is Lemon Verbena an invasive plant?

Like Verbena, Lemon balm also has a reputation, this time for being invasive, and it's often bracketed with mint on that score. ... However, it spreads by seed, not runner, so cut the flower heads off before they seed to reduce your weeding.

What is lemon verbena good for?

Lemon verbena is used for digestive disorders including indigestion, gas, colic, diarrhea, and constipation. It is also used for agitation, joint pain, trouble sleeping (insomnia), asthma, colds, fever, hemorrhoids, varicose veins, skin conditions, and chills.

Is lemon verbena in the mint family?

Lemon verbena is a lemon-scented herb native to South America. ... Lemon verbena and lemon balm are two distinct herbs; lemon verbena belongs to the Verbenaceae family while lemon balm belongs to the mint family.

Can verbena survive winter?

Overly severe fall pruning can reduce cold hardiness and plants may not survive a cold winter. Most verbenas are short-lived, so you should plan on replacing them after two or three years. However, some species can re-seed and naturalize in the garden.

Will verbena cuttings root in water?

Cuttings in Water

The simplest way to propagate homestead verbena may be to root the plants in water. Cut off stems just above a node, which is a lumpy spot in the stem where a leaf will sprout. Dip the cut end of the stem in rooting powder and allow it to dry for a few minutes.

Which herbs should not be planted together?

You can grow herbs in pots together as long as you remember two rules: avoid mixing those that like plenty of water (such as chives, mint, chervil, coriander, Vietnamese coriander) with those that like a well-drained soil (such as rosemary, thyme, sage, bay, and oregano).

How do you replant lemon verbena?

Transplant the lemon verbena into a 4-inch container filled with potting soil two weeks after it roots. Grow it under lightly shaded conditions. Acclimate it to direct sunlight over several days in early fall, then transplant it into a permanent bed.

Does verbena need a lot of water?

Verbena Plant Care

While the verbena flower is drought resistant, the blooms are improved with regular watering of an inch or so each week. Water verbena plants at the base to avoid wetting the foliage. However, verbena plant care may not include weekly water if rainfall in your area has reached an inch or more.

How do you keep verbena blooming all summer?

Deadhead faded flowers or blooms to ensure that blooming continues all through the gardening season. Some people do not regularly deadhead faded blooms. But, deadheading is necessary if you plant verbena for summer blooms. If the blooms slow, trim the whole plant by a quarter for a new show of flowers in 2 to 3 weeks.

Does verbena reseed itself?

Verbenas produce copious seeds and will reseed themselves in ideal climates. However, for those that get a sustained freeze, it might be best to save seed and then sow in spring.

Where is the best place to plant verbena?

Grow Verbena bonariensis in moist but well-drained soil in a sunny, sheltered position. Leave flowers to develop seedheads for the birds and, in mild regions, cut back before growth starts again in spring (plants might not survive winter in colder regions).

What does verbena smell like?

Verbena has the strong citrus smell of lemon but more grassy, like citronella, than fruity. The leaves that produce the compelling scent are pointed, shiny and grow to a length of 3 inches. With a bunched, shrub-like appearance, verbena produces light purple flowers in the summer.

Why is my verbena dying?

If your purple verbena is stressed from lack of sunlight or water or is otherwise weakened, it is susceptible to a powdery mildew infection that leaves a white fungal powder on the leaves' surfaces, shoots and flowers, and which causes premature leaf death.