Where do you live. Big city area? What zone are you in? Why don’t you want to plant it in the ground this year? I live in zone 5 and I can not overwinter lavender in a pot. It always freezes to death :(. I have tried a few times and so next spring I am going to try from seed. I hope I can manage to keep them alive for one entire summer. This year mine drowned from the crazy rain we have had. Too much at once. Good luck. I hope someone chimes in and I will learn along with you.

Hi Patti, I live in Pittsburgh so zone 6b. We've had quite the lack of rain this year and I have been hand watering all of my outdoor plants. Maybe that has helped my lavender :)

I would put it in the ground before winter, I just don't have a spot ready for it yet. I need to put in another flowerbed and just don't have the motivation with a big vegetable garden currently in production.

My concern with taking it inside for its first winter is, will that make it "soft", will that end up making it die next winter because it's not used to the cold? I do have a garage or a covered porch I could keep it in...

I also wonder if terra cotta will be too breathable and make the roots cold and dry over winter?

You could heel the current plastic pots into the vegetable garden over winter.