However, this can be a fun and easy job and should be carried out twice a year — once lightly after flowering and again later to neaten summer's growth. This reduces stress on the plant by avoiding pruning into the woody growth which can lead to rot. For most lavender varieties, pruning is best done during spring, summer, or fall after harvest. Pruning is essential for the health of Lavender. How to Prune your Lavender Plant? If the lavender plant is especially lopsided, is partially dead or lacks vigor, prune back the plant further, but not too much. You can prune lavender in any season, however, the summer pruning, done at the same time as harvesting is the best pruning time of the year and it should be the harder prune. As winter comes, the Lavender’s branches, if allowed to get woody, will get cracked from the cold temperature. Let It Grow And Prune Every Spring! Lavender is a strong durable plant for dry, warm borders and known for flowering from spring right though to autumn. After the plant is done flowering, cut back all the stems to about one third. Pruning will help your plants grow fuller with more branches and maximise blossom production for the lifetime of your plants.Tips for successful pruning:(1) Prune lavender only in the spring, while the plant is still in winter dormancy or once green growth is noticed, but prior to bud formation, if possible (usually the month of May). Even the RHS cautions against cutting into the woody part of lavender. Why you need to prune lavender? When you are pruning lavender, it is best to do it regularly and spring is a great time to start. You may also conduct the annual pruning of lavender shrubs in very early spring to encourage attractive new leaves and flowers, which may be delayed a month by the pruning maintenance. It can also be pruned now, just cut back about 25% all over, but I would normally prune it in spring, when the other lavenders are looking good. Prune early bloomers in springafter the first flush of growth. When your Lavender is woody, they are less appealing and also much more prone to damage and disease. For main pruning, cut the plant back to about ten to fifteen centimetres above the ground. Pruning the very first year would divert the focus of the plant towards the growth of leaves rather than the roots and thus the plant would be weak. Although you may be tempted to prune earlier, it is best to wait until you see a little green before removing the dead tips of branches and old flowers. The amount of pruning also varies depending on variety, as some lavenders need lighter pruning than others. Refinishing A Mid-century Modern Side Table – Done! You should wind up with a rounded mound. If you want to enjoy the fragrance of your Lavender much longer, then you may postpone as much as a few weeks from pruning your Lavender. Your plant should be quite a bit larger this year, with more blooms. You want to avoid cutting into the woody base of the plant. If you’re not sure a stem is alive, lightly scratch the surface and see if its green and alive, or light brown and dead. For those of you kicking yourselves because you didn't get your lavender perfectly pruned last year, don't panic. Trim them in the afternoon where the oils are at their strongest. The best time to prune Lavender is in the spring season. Unpruned lavender plants become woody and often split open in the middle. How to prune the different types of lavender. Jun 22, 2020 12:03am. For a beautiful flowering Lavender bush prune them in spring. lavender. You need to cut right down into the brown part, where little lavender shoots can just been seen. Ideally, you should prune lavender twice a year – once in the spring just as the fresh growth starts coming in, and once in the summer right after it’s done blooming. Pruning lavender (Lavandula spp.) Trim the lavenders when you have noticed that the flowers are blooming, this typically occurs in the spring or summer season. The branches can be pruned back heavily, to within three sets of leaves on the stems. THankfully, some of the longest stems have touched down and rooted! Season is the main consideration when deciding whether to prune your lavender or not. So, this ‘How to Prune Lavender’ guide is very important for us if we are to have any chance of growing lavender successfully. The toughest semi-shrub around, every sunny garden needs this heavenly scented staple. Don’t shear straight across. Wait to cut back until after the last hard frost, or when you see new growth starting in the spring. Pruning time is important, timing is seasonal pruning as well as pruning that depend of how old is your plant. Follow the contours of the plant. This means that pruning can be done in early- or mid-spring without sacrificing the current years flowering. Plants should be pruned every year immediately after bloom. Don’t shear straight across. In fact, despite the fact that many gardeners successfully trim their lavender in fall, our BC Master Gardeners actually recommend pruning these plants when they start to wake up in the springtime. But the lavender specialists at Downderry say that English lavender needs hard pruning. However, by pruning to points just above the wood, the plant could be rejuvenated. Log in, Disclaimer    |    Privacy Policy    |    Terms & Conditions. Refinishing a Mid-century Modern Table – Part 2, Get up close and personal with the lavender plant that needs pruning, First, look it over closely to observe new growth as well as where to prune woody lavender stems, Notice the exact point where there are green lavender leaves but there are brown stems just below, Never cut into a brown branch below the green shoots. As you can see, there isn’t much science involved in pruning lavender. ). Here are a few tips. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Pruning in spring can delay floweringwhich might be your preferenceand is a good time to take down dead, winter-killed parts and shorten growth to the fat, vigorous buds. Lavender is very easy to prune. The best time to prune Lavender is in the spring season. Regular pruning stimulates plant for new growth. Green leaves should still be there on the plant after pruning. promotes fuller growth and more flowers for next season. This trapped water may assist rot in lavender’s roots and stems in summer. Pruning woody lavender can bring the life back into the plant. It is commonly used in skin care items like body scrubs, lotions, creams etc. Spring pruning is usually a light trim that is undertaken in order to remove any foliage that is frost damaged or untidy after winter. Always make sure there are green leaves left on your lavender when you are done pruning. How to Trim a Lavender with Woody Stems. While it may seem counterproductive to trim away certain parts, it is actually for the greater good of the plant. Why not allow the Lavender to become woody you may ask, but if you want your Lavender to remain appealing, you really wouldn’t want to do that. Same is true for cutting back dead lavender stems. Before pruning, it is necessary to properly sanitize the blades of your pruning shear with alcohol or bleach to remove harmful bacteria and germs. That encourages tender new growth which will be killed by winter cold, weakening the plant so it might not make it through another season. That’s the only way to revive the dying plant. One of Europe’s favourite lavender is the ‘Munstead’; a semi-shrub attractive in pots or containers. A good approach is to cut above the third node. Pruning lavender at the end of the growing season, in late summer to fall, can help open the plant’s interior to allow good air circulation. Pruning the plant when it’s young stimulates root and stem growth. You'll thank yourself in the spring with the new growth comes bursting forth, energized from a long winter's nap. Don’t prune your lavender after late August. Once your lavender plant has had one year to establish itself, you’ll need to prune it once a year. Do more extensive pruning early in spring as new green growth emerges at the base of the plant. The best time to prune lavender is after flowering, but this plant is forgiving. However, it does depend on the variety. I promise myself to prune it into a neat shrub from now on right after flowering. The central stems are left slightly longer than the side stems to induce a mounded habit which is lavender’s signature shape which allows for maximum sun exposure for vigorous growth. Prune it low in spring once you see new leaves (this is important!) This ‘How to prune lavender’ guide contains all the necessary knowledge that you need to start pruning lavender like a pro. In early spring you may notice the tiny sprouts of new growth which will help you decide what to prune off to give your plant the desired shape and gives insight as to the direction of the new growth. At a minimum, trim back the plant in the spring after flowering or in the fall to maintain the shape. Remove non-flowering shoots, about 10cm long, with a woody base and a tip with new growth. All of these acts together help in maintaining the health of the plant and even improves productivity too! The best time to prune subshrubs that bloom in spring and early summer is when leaf buds emerge in spring. Pruning lavender in spring is most effective as the new growth is starting to appear. Trim them in the afternoon where the oils are at their strongest. Prune large lavender bushes back each spring to control their size, but don't remove more than one-third of the height in a single year even if the plant is badly overgrown. Lavender is an amazing medicinal plant. Lavender essential oil is a common ingredient in home cleaning products. Lavender is also well known for making amazing drinks. Is your lavender getting out of hand? When planting lavender, prune plants lightly, removing all growing tips. Pruning lavender in spring is always sometimes necessary in colder regions to remove stems that suffer winter damage to stems. We have tips for getting it back into shape, and when and where to cut for pruning. The best time to prune back lavender is after it has bloomed, most often in spring or early fall. For example, L. stoechus cultivars need pruning in summer, right after the first flowers; this will protect the plant from winter snowfall. My Lavender is overgrown, woody, with lots of deadwood this Spring... due to not pruning it far enough for 5 years. There are many species, but the two most popular varieties are English and French lavender. After that, I just prune it a bit sometime in mid-October, just to make sure the bushes are kept nice and rounded. Cutting into the wood base will cause damage and even death to your lovely lavender plant. Time doesn’t wait for anyone and the same is also true for the lavender plant. French lavender (Lavandula dentata), flowers for most of the year so it can be hard to choose the best time to prune. If you have lavender plants that were not pruned back last fall, and if you are located in Western Washington, there is still time to prune your lavender back for the spring. Pruning: Prune right after the first flowering and again in late August after the last flush has faded. If nоt, gіvе іt a little mоrе time tо grоw. Though certainly pruning your Lavender will help the plant grow much healthier and much more productive, there are even more benefits pruning your Lavender plant can give you. They have different blooming times, but the pruning techniques are pretty much the same. Pruning is necessary to extend the life of the plant. All lavenders bloom on the stems that grew in the current year. How to Prune Lavender in the Spring? Pruning English lavender. If уоu ѕее a lоt оf frеѕh growth оn thе рlаnt, іt іѕ ѕаfе tо start рrunіng. Bеfоrе уоu prune bасk lаvеndеr рlаntѕ, tаkе a gооd look аt уоur рlаnt tо mаkе ѕurе thеrе іѕ еnоugh nеw growth. Don’t … Trim each branch to about one third while not cutting into brown wood. If all the green is gone, your plant will die. When planting lavender, prune plants lightly, removing all growing tips. Trim the lavenders when you have noticed that the flowers are blooming, this typically occurs in the spring or summer season. Take semi-ripe lavender cuttings in late summer. This may not be necessary, though it can help to keep plants healthy and full. Prune your Lavender plants just as the new growth begins, cutting back as to leave some new shoots at the base of each branch. Comment below! These are just a few of the many benefits that Lavender has. The same can be said for pruning Lavender plants. Also avoid excessive pruning. Facts about hard pruning lavender. If you have any questions, we're always here for you and your lavender. “Why plant LAVENDER? Seasonal Pruning – When is the best time to prune lavender? With these pruning tips at the ready, mark "prune the lavender" on your calendar this fall well before the first frosts arrive. It’s important to prune a few months before winter sets in to prevent frost and breakage from the snow. Don’t prune if it’s winter. Too Many Fall Leaves? How to prune lavender. Go heavier on an old plant but never cut down to the wood base. While pruning in spring can delay flowering, it is a good time to trim away dead or damaged parts. This should clear the misunderstanding about Lavender. However, lavender should not be pruned during the winter. 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