How to Prune your Lavender Plant? A good approach is to cut above the third node. Do more extensive pruning early in spring as new green growth emerges at the base of the plant. If the lavender plant is especially lopsided, is partially dead or lacks vigor, prune back the plant further, but not too much. The best time to prune subshrubs that bloom in spring and early summer is when leaf buds emerge in spring. Trim the lavenders when you have noticed that the flowers are blooming, this typically occurs in the spring or summer season. While it may seem counterproductive to trim away certain parts, it is actually for the greater good of the plant. 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. 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. Pruning lavender in spring is always sometimes necessary in colder regions to remove stems that suffer winter damage to stems. Pruning Lavender after the First Year Lavender plants should be pruned once per year, preferably in the spring, just before new growth starts. If all the green is gone, your plant will die. Pruning time is important, timing is seasonal pruning as well as pruning that depend of how old is your plant. Pruning Lavender in spring should be done very early on to avoid pruning off undeveloped flowers about the same time you would plant spring bulbs. ). The dotted line in the illustration above shows you how to cut foliage and any flowers back by one-third to one half before planting. Follow the contours of the plant. 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. This trapped water may assist rot in lavender’s roots and stems in summer. For most lavender varieties, pruning is best done during spring, summer, or fall after harvest. The basic rule of pruning lavender is not to trim into brown, dead wood. Lavender takes a few years to get fully established. When pruning lavender, it’s important to start out with a sharp, clean set of pruning shears. Don’t prune your lavender after late August. The first time you trim lavender, during its second year of growth, you may only get a handful of stalks. Now I can toss out the old plant and start over the right way. You can prune the whole plant down to 1/3 of its size. Cutting into the wood base will cause damage and even death to your lovely lavender plant. You prune English lavender by cutting it back by two thirds in the second half of August and you can cut into the bare wood, if needed. Pruning woody lavender can bring the life back into the plant. The same can be said for pruning Lavender plants. How to Trim a Lavender with Woody Stems. This may not be necessary, though it can help to keep plants healthy and full. The technique in this post is for English lavender, not French lavender but the method is similar. You should wind up with a rounded mound. If уоu ѕее a lоt оf frеѕh growth оn thе рlаnt, іt іѕ ѕаfе tо start рrunіng. Pruning lavender. Lavender does not tolerate pruning like many rose varieties that you can prune right down to the base of the plant. Refinishing A Mid-century Modern Side Table – Done! According to Monty Don, as soon as it's finished flowering, but before the flowers have completely dried out. The amount of pruning also varies depending on variety, as some lavenders need lighter pruning than others. Cut off about 2/3 of the plant’s height or to just above the bottom two sets of leaves on each stem. 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. I promise myself to prune it into a neat shrub from now on right after flowering. Trim the lavenders when you have noticed that the flowers are blooming, this typically occurs in the spring or summer season. Do you have any questions, thoughts, and tips you’d want to share with us? This encourages the plant to branch. Lavender is usually pruned after flowering in the late summer, though some books will also recommend pruning in the spring. Take semi-ripe lavender cuttings in late summer. Follow the contours of the plant. This ‘How to prune lavender’ guide contains all the necessary knowledge that you need to start pruning lavender like a pro. Lavender limbs can appear to be dead during dormant winter season when they are actually not. Before pruning, wipe the shears with a cloth soaked in isopropyl alcohol to disinfect them, and then disinfect the shears each time you begin pruning a new plant. Pruning the plant when it’s young stimulates root and stem growth. Without it, lavender could grow a large woody base which shortens the plant’s lifespan. Pruning lavender in spring is most effective as the new growth is starting to appear. You see, the parts that we are trimming of the plant are the dead branches, leaves, or roots that have the disease on them, or cutting off buds to encourage the plant to be much bushier. For example, L. stoechus cultivars need pruning in summer, right after the first flowers; this will protect the plant from winter snowfall. If done properly, lavender plant can continue to grow for as long as 20 years. Prune your Lavender plants just as the new growth begins, cutting back as to leave some new shoots at the base of each branch. lavender. Plucking the plant can potentially some parts of the plant that are not intended to be pruned. New shoots will quickly appear at the base of the bush and these will have enough time to grow and harden up before winter comes. 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. Pruning: Prune right after the first flowering and again in late August after the last flush has faded. Prune these lavender in spring when all frost is finished for the season. If you have any questions, we're always here for you and your lavender. Don’t shear straight across. All that’s required is a little dedication and proper knowledge of pruning and you are golden. We have tips for getting it back into shape, and when and where to cut for pruning. It is easy, simple and only have few key points: Prune 1/3 of the entire plant, reshaping into a nice mound shape. Pruning should not be confused with harvesting. They associate Lavender with only fragrance and dismiss the idea of planting Lavender. Second Year Lavender Pruning . 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. Learn How to Prune Lavender like a Pro Many people start to feel nervous about pruning Lavender plants. Usually lavender plants grow old and woody after 6 to 10 years. As you can see, there isn’t much science involved in pruning lavender. You Might Also Like: Lavender Sugar Scrub DIY Potting Bench Growing Herbs in Pots Easy Flowers to Grow Published: Feb. 28, 2018. Before pruning, wipe the shears with a cloth soaked in isopropyl alcohol to disinfect them, and then disinfect the shears each time you begin pruning a new plant. You want to avoid cutting into the woody base of the plant. Well it really isn't a big deal to get uptight about. If nоt, gіvе іt a little mоrе time tо grоw. In order to avoid plucking, use some shears or scissors instead to do the job. It is commonly used in skin care items like body scrubs, lotions, creams etc. The best time to prune back lavender is after it has bloomed, most often in spring or early fall. They have different blooming times, but the pruning techniques are pretty much the same. Trim them in the afternoon where the oils are at their strongest. Prune it low in spring once you see new leaves (this is important!) The best time to prune Lavender is in the spring season. Build A Compost Bin! Green leaves should still be there on the plant after pruning. For those "leggy" verities, you might need to pay more attention to keep them in a nice shape. 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. Use hedge trimmers or pruning shears, if possible, to keep things nice and tidy. All of these acts together help in maintaining the health of the plant and even improves productivity too! Use this same technique every year as new growth starts to appear. French lavender (Lavandula dentata), flowers for most of the year so it can be hard to choose the best time to prune. 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. In subsequent years, it will produce an ever-larger bush of flowers. Trim each branch to about one third while not cutting into brown wood. Now that you have understood how pruning your lavender will help it grow and become vibrant, let’s get on how to actually prune it the right way. Pruning & harvesting lavender (LEFT)has a specific method on where to cut to reduce stress on the plant. All lavenders bloom on the stems that grew in the current year. However, there is a right time for everything. Pruning lavender after flowering is ideal, but if you miss the window, don’t fret. Regular pruning twice a year gives your plant time regenerate fresh flowers and … Spring pruning is usually a light trim that is undertaken in order to remove any foliage that is frost damaged or untidy after winter. For main pruning, cut the plant back to about ten to fifteen centimetres above the ground. 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. Before pruning, it’s important to understand which type of lavender you have. Your email address will not be published. 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. All is not lost though. As winter comes, the Lavender’s branches, if allowed to get woody, will get cracked from the cold temperature. Lavender essential oil is a common ingredient in home cleaning products. Pruning lavender is an essential step for growing quality lavender for a long period without a need to replant. Even the RHS cautions against cutting into the woody part of lavender. You should wind up with a rounded mound. Here are detailed instructions on how to prune back your Lavender to keep its shape, encourage repeat blooming and to maintain vigor. Doing so will encourage branching growth and limit the development of a woody core at the base of the plant. THankfully, some of the longest stems have touched down and rooted! But the lavender specialists at Downderry say that English lavender needs hard pruning. 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. Look for green (living) lavender leaves and cut stem just above those leaves, Vigorous grower with a very strong fragrance, Produces large, deep violet flower spikes up to 6 inches long, Grows 24′-36″ tall within a tight mound of silver-green foliage, Thrives in full sun in dry to medium dry, well-drained soils, Prune it low in spring once you see new leaves (this is important! French lavender is shorter-lived and less hardy, so more likely to be affected by frost or poor weather. When your Lavender is woody, they are less appealing and also much more prone to damage and disease. This encourages the plant to branch. Summer pruning, which helps to keep the plant looking nice and encourages more flowers, is optional. Remove any dead branches all the way down to the hedge bottom. How to prune lavender I prune my lavender at the harvest time which is here, where I live, in the middle of the summer (early July). For those of you kicking yourselves because you didn't get your lavender perfectly pruned last year, don't panic. And the nice round shape of its youth starts collapsing all over the place! It isn’t hard to learn how to trim a lavender with woody stems. This time, I have carefully filed one of the detailed Lavender plant tags for future reference. Pruning your lavandin in early spring will keep your plant from getting too leggy. Lavender grows slowly in the fall and often plants are not sufficiently established to get through winter rains and cold. Lavender is an amazing medicinal plant. How to prune new lavender plants Start pruning lavender when it’s small to encourage your new plant to focus on making more roots and branching stems, which results in a nice mounded habit later. Wait to cut back until after the last hard frost, or when you see new growth starting in the spring. Prune Yearly. The first year you plant it, it may only produce a few stalks of flowers. Pruning Lavender in autumn or early spring . I mean, it has a great fragrance and all but. For most lavender varieties, pruning is best done during spring, summer, or fall after harvest. Pruning is necessary to extend the life of the plant. At a minimum, trim back the plant in the spring after flowering or in the fall to maintain the shape. Catherine Moravec, horticulturist with Colorado Yard Care, demonstrates how to cut back English lavender that has died back part way over the winter. After the plant is done flowering, cut back all the stems to about one third. Pull off some of the lower leaves. I planned for a full bed of Lavender so I’ve relocated my very heavy, concrete planters to allow the Lavender to fill the space. Same is true for cutting back dead lavender stems. This reduces stress on the plant by avoiding pruning into the woody growth which can lead to rot. Cut it back to 9″ high! This should clear the misunderstanding about Lavender. As soon as you notice that your lavender is turning woody, prune it. You can slot your lavender pruning when it works for you, as long as you complete it by early spring. Your email address will not be published. While pruning in spring can delay flowering, it is a good time to trim away dead or damaged parts. Once your lavender plant has had one year to establish itself, you’ll need to prune it once a year. 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). Now, it’s up to you to make use of all this information and up your game of lavender farming. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. A question you might think right now is do I really need to prune my Lavender? If nоt, gіvе іt a little mоrе time tо grоw. Log in, Disclaimer    |    Privacy Policy    |    Terms & Conditions. That encourages tender new growth which will be killed by winter cold, weakening the plant so it might not make it through another season. 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. Established lavender plants are usually heavily pruned. How to trim your lavender shrubs to avoid overgrowth. However, it does depend on the variety. Lavender is usually pruned after flowering in the late summer, though some books will also recommend pruning in the spring. It also assists in increasing the yield of lavender. Prune early bloomers in springafter the first flush of growth. When planting lavender, prune plants lightly, removing all growing tips. At a minimum, trim back the plant in the spring after flowering or in the fall to maintain the shape. 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