Using a pair of sharp scissors will work unless you have an actual hedge trimmer. Always make sure there are green leaves left on your lavender when you are done pruning. … Pruning Lavender: Depending on the type of lavender that you are growing pruning should take place between August and September, once the flowers are past their best. 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 is Essential Chris Mulder, Barn Owl Nursery In my experience, I have found that pruning lavender plants in the spring and summer, and lightly in September, helps them to look and grow better, over a longer period of time. Keeping up with this repeated pruning will result in magnificent plants. In mild climates, you can even see flowers all year round. It is important you keep in mind not to cut into the woody part which may result in a lot of damage to the plant’s health and survivability. Prune one-third to one-half of each shrub back after the peak of flowering. Prune again in the late fall (October for Western Washington) to a small rounded gumdrop shape 4” to 6” diameter for first year. This is why before you prune it, you need to first know which type of lavender you have in front of you. To avoid lavender losing its figure, the best technique is to prune on a regular basis. I am just now finding time to do something about this and while most of the garden should have been cut back … English Lavender pruning requires you to cut off about 2 thirds of the plant’s height or just above the bottom two sets of leaves on each stem. Spring pruning is usually a light trim that is undertaken in order to remove any foliage that is frost damaged or untidy after winter. Fill plastic pots with peat-free multi-purpose compost, water and then push the cuttings into the compost. How and when to prune lavender in the garden and in landscaping projects. A … Shaping the plant into a round “mound” will train the plant to grow into a round shape for years to come. How to prune English lavender English lavender is the most common and also the most versatile with a lifespan of 25 years or more if taken care of properly. The best time to prune back lavender is after it has bloomed, most often in spring or early fall. The amount of pruning also varies depending on variety, as some lavenders need lighter pruning than others. However, by that … With older plants, you can cut back to a point that’s three leaf pairs above the woody stem area. If left unpruned it can get very tall ans straggly. Professional growers prune lavender bushes with a sickle, but clean, sharp hand clippers are also effective. And surf, climb, kayak… pretty much anything that brings me outdoors. When you’re pruning lavender plants that are established, aim to remove at least one-third of all growth. 01:42. We hope you have learned from this article the ways and the time when to prune your lavender. Pruning yearly from the very start will make sure the shape stays beautiful as it grows old. Lavender is an easy to grow plant which thrives in sunny borders and gravel gardens and takes very little maintenance aside from a hard annual pruning. Pruning lavender every year will enhance blooming. Fill plastic pots with peat-free multi-purpose compost, water and then push the cuttings into the compost. Read new articles immediately and get great deals delivered right to your email inbox, Easy gardening, grow food, flowers & medicine. Pruning lavender helps to trigger bushy growth, and gives you tons of flowers too. Look for new growth spouting through near the base of your plant and cut an inch (2.5cm) above the new growth. This will keep your plant neat and tidy! These Lavenders are usually very gentle and fragile that they require extra care and should be pruned very carefully. Use secateurs for a single plant and a hedge trimmer if you have many. Early spring is … This has worked well for me in my location, but not everyone growing lavender in different climates in Oregon will prune their lavender plants that often. Below are three common types of lavender planted in UK gardens. Pruning Lavender differs with the type of Lavender you're growing. Share your garden joys & woes! The best time to prune Lavender is in the spring season. The right time to prune lavender is after the blooming, at the end of summer. Prune one-third to one-half of each shrub back after the peak of flowering. Take care not to cut into the woody part of the plant which can cause damage. Pruning English lavender. Easy to grow, lavender lets us savor the sun through its fragrance. Don’t … Read also: All there is to know about lavender; Health benefits of lavender; Trimming lavender. Lavender is a woody plant that needs pruning to grow back better. There are two ways to rejuvenateold, woody lavender: 1. severe pruningone third at a time 2. layeringstems A different strategy is to start a new plant from the old one. The key to pruning is to stay within the green part of the plant and NOT to cut into the brown woody part. develop a pleasant mounded shape that helps showcase the spikes of small purple flowers during early summer. Hard pruning is defined as cutting back the plant by 1/3 or more. English Hybrids are known for being a little weaker than their English cousins and thus require extra care and gentleness. Cutting back the old Lavender flower stems can be done anytime after flowering to remove the old flower stems and improve the plants appearance. You might have read that lavender can’t take a hard pruning. To prevent lavender shrubs from developing in this way, they typically tend to prune often, at least once a year; since the woody parts tend not to produce buds, pruning is done just after flowering, when the bright purple flowers are passing to lilac-gray; it can be pruned by going almost to the end of the branch, or at least a few centimeters above the area where the new leaves begin. Like the RHS on Facebook; Follow the RHS on Twitter; Subscribe to the RHS YouTube channel; Follow the RHS on … Jobs for the Weekend . We find the best time to prune lavender in the Pacific Northwest is fall, well before the first frosts come. When pruning lavender, it’s important to start out with a sharp, clean set of pruning shears. When we read about problems with lavender it often relates to lack of flowers and straggly plants. Properly pruned lavender shrubs (Lavandula spp.) I used to prune my lavender rather warily. Blue Line: We prune our lavender in early April (New Zealand autumn).Prune back all shoots at least 1/3 of the plant. Get involved. If you’re wondering how to prune lavender and when to prune lavender at the correct time, have no fear. Prune again after flowering has finished in spring/early summer. How to Trim Back a Large Lavender Plant. English lavender is identified by its single, leafless stems … 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. If you decide to harvest your lavender, wait 2-3 weeks after harvesting the stems to prune your plant. 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. How to Prune Lavender in Summer. In your own garden, as you are preparing your other plantings for the winter, add "prune the lavender" to your fall gardening checklist. Read this article to find out when to prune lavender plants, and learn exactly how to prune lavender step-by-step to avoid over pruning. Lavender is a very diverse plant and comes in different shapes and colors. Do some research for … Cut off about 2/3 of the plant’s height or to just above the bottom two sets of leaves on each stem. Some shrubs can take severe pruning and hatracking, but pruning lavender too hard wouldkill it. If you want to keep your plant healthy then you should prune it twice a year, every year. Before you prune your lavender you need to identify which type you have planted in your garden. Wipe down the blades of your pruning shears with rubbing alcohol or bleach to make sure all bacteria and potentially harmful germs are removed from the blades. Lavender is usually pruned after flowering in the late summer, though some books will also recommend pruning in the spring. The flower stalk can be harvested and used either dry or fresh. When time comes, you should give it a trim, but do not cut them back as hard as you did the previous kind, it can actually kill them. If all the green is gone, your Lavender will die. Your email address will not be published. The question when to prune Lavender depends on what type of pruning is being done. Although the plant will grow fine if it isn’t pruned, your lavender will never be more beautiful than if you care for it regularly. English Hybrids are strong but aren’t as strong as the normal English kind. Chris Mulder, Barn Owl Nursery . Lavandula angustifolia - also called English Lavender, True Lavender or Common Lavender: These Lavenders usually bloom once, but may experience a weak second flush after pruning. While the plant is in bloom, usually in mid-summer, gather up the flower stalks and once again prune the plant back to 2 - 3 inches above where the soft, green growth begins on the lower part of the plant. 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If you do not decide to … Since it is very fragile you should take extra steps of precaution when dealing with this kind not to damage or kill it. Pests and Diseases on Lavender. Join the RHS today and get 12 months for the price of 9. Even if it doesn’t give you buds this summer, your plant will have a healthier start for the long term growth. This type of lavender does not tolerate extreme temperatures and it grows out to be 2 or 3 feet tall. Lavandula, more commonly known as lavender, is famous for its fragrant flowers and foliage. Hidcote and Munstead are the most popular Lavandula angustifolia throughout the UK. Twice a year pruning will keep your plant healthy and compact. You want to heavily prune and shape young lavender plants for two reasons: 1) It helps develop a tight, compact, shaped base that will keep the plant healthy for years to come, and 2) Pruning in the fall drives energy away from the plant surface and down into the roots, which is what you want for the winter. 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