Lavender enthusiasts are spoiled for choice with an array of varieties such as English, French, and Spanish lavenders, each requiring a unique approach.
In particular, French and Spanish lavenders demand more tender loving care compared to their robust English relatives, especially when it comes to pruning. A properly pruned lavender can add longevity and vitality to gardens, window displays, and homes, offering eye-catching hues, enticing fragrances, and a haven for local wildlife.
Gardening expert Sarah Raven believes that an annual cut-back is key to enhancing the plant’s blooms and preventing it from becoming an unmanageable woody tangle, reports the Express.
Sarah advises cutting back “after the blooms have faded,” recommending: “Remove shoots to within one inch (2cm) of the previous year’s growth.”
Admirers following home influencer Mrs Hinch are no strangers to sharing sage advice, recently discussing the merits of pruning lavender in October. Jean Algeo, a member of a fan group, sought advice online, posting: “Hi, can I ask for advice on pruning back a lovely lavender plant please.
“It has grown over the driveway and onto the path. How far back should it be pruned and is it okay to do it now? Thanks for your help.”
Looking for guidance on Facebook last early October, Jean’s query regarding the optimal time to trim lavender was met with a surge of helpful suggestions from fellow gardening aficionados, all urging her to “cut back now”.
Dawn Eveasham offered her two cents on the matter, noting: “Cut back now to just above where it has gone woody, any new shoots I cut can be put in a glass of water to root for next year.”
Echoing Dawn’s guidance was Alison Plastow who advised: “Cut back now. Once flowered. They don’t last forever. But keeping them trimmed they can last longer.”
Kate Noble weighed in with her own tactic: “I cut mine back to the main plant, to all the flower stalks.”
While Louise Cracknell suggested, “Don’t go into the woody stalks and it will come back great.”
Amidst this wealth of advice, it should be noted that there are recommended pruning times for lavender which gardeners may not always emphasize. Experts typically advise twice-a-year pruning: once after flowering in autumn and once more as spring arrives.
Gardening expert Leigh Clapp spells out a prudent method, instructing: “Trim after flowering in autumn, then prune in the spring.”
For those with secateurs at the ready, a crucial piece of advice is to refrain from excessively pruning lavender after summer. This could leave the plant susceptible and ill-prepared for the colder days ahead.
If you missed giving your lavender a trim during the summer, particularly the delicate varieties like French, Spanish and Italian lavenders, it’s best to wait until spring for optimal results. However, English lavender can still be pruned in October.
When it comes to spring pruning, ensure you only trim your lavender plants once new growth has appeared.
Cutting your lavender in the correct place is vital for its healthy growth and prosperity.
Trim the plant just above the side branches or lead nodes. The area where you’re cutting should be green.
It’s generally not advised to cut into the woody part of the plant.