Hi guys, thanks for the blue line/ red line diagram. How to prune lavender. Pruning lavender. At midsummer, it is humming with bees and other pollinating insects. This post will tell you how to prune English lavender beautifully. Pruning English lavender. How to prune lavender. But the lavender specialists at Downderry say that English lavender needs hard pruning. Autumn is the time of the year to take care of your lavenders. There is no doubt that lavender is calming and antidepressant for aromatherapy. It had to be taken out. You could say that I snipped rather than hacked. It’s super helpful! I did it once in late September and was fine. But now I know that we amateur gardeners often misinterpret that. Why Prune Lavender? There won’t be any bees humming around the stalks. How to Prune Lavender. Blue Line: We prune our lavender in early April (New Zealand autumn).Prune back all shoots at least 1/3 of the plant. Yes, it’s such a dilemma, isn’t it? 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. Like to plant lavender along side of house with a few roses that are already there. See the box below. Dry facing North East. (French lavender has the little ears and needs different pruning). The absolutely best way to prune English lavender beautifully. How and when to prune lavender varies depending on the type of lavender you’re growing. http://learn-how-to-garden.comThe autumn is a perfect time for pruning your Lavender to keep it healthly and productive. Unauthorised use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. French lavender is shorter-lived and less hardy, so more likely to be affected by frost or poor weather. It plumped up again before Christmas, and made elegant grey mounds for the winter garden. Use this same technique every year as new growth starts to appear. Discover lavender. The best time to prune back lavender is after it has bloomed, most often in spring or early fall. August is the time to give your lavender its summer chop. I have lovely round-shaped lavender bush that flowers all year round. I purchased my French lavender plants in October and planted them out They were in two litre pots. Just remember to always prune lavender above the leaves. Learn here about pruning Lavender plants. I don’t think I cut severely enough. Rosalie, Hi.when is the best time to take cuttings?.. In this post here from Doddington Place Gardens, Amicia de Moubray explains the difference between English lavenders, which help you sleep, and French lavenders which make you feel more alert. I am just about to prune an ancient English lavender bush and will be braver than usual. Lavender does not tolerate pruning like many rose varieties that you can prune right down to the base of the plant. Pruning your Lavender will help the plant from retaining its vigor by slowing down its process of becoming woody. It’s been nearly three years since I originally wrote this post,. 2. Below are tips on where to plant a lavender shrub, and how best to grow, care and prune lavender at the end of the season. Layering is a technique which basically involves: Taking a low, woody branch of your lavender plant. Do not prune the lavender back to the woody base, as the old wood base is not very productive and does not grow many new stems. If you plan your summer holiday to New Zealand, pick your own (PYO) blueberries is a Must Thing to do with your family a, We need to use lip balm to moisturise our lips. English Lavender; French Lavender. 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. The amount of pruning also varies depending on variety, as some lavenders need lighter pruning than others. When to Prune Lavender. One of the joys of pruning lavender is the scent. Your email address will not be published. The secateurs method does take alot longer than clipping it with shears but I briefly went back to shears this morning. Before you prune your lavender you need to identify which type you have planted in your garden. We find the best time to prune in the Pacific Northwest is late fall just before the first frosts come. When to prune lavender? Lavender grows quickly, so by the second year, the plant should be about twice as big and ready for pruning once the blooms are spent (or cut blooms while they're still fresh and make a luxurious lavender sugar scrub!). Lavender is always a struggle down here anyway, it’s far too wet. There was also some lavender around the beds and that went completely woody and stalky. Cutting back lavender plants is important for the health of the plant. The question when to prune Lavender depends on what type of pruning is being done. Would it be better to leave them over the winter and then cut them off in the Spring? I’ve taken them out. 10 easy care evergreen pots for year round impact, For the next six months, the evergreen pots in my garden will create almost all the structure and impact. I’m often asked for recommendations so I’ve put together some useful lists of my favourite gardening books, tools and sustainable gardening products on The Middlesized Garden Amazon store. 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. Blue Line: We prune our lavender in early April (New Zealand autumn).Prune back all shoots at least 1/3 of the plant. Let me explain. You need to cut right down into the brown part, where little lavender shoots can just been seen. Unlike many perennial plants and shrubs that can be pruned now, it is best to wait to prune lavender until after bloom in spring or in early fall before any danger of frost. And if I paint my shed, it’ll also last longer…. Here are detailed instructions on how to prune back your Lavender to keep its shape, encourage repeat blooming and to maintain vigor. Yet I followed all the advice I was given. 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. Waiting to prune lets the plant form oldereventually woodygrowth that responds less well to pruning. Prune established plants heavily, pruni… Thanks for this post. So I don’t know what is the right course…..I’m in Los Angeles, btw. As with English lavender, some experts say ‘never cut into the wood’ and others say ‘cut down into the wood to encourage new shoots’. Main pruning occurs in summer, after the flower harvest. Go heavier on an old plant but never cut down to the wood base. I always cut mine back in August/September since Jekka McVicar told me that she feels a dual cut (autumn and then a tidy up in spring) is best for the plants due to climate change. It is not a good idea to plant along side of the house. Seasonal Pruning – When is the best time to prune lavender? Pruning lavender after flowering is ideal, but if you miss the window, don’t fret. See this post on an easy tip for weeding without chemicals, how to plant a border like a pro, find out why compost can be easy or it can be quick (but it can’t be both) and whether you really need to dig up your dahlias. Great. I planted a small hedge of young Hidcote lavender plants in June this year, they have grown well over the summer and flowered late August/September. The lavender is a major feature in my garden. In our part of the country, that means we start pruning the fields as soon as we’re done with the essential oil distillation at the end of September, with the aim of finishing by mid-October. How to Trim a Lavender with Woody Stems. Because there are different types of lavender out there, each type requires a unique way and timing of pruning. Use this same technique every year as new growth starts to appear. Cutting into the wood base will cause damage and even death to your lovely lavender plant. I too was told at some point that it wasn’t possible to cut lavender back down into the woody bit – but as mine looked so straggly, I ignored the advice one year and it grew again! Pruning lavender is much more necessary for older plants, and the variety you own will have an effect on its lifespan. However, they do need a full sun spot. It makes you feel cheerful and clearheaded. Prune back all shoots at least 1/3 of the plant. We use hedge trimmers to prune the 25,000 plants in our fields. And repeat. If you don’t prune lavender regularly, the plants will get woody and will produce fewer flowers. Definitely not a job I should do without my glasses! The same can be said for pruning Lavender plants. Here are three natural ingredients that you should look for in a good l, You want to give the woman in your life a present that will leave her smiling from ear to ear. Apr 8, 2018 - Learn how and when to prune lavender. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. The following year, I took my courage – and my secateurs – in hand. 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. For a great visual guide, watch this YouTube video for how to prune lavender: How Far Apart to Plant. We use gas-powered hedge trimmers to prune the 30,000+ plants in our fields. Ideal techniques and timing will differ between varieties, however the general rules still apply. It is easy, simple and only have few key points: The lavender will develop a woody center and stop producing new shoots. When to Prune Lavender. A gift that feels persona, Family Activities in New Zealand | Pick Your Own Blueberries, Natural Ingredients to Look for in Your Lip Balms, Purple Presents | Top 5 Amazing Christmas Gifts for Women. Different variety have different blooming periods. So wear your glasses! But it will be with regret as I love the long grey stalks. Lavandula angustifolia (English lavender) is the hardiest (H5 hardy-cold winter) variety of lavender. Generally the best time to prune lavender is once the flowers have faded, so now sounds good. A neighbour’s lavender – it’s been there for over 14 years and still going strong. Although you could trim the dead flowers off – if you’re happy to leave them on, the birds will enjoy them. Every year after that, one third of the long, woody branches are cut back to the trunk. Best variety please easy care. This is a very informative post on the hows and whys of cutting back English Lavender. My concern now though, as one other lady mentioned last year, is that there are still so many flowering stalks and so many bees (Sept 2nd 2017). You just can’t see where the little buds are, and you really need to make sure you clip as far down as you can, but leaving at least one or two buds on to create new growth. Pruning Lavender in autumn or early spring . When planting lavender, prune plants lightly, removing all growing tips. There is no need for it to be perfect but it is an essential process for their health of growing. Is your advice on pruning any different for new plants in their first year? I couldn’t work out why next door’s lavender is still healthy and bushy after fourteen years. French lavender is shorter-lived and less hardy, so more likely to be affected by frost or poor weather. First perform the regular, basic pruning for lavender. lavender. Pruning the lavender once a year is very important. The central lavender is beginning to get too stalky. This will keep your plant alive and flowering at its best for as many years as possible. I have been debating the crucial issue of what colour to paint my shed. The time in which you prune your lavender plants is very crucial and tricky. Don’t prune lavender until after the flowers are over. Red Line: Never cut down to wood base.. This easy-to-grow shrub thrives in a sunny spot, in free-draining soil or a container. They will look like tiny lavender flakes. Lavender looks like a perennial flower because most of it is soft green growth. Cutting back the old Lavender flower stems can be done anytime after flowering to remove the old flower stems and improve the plants appearance. At the farm this is usually early to mid-November. In late summer or early fall, after the last flush has faded, prune your Lavender stems down to an inch above the wood. Take off about a third to a half of the green growth and cut back harder once the plants are established. Directly to your inbox. It was planted in 2010, and the lavender by the obelisk had gone woody and gappy by 2014. How to Prune Lavender Pruning is absolutely required for good flower development and to prevent woody stalks. 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. Prune back after flowering, avoiding pruning into old woody growth. In this article, I will show you when and how to prune a lavender, how often to do it, and which tools to use for the best results. Lavender Varieties. But it started to look gappy and woody. Not good. When you are pruning lavender, it is best to do it regularly and spring is a great time to start. In your own garden, as you are preparing your other plantings for the winter, add "prune the lavender" to your fall gardening checklist. Is there anything that I can do to reduce it’s size? I’ll pin this to a Pinterest board as an easy way to remember what to do. I think it would be best to wait till spring. Perhaps you have a neighbour’s window over-looking your garden?…, Privacy Policy - Terms & Conditions - Disclosure Policy, © 2020 The Middle-Sized Garden - Gardening Blog. Take a good thick bunch of lavender in one hand, and chop down to where you see tiny little lavender shoots in the brown wood. It might be a bit late. Not only is lavender incredibly versatile and low maintenance, lavender is easy to prune too! Blue Line: We prune our lavender in early April (New Zealand autumn). The technique in this post is for English lavender, not French lavender but the method is similar. However, like other cuttings, you need to make sure it won’t dry out. You need to choose the variety that suits your blooming periods. It looks brown and woody, but if you look closely you can see tiny lavender shoots on the lower branches. At the moment there are still flowers though, even new ones coming, it seems a shame to cut them off and I end up leaving it too late. All year round, check the plant for dead or dying shoots and remove them promptly with a pair of sanitized pruning shears. And if you’re interested in sustainable living, there’s also a list of my favourite sustainable garden products, such as compostable pots and peat-free compost. And it does hate wet – a friend of mine has lost three lots of lavender, probably because there’s an underground spring or pond in what appears to be an absolutely dry area. How to hard prune lavender. I haven’t been able to get out and trim off the flowers and wondered if I did this now (07 November) if it might be too late as the weather is getting colder? Lavender illustration by M. Jeng. This encourages the plant to branch. There are different ways to prune both the French and the English lavender, each has its ups and downs, but we will discover both of them. However, it does depend on the variety. The experts also say that you should use good secateurs for cutting lavender. Pruning encourages healthy new growth to emerge. When you prune your lavender, you’re aiming to slow down the plant’s progress toward forming woody stems, and keep it at an early growth stage, young and vigorous. ‘It will love it!’. When it's time to prune your lavender, regardless of its variety, tailor your pruning to the age of the plant: Start pruning your lavender plants while they are still young. There are many different types of lavender, but most fall in one of two categories: English lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) or French lavender (Lavandula dentata). Well drainage is important. Tax included. 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