Pruning lavender is essential for keeping your plants healthy, bushy, and blooming year after year. This easy step-by-step guide on how to prune lavender plants will show you exactly what to do and when to do it. With just a little annual care, you can prevent your lavender from becoming woody and sparse.
Many gardeners are nervous about cutting back their lavender, fearing they’ll harm it. But pruning is actually the kindest thing you can do for it. Skipping this task leads to leggy plants that split open and produce fewer fragrant flowers. The good news is that the process is straightforward once you know the basic rules.
How to Prune Lavender Plants
Think of pruning as a two-part routine: a light trim after flowering and a more significant cut in spring. This combination encourages new growth from the base and maintains that lovely, compact mound shape we all love. The tools you need are simple: a pair of sharp, clean bypass pruners or hedging shears for larger patches.
When to Prune Lavender: Timing is Everything
Getting the timing right is the most crucial part. Prune at the wrong time, and you risk damaging new growth or reducing next year’s blooms. Here’s the simple schedule to follow.
For most lavender types, you’ll prune twice:
* Late Summer / Early Fall (After Blooming): Give the plant a light tidy-up once the flower spikes have faded. This quick trim removes the spent blooms and shapes the plant before winter.
* Early Spring (As New Growth Appears): This is the main pruning session. Wait until you see tiny new green buds swelling low on the stems, but before the plant puts on lots of new growth. This is often in March or April, depending on your climate.
A key warning: Avoid heavy pruning in late fall or winter. The old growth provides insulation and protection from cold weather. Cutting back too hard too late leaves the plant vulnerable.
The Tools You’ll Need
You don’t need fancy equipment. Just make sure your tools are sharp and clean to make precise cuts and prevent disease spread.
* Bypass Pruners: Ideal for precision work on individual stems.
* Hedging Shears: Perfect for quickly shaping a large lavender hedge.
* Gloves: Lavender can have woody, tough stems.
* A bucket or tarp: To collect your clippings—they can be messy!
Step-by-Step: The Main Spring Prune
This is the most important cut of the year. Follow these numbered steps for success.
1. Assess Your Plant. First, look for the new growth. Find where the soft, silvery-green leaves end and the older, woodier brown stem begins. Your goal is to cut above the new buds but avoid cutting into the old wood.
2. Shape the Plant. Aim to cut the plant back by about one-third. Visualize the rounded mound shape and start trimming. For a hedge, you can use shears to create a neat, even shape.
3. Make Your Cuts. Using your pruners, cut about 1-2 inches above the point where you see the new green buds. Make clean, angled cuts. Avoid cutting down into the leafless, hard wood, as this wood often won’t regrow.
4. Clean Up. Remove all clippings from around the base of the plant. This improves air circulation and discourages pests from hiding there.
Step-by-Step: The Summer Deadhead & Tidy
After the beautiful blooms fade, a quick summer session keeps things neat.
1. Follow the Flower Stems. Trace the long flower stalk down to the first set of leaves on the foliage.
2. Snip. Cut the stem off, ideally removing no more than an inch or two of the leafy growth along with the spent flower. This light trim encourages the plant to put energy into bushiness instead of setting seed.
Pruning Different Types of Lavender
Not all lavender is exactly the same. The two most common types, English and French/Spanish lavender, have slightly different needs.
* English Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia): This is the hardiest type. It responds very well to the two-prune system described above and can handle a slightly harder spring cut.
* French & Spanish Lavender (Lavandula stoechas/dentata): These are more tender. They benefit from a lighter touch. Prune more gently in spring, focusing on shaping and removing any winter damage, and deadhead regularly through their longer blooming season.
Rescuing an Old, Woody Lavender Plant
If you’ve inherited or neglected a lavender that’s become sprawling and woody, don’t lose hope. While lavender rarely sprouts reliably from very old wood, you can try a renovation prune.
Proceed with caution in early spring. Examine the plant for any signs of green life low down. You can try cutting back slightly into the woody stems where you see a hint of green bud. If there’s no green, the stem is unlikely to recover. Sometimes, the best option is to replace very old plants, but it’s often worth a try.
What to Do With Lavender Cuttings
Don’t throw those fresh spring prunings away. They are perfect for propagation.
* Make New Plants: Select non-flowering, healthy tips about 3-4 inches long. Strip the leaves from the bottom half, dip in rooting hormone (optional), and plant in a pot of gritty compost. Keep moist, and in a few weeks, you should have new lavender plants.
* Dry the Flowers: If you prune after summer blooming, bundle the flower stalks and hang them upside down in a dark, dry place to dry for potpourri or crafts.
* Compost: Any leafy, non-woody clippings can be added to your compost bin.
Common Pruning Mistakes to Avoid
Steer clear of these pitfalls to keep your lavender thriving.
* Cutting into Old Wood: This is the number one error. It can leave bare patches that don’t regrow.
* Pruning Too Late in Fall: This stimulates tender new growth that will be killed by frost.
* Not Pruning at All: This leads to a leggy, floppy plant that falls open in the center.
* Using Dull or Dirty Tools: This creates ragged cuts that are slow to heal and can introduce disease.
FAQ: Your Lavender Pruning Questions Answered
Q: Can I prune lavender in the fall?
A: Only give it a very light tidy-up or deadhead in early fall. Save the major cutting for spring. Heavy fall pruning can weaken the plant before winter.
Q: How hard can you cut back lavender?
A: As a general rule, never remove more than one-third of the green growth at once. In spring, you can cut back to just above where you see new green buds.
Q: Why is my lavender going woody?
A: All lavender develops a woody base over time. Regular pruning from the plant’s youth significantly slows this process down and keeps the greenery growing low.
Q: What happens if you don’t prune lavender?
A: The plant becomes leggy, the stems flop open, and it produces fewer flowers. It will also become more vulnerable to damage from snow or heavy rain.
Q: Can I use hedge trimmers on lavender?
A: Yes, for large hedges of English lavender, hedge trimmers are fine for the main spring and summer trims. Just be sure to go back afterward with pruners to tidy any ragged cuts on individual stems.
With this easy step-by-step guide, you have all the knowledge you need to confidently prune your lavender. Remember the golden rules: prune in early spring as new growth emerges, avoid the old wood, and give it a light summer tidy. A little consistent care each year is the secret to a lush, fragrant, and beautiful lavender plant that will grace your garden for many seasons. Your lavender will thank you with abundant blooms and a lovely, compact form.