On Thu, 07 Apr 2011 07:29:01 -0700, "David E. Ross"
wrote:

On 4/6/11 7:18 PM, BeTu wrote:
I live in zone 5, and wonder how I should treat Lavender before the
season starts....do I need to cut back last years growth? Thanks

Lavender hardiness depends on the species, but I am not aware of any
that will survive a winter in USDA zone 5 or even zones 6 and 7.

While pruning lavender will rejuvenate the plant, it must be done
carefully. As with other relatives of salvia -- rosemary, sage, mint,
etc -- there must be green leaves remaining below the cut. Otherwise
the branch will die back to its base. If a branch has no green leaves,
remove the entire branch. If there are no green leaves on the plant at
all, it is dead; lavender is evergreen.

I'm in zone 6b and my lavender survived this past winter - I think
it's about 3-4 years old. I did lose a rosemary and a rue