Pruning lavender augustifolia
 

I would love to hear your recommendations:

I've read the best way is to prune hard to 9 inches immediately after the first flowering leaving some small shoots below cut. Dead-head for the rest of the flowering period, with possibly just a light trim to polish off the season, but no later than mid-September.

elsewhere i've read u trim back flower spikes as soon as they've faded, cutting back to jsut below first set of leaves. then tidy up the subsequent flower spikes in spring.


personally i like lavender seedheads, and want to leave pruning them for as long as possible, especially since its very sheltered here and frosts don't start till mid-Oct at very earliest.

Can i just leave pruning till end of sept, and if so how hard should i cut into them? if i do this do i also need to prune again early spring?

In article , Tiger303 Tiger303.1uqz
writes

I would love to hear your recommendations:

I've read the best way is to prune hard to 9 inches immediately after
the first flowering leaving some small shoots below cut. Dead-head for
the rest of the flowering period, with possibly just a light trim to
polish off the season, but no later than mid-September.

elsewhere i've read u trim back flower spikes as soon as they've faded,
cutting back to jsut below first set of leaves. then tidy up the
subsequent flower spikes in spring.


personally i like lavender seedheads, and want to leave pruning them
for as long as possible, especially since its very sheltered here and
frosts don't start till mid-Oct at very earliest.

Can i just leave pruning till end of sept, and if so how hard should i
cut into them? if i do this do i also need to prune again early spring?


I prune mine in late winter/early spring, once the goldfinches have
stripped the seeds. By that time new growth is happening, so I can cut
back a long way without cutting back beyond the re-growth. Cutting
lavender back too far can kill the plant as they don't shoot well from
the part of the branch which isn't actively putting out new growth.

--
Kay
"Do not insult the crocodile until you have crossed the river"

Guessing that about end of March, but obviously it will differ as i think were in differnt parts of country.

If you don't mind i may come back and ask for some more advice at the time, because i had a look yesterday and below the flower stalk there seem to about 6 set of leaves of each stem, 3 on each side.

So do i cut each one of these 6 leaves back individually or do i find the lowest leaf which is regrowing and cut the stem off above that and then trim that leaf?

cheers

Hi,
Ideally Lavendar should be cut back end july to middle aof August after
flowering, although some of my Lavenders were late flowering this year. cut
about 1 inch above hardwood. This will give some new growth time to ripen
before the onset of winter.
Do not cut back into old hard wood as they will not regenerate.
A feed of fish blood and bonemeal early in season will do them no harm.
The fish and blood gives early feed and the bonemeal is slow to breakdown
and gives later feed just when the new growth is ripening.
The Lavendar fields in Norfolk on the way to Hunstanton have lavendar bushes
that are 40+ years old and still look better than mine which are now 4 years
old.

Look here for more useful tips
http://www.norfolk-lavender.co.uk/Content/default.asp
I have 4 or 5 varieties including large white, Miss Katherine, and
seale,

Incidentally when trimming back donr throw the seed heads away, place a few
in a jug, pour on boiling water, allow to infuse for half hour, add hot
water to the touch, place in bowl and soak feet.the oils leave skin soft,
supple and smells better too, good relaxing after hard days gardening.
best wishes
Cineman


"Tiger303" wrote in message
...

Kay Wrote:
In I prune mine in late winter/early spring, once the goldfinches have
stripped the seeds. By that time new growth is happening, so I can cut
back a long way without cutting back beyond the re-growth. Cutting
lavender back too far can kill the plant as they don't shoot well from
the part of the branch which isn't actively putting out new growth.

Guessing that about end of March, but obviously it will differ as i
think were in differnt parts of country.

If you don't mind i may come back and ask for some more advice at the
time, because i had a look yesterday and below the flower stalk there
seem to about 6 set of leaves of each stem, 3 on each side.

So do i cut each one of these 6 leaves back individually or do i find
the lowest leaf which is regrowing and cut the stem off above that and
then trim that leaf?

cheers


--
Tiger303

Because I am a head gardener of 6+acres of garden, and we have quite a lot of lavender, I have learnt you dont have to be too worried about how you prune.

Two rules - prune once, with shears before the first frost, but generally the best idea is to prune when the flowers loose their colour. And dont cut into bare wood, but leave about two nodes below your cut. This enables the stems to put on fresh growth the following year.

And get someone else to clear the clippings! Easy - peasy!!!

Linette Applegate

http://www.applegategardens.co.uk