How and when to prune lavender: tips for beginners

Lavender is a stable and unpretentious crop, but the quality of flowering depends primarily on proper and timely pruning. Autumn pruning is necessary to prepare the plant for winter.

Early pruning can provoke the growth of new shoots that will not have time to lignify before winter. OBOZ.UA tells you how and when to prune lavender.

Why you need to prune lavender

Uncircumcised bushes will be more susceptible to disease, and severe lignification or excessive growth can cause the plant to fall.

It is important to prune twice a year so that the lavender has the opportunity to develop roots and have the strength for long-lasting flowering.

Overgrown bushes have poor air circulation, which is an ideal environment for fungal spores.

How to cut lavender correctly

First things first: you should use clean tools for pruning. Knives, secateurs or scissors should be disinfected beforehand.

The first pruning should always be done in the spring, right after the first flowers bloom. Gardeners conventionally call spring pruning a "soft pruning", the main purpose of which is to encourage further growth of flowers and leaves.

Wait until the first flowers start to dry to start pruning. Find the lignified crown of the plant and then go up 5-10 cm from the base. You must not cut through the hard brown parts of the lower stem.

Autumn pruning should be done 5-6 weeks before the first frost. Its main purpose is to direct the plant's energy down to the roots. If the lavender stores more nutrients in the root zone, it will help to survive the winter frosts.

In winter, lavender can lose some of its shoots and fall during strong winds. Pruning will ensure better air circulation during wet or snowy weather. During the fall pruning, you can cut back 2/3 of the plant. Locate the central crown and carefully cut the green stems about 3-5 cm higher. The rest of the growth should be left at the base of the plant.

The most important thing to remember when pruning is not to cut off the lignified crown, as this is the basic part of the plant that mediates growth between the underground and aboveground parts.

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