Monty Don has shared a simple five-minute pruning technique that keeps lavender plants healthy and flourishing for years. The gardening expert emphasised that this annual task is essential to prevent plants from becoming woody and leggy.
When to Prune Lavender
According to Monty Don, the best time to prune lavender is as soon as the flowers begin to fade, which can occur anytime between midsummer and the end of August, depending on the variety. He advised not to wait for seed heads to form or flowers to turn brown, as this allows maximum time for regrowth before winter.
In a blog post, Monty said: "To avoid woody, leggy plants, lavender should be pruned every year. The best time to do this is as soon as the flowers start to fade."
How to Prune Correctly
The horticulture specialist recommended cutting back firmly to create a neat shape while ensuring some young shoots remain on each branch. This is crucial because lavender often struggles to sprout from old wood, and improper pruning could risk killing the plant, reports the Express.
Monty added: "These new shoots will grow fast and provide an attractive and healthy cover to protect the plant in winter and provide the basis of next year's display."
Watering and Additional Tips
When watering lavender during warmer months, water deeply but sparingly, ensuring adequate drainage. Mature plants generally need less frequent watering, especially those growing directly in soil, though recently potted specimens require regular moisture.
July and August also present ideal opportunities for other garden tasks, such as mowing lengthy grass, providing thorough watering to plants, propagating fresh strawberry plants, and trimming fruit trees.
