Lavender is a beloved addition to many UK gardens, prized for its hardiness, fragrant foliage, and vibrant purple blooms. However, without proper care, this Mediterranean shrub can quickly become straggly and untidy, a condition known as 'leggy' where stems grow long and woody with sparse leaves and flowers.
Gardening expert Monty Don has shared straightforward advice on preventing lavender from turning leggy. Writing in his blog, he recommends pruning in mid-August, when the flowers have faded but before they set seed. 'You don't want to wait until the flowers have turned brown. Just as soon as they're past their best, cut it back,' he advises.
Don suggests cutting just above the green shoots, stressing that you can prune as hard as you like provided some new growth remains. However, he warns against cutting into bare wood, as this can prevent regrowth and may kill the plant. 'If you cut just down to bare wood, sometimes they don't regrow at all, and that's it - you lose them,' he explains.
Proper pruning not only keeps lavender neat but also encourages a compact shape. After cutting back, the plant will produce fresh growth, which acts as a protective layer over winter. Come spring, it will be ready to form flower buds from a well-shaped shrub. If new shoots don't appear within a month, Don suggests it may be time to replace the plant.
