I have recently bought a house with this gorgeous lavender plant. Unfortunately it seems to be enjoying the heat a little bit too much and is starting to encroach onto our steps! I have read a bit about trimming lavender and all advice I have found so far suggests to trim it after the flowers turn grey at the end of the summer to keep it healthy.
I’m quite new to gardening so I’m looking for some advice about trimming it a little bit just so we can get up the steps easily? Would it kill the plant or can I trim only the bottom few branches? Or is there anything I can use to tie it back a bit?
Thanks for all the advice!!
by TheMythicalBeast-
8 Comments
It won’t kill the plant to trim it back early but this is the only time of year you’ll get that natural lavender scent in the air. Tying it back is a fair alternative, I’ve not seen it done before but I imagine one of those metal frames that act like a velvet rope would work. It’s literally two prongs that you plunge into the ground either side of the plant and a curve to hold back the bushiness.
Pretend to cut lavender bunches . Just to the bottom of the stems.Support it with a frame or little stakes for now.
I think it’s intended to fall into the path so that you must brush past it with your leg and release all the beautiful scent. Just brush past it. Then when the flowers have greyed, trim off the flower stalks and give it a light trim.
In the spring you can give it more of a trim if you wish but avoid cutting into old wood as lavender can fail to grow back if you cut into the old wood.
ETA: Trim some of the most outer stems if you wish to slim it down a bit now. It won’t harm the plant but you will lose those flowers for this year. Again, take care not to cut into old wood.
Leave it for the 🐝 bees, they need your help.
I’d hold it back with some plant supports rather than cut it at this stage. Someone else has described what you need: looks like 3 sides of a rectangle on top and has two legs to push into the ground.
As others have said… not now.
Professional lavender grower told us to trim and prune in September. Very light tidy up in spring. Lots of ‘how to’ info online.
I love lavender, I have loads in my garden.
All the advice here is good, trim it in the Autumn etc.
But also – in a small garden you do have to replace lavenders every, say, 5 years? They just get too woody and big and you can’t control them. Otherwise you end up with 80% wood and a mohawk of fresh growth.
I take a cutting when it starts to get too big, and replace the original with that cutting in the spring.
Trim off the flower stalks in late summer. Bees need your lavender so please leave it alone for now. Just whatever stakes and twine or support to keep it back from the steps if it’s a big deal for you.