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Pruning lavender is an important process that will encourage the plant to grow more foliage and flowers, and will keep the flower stems from becoming too long and causing the entire plant to rot. In this article, we’ll cover some of the basic tips for pruning lavender. The best time to prune your plant depends on the type of lavender you have and the amount of sun it receives each day. But no matter which type of lavender you have, you’ll always want to keep it trimmed.
Pruning lavender encourages it to grow more foliage and flowers
Lavender requires regular pruning to keep its form full. This will encourage new flowering and foliage growth, giving you fresh tips to pick throughout the growing season. Because lavender dislikes cold and extreme heat, it can grow as a perennial in USDA Plant Hardiness Zones 5 to 8 or as an annual in areas where winters are particularly harsh. In these areas, lavender grows best in containers.
If you’re starting a new plant from a seed, it will be at least 3 inches high before transplanting. When the seedlings sprout several sets of leaves, transfer them to a 2-inch-wide pot. The lavender plant needs good air circulation to avoid disease outbreaks. It also needs a sunny location with slightly alkaline soil. It should receive full sun and be pruned at least twice a year.
During pruning, you’ll need to trim off the bottom third of the plant to remove any flower buds. The buds can easily break off when the plant is handled improperly. To avoid this problem, trim only about one third of the stem. If you’re not sure of what size cutting is required, you can measure the length of the first cut and make an informed decision based on that measurement.
Lavender is a semi-shrub that grows like a perennial. Despite its name, the plant is a sub-shrub, and the wood on the stems starts turning woody after a few years of growing. The woody parts will be more susceptible to frost and rot, and the plants will have fewer flowers and foliage. If you prune your lavender regularly, you’ll get more flowers and foliage.
When planting your lavender, choose the sunniest spot in your garden. It needs at least six hours of direct sunlight every day. A garden in the Deep South or Southwest might benefit from afternoon shade. Stone mulch near the plants will boost the amount of heat they get. After they’ve become established, they become more drought-tolerant. It’s important to avoid overwatering, though, as it can lead to root rot.
It keeps it looking neat and nicely shaped
You can prune lavender to keep it looking neat and shaped at all times. If you have reblooming varieties, you can leave them until the first set of leaves, then cut them off. During the spring, it is best to prune the lavender to get a mound shape and discourage the woody stems from regrowing. Watch some YouTube videos to learn more about pruning lavender.
If you have a mature lavender plant, you will want to prune it more frequently. In its second year, lavender is bushier and producing flowers. Prune lavender shoots back eight to ten centimeters above the woody base. Don’t cut too close to the bottom. Pruning lavender will encourage lush branching, avoiding the woodiness of the plant. Also, prune lavender shrubs so that they are neatly shaped and bushy.
Pruning lavender is not a difficult task and will benefit your plant’s appearance and health. You can easily prune lavender by cutting a low woody branch and burying it in the soil. A heavy rock or peg can be used to hold it down. Pruning lavender is a relatively simple process. Just keep in mind that it is always better to prune smaller plants on a regular basis than to ignore them and end up with a huge garden overhaul.
It is a good idea to prune lavender once or twice a year to encourage bushy growth and to keep the flowers from fading. The best time to prune lavender is in spring or summer after harvest. If you wait until the plant has finished flowering, you may end up damaging the flower buds. Instead, wait until the plant is older and has completed its harvest. And if you are in doubt, follow the instructions for pruning lavender plants.
It encourages it to grow more foliage and flowers
While it’s never necessary to completely remove the entire plant, regular pruning can encourage it to grow more flowering foliage and flowers. Pruning lavender at the base of the plant can encourage it to produce fuller growth. In spring, prune lavender to one-third of its size, leaving the stems a few inches longer than the center of the plant. Make sure to prune off any light reblooms.
Early Spring is the best time to prune your Lavender plants, but you can also do it later in the summer or into early fall. Early Spring pruning encourages the plant to produce more foliage and flowers, but it may be frost-damaged if done in late summer. If you don’t prune in the spring, you’ll risk damaging the newly-grown foliage. If you’ve pruned too soon, you’ll miss the blossoming season.
To propagate lavender from seeds, start the plant from cuttings that are three to four inches long and remove any stem skin or leaves. Dip the cuttings in a root hormone and plant them in good soil. The rooting hormone will assist in the germination process, so it’s important to keep the soil moist and well-drained to allow your lavender to grow properly. If you’re not comfortable with taking cuttings, try growing lavender from seed.
Lavender plants are semi-shrubs. After a few years, they begin turning woody at the base of their stems. You can prune lavender at this stage to shape its shape and encourage the plant to produce more flowers and foliage. During this period, lavender plants are best pruned by hand. After pruning lavender, make sure to disinfect pruning shears before cutting it.
Deadheading is another important aspect of pruning lavender. Deadheading lavender flowers allows the plant to concentrate on new growth and flowering. When harvesting lavender flowers, choose the freshest blooms as opposed to dried ones. In addition, deadheading will encourage the plant to produce more flowers than it did in previous years. The deadheading process can be tedious if you do it one flower at a time.
It prevents it from rotting
For the best results, prune lavender shrubs about an inch above the wood. Doing so encourages air circulation, keeps the foliage in shape, and prevents the shrub from rotting. Pruning lavender at this time will also delay flowering. In addition, lavender needs foliage to protect itself from winter cold. If you prune it too close to winter, it will not survive the cold. For optimal lavender growth, prune it at least twice a year.
If you suspect a lavender plant is suffering from root rot, remove it from the soil and replant it in a suitable location. Lavender prefers full sunlight, so make sure it gets at least six hours a day. If you do plant it in a shady spot, it could experience problems. For this reason, it is important to prune lavender regularly, even if it appears to be in good condition.
To maintain lavender, prune it in early spring or late fall. Don’t cut it too hard, or it will turn to wood. Instead, cut only the top third of flexible growth, never the woody base. It may take a year for the lavender to recover from pruning. Before pruning lavender, amend the soil with gravel or sand. Gravel is more effective at holding in nutrients, and can help lavender plants grow better.
If you prune your lavender in spring, you can increase the amount of sunshine it receives. Make sure that the soil is well-draining. Avoid over-watering your lavender plant. Waterlogged roots can’t absorb water and can’t grow. If this happens to your lavender plant, it’s best to move it to a location that gets the sun it needs. Afterwards, it will become drought-tolerant.
If you want your lavender to grow healthy and fragrant, pruning it can help maintain its shape. Trim the lavender stems to the size you desire. Remove any vigorous stems that are growing out of control. Spittlebugs can attack lavender plants and destroy their flowers and leaves. If you find that you need to cut lavender in the fall, just make sure not to cut it too deeply as it could cause damage.
