How And When To Prune Lavender Plants

It is not necessary but it always helps to have all the tools you need for lavender pruning. 

Everything You Need:

• Pruning Shears: Sharp ones make precise cuts on branches and twigs up to ¾ of an inch.
• Hedge Shears: Ideal for shaping and trimming lavender bushes up to 2 ¼ inches thick.
• Gloves: For better grip and protection from scratches 

Ensure the tools are clean and disinfected before pruning lavender to prevent diseases.

1. Deadheading Lavender Blooms

You might notice your lavender flowering without any problems even without deadheading. However, if you remove the old flowers, you plant can focus ite energy solely on flow production instead of seed and flower production. Deadheading spent flowers maintains the plant's appearance and enhances new growth. 

To deadhead, remove old/wilted/dried flowers with the pruning shears. You should cut just above the leaf node. When you remove these flowers, you might also save the plant from pests and diseases because old plants are vulnerable to them. 

2. Prune Lavender Late in the Season

Lavenders should be pruned after their main flowering, which occurs late in the summer. This way, pruning after flowering keeps the shape of a plant intact and allows new growth.

If lavenders are not cut back, they start developing wood and tend to grow somewhat overgrown, which negatively affects the health and blooming of the shrub in subsequent years.

When flowering has finished, cut the flowered stems back and about one-third of the green growth. This step ensures it does not cut into the old wood, which could contribute to new growth failing to break. 

3. Spring Pruning for Maintenance

Spring is a good time to give your lavender a light prune before the growing season starts. This form of pruning maintains the size of the plant and helps remove dead and damaged stems. It also keeps the plant healthy and prevents it from becoming leggy.

Prune any dead branches off in early spring before new growth starts, and lightly tip back the tips of the plant. Be careful not to cut too far into any woody portion of the stem. Pruning in spring sets up healthy growth and heavy blooming for the summer months.

4. Pruning to Prevent Woody Growth

Lavender becomes woody and sparse when left unpruned for some time. This neglect makes it less attractive and lowers its capacity to flower. Regular pruning avoids this; thus, it keeps your lavender bushier and more productive.

At the end of each blooming season, prune almost ⅓ of the plant’s height, but avoid cutting the woody stems. This practice will prevent leggy growth and encourage new ones, keeping it healthy and full

5. Prune Lavender to Shape Them

Pruning also helps the lavender stay neat and round, enhancing its appearance, promoting better aeration, and allowing proper sunlight penetration necessary for healthy growth.

This well-shaped lavender plant will offer more resistance to diseases and pests and produce more flowers.

Immediately after flowering, prune the plant into a consistent, rounded shape using sharp, clean scissors or shears. This practice helps to maintain compact and balanced growth. Shaping your lavender prevents sprawl growth.

6. Lavender Pest Prevention: Lavender Beetles and Moths

While usually hardy, lavender is not immune to the rosemary beetle and moth larvae, the latter causing damage to the leaves and flowers.

Regular pruning keeps these few pests at bay by removing potential sites that favor breeding and allow good air circulation around the plants. Prune regularly to remove dead leaves, which could house potential eggs from pests. 

Check for signs of larvae or beetles and immediately remove any infected stems. A well-cared-for lavender plant is more resistant to infestation with pests and remains healthy throughout the year.

You should know your lavender type before pruning, as different types require different techniques. The following are some things you should know:

Lavandula angustifolia (English lavender)

English lavender, known for varieties like 'Hidcote' and 'Munstead,' features single, leafless stems adorned with compact spikes of blossoms. If you know how to plant and grow English lavender, you would know it grows low to the ground, forming a tidy, mounded shape.

This variety typically blooms from late spring to early summer. English lavender pruning in summer or just after its initial bloom is best to encourage a second flowering in late summer. You should trim off the spent flower spikes to stimulate new growth for a second round of blossoms later in the season. 

After the second blooming occurs, usually in late summer, you should thoroughly prune your lavender, which involves removing dead flowers and damaged stems. Doing this ensures the plant will survive the winter and emerge with more blooms coming spring. 

Lavandula stoechas

Lavandula Stoeches, also known as French or Spanish lavender, is the least hardy among lavender varieties, typically blooming early in spring. It features short, full flower spikes with open petals at the top, setting it apart from other lavender types.

Due to its delicate nature, it should be lightly pruned—avoiding cutting too close to the base—immediately after the first flowering. Subsequently, gently deadhead and shape the plant to maintain its appearance throughout the season.

Optionally, a slightly more vigorous pruning in late August can prepare the plant for winter and promote fuller growth in the following spring.

Hybrid Lavender

Hybrids of English and Portuguese lavender, known as Lavandula x intermedia or lavandins, come in various varieties such as 'Grosso', 'Provence,' and 'Giant Hidcote.' These lavandins feature longer flower spikes with a graceful taper than English lavender.

They have a mounded shape and are large, with long stems that often fan out from the center of the plant. They bloom from mid to late summer, after which you should thoroughly prune the plant to prepare them for the colder season. 

Since these plants have longer stems, trimming only ⅓ of the stems is not enough. You should remove half of the plant to keep it healthy and in shape.

Timing is everything when pruning lavender. They should ideally be pruned around the end of the summer into early fall. If you prune later than mid-fall, your plants cannot recover on time for winter.

For optimal health, prune during dry days and early morning. The conditions prevent cuts from pruning to form a callus faster and reduce the risk of plant diseases. After all, healthy and disease-free lavender has many uses and benefits.

Spring Pruning

Pruning your lavender plants in the spring will keep your lavender healthy. You can begin pruning when new growth commences, early to mid-spring.

Take some clean, sharp shears and cut back about one-third of the plant, focusing on removing any dead or damaged stems.

This practice encourages bushy growth and increases flowering. Be careful not to prune into the woody portion of the plant, as this area may not produce new growth. The plant then takes on a mounded shape, allowing good airflow and deterring disease.

Routine spring pruning prevents lavender from becoming leggy. It also maintains the plant's life span and full flowering color throughout the season.

Summer Pruning (After the Bloom)

Pruning in late summer or early fall is done right after the lavender has finished its blooming cycle. It would, of course, be lighter than spring pruning and would deal with mainly taking off the spent blooms and untidy growth.

You are, in effect, encouraging another flush of flowers and keeping the plant neat and bushy. Summer pruning prevents sprawling, which may otherwise give the plant an untidy appearance.

The process keeps the plant looking good, with better aeration within the plant body, reducing the risk of fungal diseases.

Since pruned lavender is more vulnerable to winter damage, stop pruning your lavender plants six weeks before the first frost date in your area.

Pruning First-Year Plants

Pruning first-year lavender plants should be gentle to establish and grow strong and healthy without shocking the young plant. During the first year, much of your pruning will involve pinching back the tips of the plant rather than a prune.

This technique will help the plant grow bushier and create a solid framework to support further development in the following months.

When pinching back, only the top set of leaves or flower buds are removed to signal the plant to grow several new shoots. This early training makes the lavender plant more vigorous and opens it for heavier pruning in the coming years.

Fall Pruning

Any pruning in fall is optional and done with caution. Prune in the fall if you have to, doing a light trim to remove only the top couple of inches of growth. It targets spent blooms and straggly stems.

Pruning should be done early in the fall so the plant has adequate time to recover before winter. This will also be achieved with light pruning, which will allow the plant to retain its shape and clean over winter. 

Caution, however, should be practiced against doing this late in the season, as it may expose the plant to cold and frost damage.P runing your plant in the fall will set it up for dormancy without stress.

If in doubt, it is often better to wait until spring when heavier pruning is feasible.

While not essential, pruning lavender in the fall may lead to a need for another light trim in spring to refine the plant's appearance and remove any winter-damaged stems.

It's important to note that pruning in spring can potentially reduce flower production, so it's advisable to prune early before flower buds form.

Spring pruning should begin after new leaves start sprouting. Attempting to prune deciduous lavender plants before they leaf out is challenging and risks cutting into the woody parts of the plant.

Doing all this will lead to beautiful blooms and if you cannot bear to part with them, you always dry the lavender to preserve them. 

• Regular Pruning: Prune your lavender yearly to prevent woody stems and maintain its shape.
• Avoid Heavy Pruning: Never cut back into the old, woody stems, as lavender may not regenerate well from these parts.
• Sanitize Tools: Keep your pruning tools clean and sharp to prevent the spread of disease.
• Climate Considerations: In colder climates, avoid heavy fall pruning to prevent damage from winter weather. In milder climates, lavender can tolerate a bit more pruning.