Thanks to its compact, lush growth and numerous, intensely fragrant flowers, lavender is an adornment for many gardens and balconies. However, to ensure that the plant still looks pretty and blooms vigorously even after many years, it must be cut back regularly.
How can I rejuvenate my lavender?
To rejuvenate an older lavender, you should cut it regularly, but never into the old, woody wood. Instead, trim soft shoots by about two-thirds and remove diseased or dead branches to encourage new growth and blooms.
Lavender becomes woody with age
Lavender bushes need to be pruned back heavily every year so that they maintain their compact growth and continue to develop fresh shoots and flowers. However, if you let the plants grow uncut, the lower - older - branches will become woody and the lavender will become bare. In addition, the bushes literally fall apart and lose their beautiful, bushy shape. Branches that have already become woody do not produce new shoots on their own and therefore no longer produce new flowers, and they do not sprout as usual after being pruned.
Rejuvenate lavender properly
You can only prevent the lavender bushes from becoming woody and thus becoming bald by regularly cutting back the plants. This is particularly important because old, poorly cared for lavender is very difficult to rejuvenate. Since it is a subshrub (and not a perennial, as some people assume), radical pruning will only result in the plant most likely dying. Therefore, you should never cut into woody parts because the bush will no longer sprout from them. All you can do is cut off soft branches and hope that the lavender will sprout again vigorously.
Cutting lavender
When cutting the woody lavender, do the following:
- Using a sharp and clean tool (€14.00 on Amazon), cut off all soft shoots by about two thirds.
- Do not cut into old wood.
- Exception: You must remove diseased or dead branches.
- You can also remove individual branches to give the bush a regular shape.
The best time for such a topiary is early spring, before the first new shoots develop. You can carry out a second cut in summer as soon as the lavender has faded. Then cut the bush back by about a third. However, this cut should not be carried out later than the beginning / middle of August, otherwise the plant will lack strength for the winter.
Tips & Tricks
When pruning in spring, you should make sure that a few centimeters of shoots and leaves from last year remain. This will make it easier for your lavender to thrive in the new growing season.