Regularly pruning lavender is one of the most critical practices for maintaining the health, vigor, and aesthetic appeal of your plants. If left unpruned, lavender can quickly become leggy, woody, and less productive.
Here are the key benefits of regular lavender pruning:
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Promotes Bushier, More Compact Growth: Lavender naturally tends to grow outward and become woody at the base over time. Pruning encourages the plant to branch out from lower nodes, leading to a denser, fuller, and more rounded shrub. This prevents the "leggy" or "gappy" look that unpruned lavender often develops.
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Increases Flower Production: By removing spent flower stalks (deadheading) and a portion of the current season's growth, you redirect the plant's energy from seed production into creating more flowers. This often results in a second flush of blooms in the same season, and a more abundant display in subsequent years.
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Prevents Excessive Woodiness: As lavender ages, its stems become woody and less productive, meaning they produce fewer flowers and leaves. Regular pruning keeps the plant producing new, green growth from which flowers readily emerge. This slows down the rate at which the plant becomes completely woody and unproductive.
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Extends the Plant's Lifespan: While lavender is a perennial, unpruned plants tend to have a shorter lifespan. The woody stems can become brittle and prone to splitting or breaking, especially under the weight of snow or strong winds. Regular pruning keeps the plant robust and reduces its susceptibility to decline, allowing it to thrive for 10-15 years or more.
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Improves Air Circulation and Reduces Disease Risk: A dense, unpruned lavender plant can have poor air circulation in its center. This stagnant, humid environment is an ideal breeding ground for fungal diseases like root rot and Botrytis blight. Pruning helps open up the plant, allowing air to move freely, which keeps the foliage dry and reduces disease pressure.
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Maintains Desired Shape and Size: Pruning allows you to sculpt your lavender into an attractive, compact mound or hedge. This is especially important for formal garden designs or when integrating lavender into mixed borders where its size needs to be controlled.
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Removes Dead, Damaged, or Diseased Material: Regular pruning provides an opportunity to inspect the plant and remove any stems that have died, been damaged by frost or pests, or show signs of disease. Removing these parts prevents further spread of issues and keeps the plant healthy.
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Encourages Stronger Growth from the Base: For younger plants, light pruning in the first year helps establish a strong, bushy foundation by encouraging new shoots to emerge from the lower parts of the plant. This sets the stage for a healthier, more productive plant in the long run.
The Golden Rule of Pruning Lavender: Always avoid cutting into the old, brown, leafless woody stems unless they are completely dead. Lavender typically does not regenerate new growth from old wood. Aim to leave at least 1-2 inches of green growth above the woody part of the stem when pruning for overall shape.
By making regular pruning a part of your lavender care routine, you'll be rewarded with healthier, longer-lived, and more floriferous plants.
Lavender Farm in Door County Wisconsin. You can buy lavender products online at islandlavender.com