Lavender is treasured for its intensely fragrant blooms and scented leaves, which bring colour to the garden for numerous months throughout the year. It can also repel unwanted visitors such as cats and rats, making it excellent for flower beds and pots. These plants are straightforward to cultivate when positioned in a bright spot, but they do need one yearly task to ensure they continue flourishing in a bushy manner, according to Monty Don.
In a blog entry from last year, Monty explained: “To avoid woody, leggy plants, lavender should be pruned every year. The best time to do this is as soon as the flowers start to fade, which, depending on the variety, can be any time between midsummer and the end of August.
“But do not wait for the seed heads to form or the flowers to turn brown, as you want to allow the maximum amount of time for regrowth before winter.”
The horticulture specialist advised cutting back severely to achieve a neat form, whilst ensuring some fresh growth remains on each branch, reports the Express.
This is because lavender will often not regrow from bare wood, so you risk killing the plant.
Monty added: “These new shoots will grow fast and provide an attractive and healthy cover to protect the plant in winter and provide the basis of next year’s display.”
Regarding watering lavender during the warmer months, focus on watering thoroughly but infrequently, making certain the water drains properly.
Established plants generally require less watering, especially those in the ground, but if you have a newly planted container plant, ensure to provide regular hydration.
