Lavender should have been in its final flush of flowers at the end of August, but there is a simple way to make these blooms last longer and prepare the plant for the colder weather at the end of this month. Callan Harvey, a gardening expert from Sloane and Sons, has shared that deadheading lavender will help keep it healthy and even flower some more.
He said: “Across summer, lavender flowers may begin to fade, particularly by August. This presents an excellent opportunity to deadhead and remove the faded blooms if you haven’t already harvested them. By deadheading, you can coax your lavender plants into a new stage of blooming.” Deadheading is the straightforward gardening technique of cutting away spent flowers on a plant so it doesn’t use its energy on dead foliage.
Should lavender expend excessive energy on withering blooms, it won’t retain sufficient strength to develop new roots or fortify existing ones before winter arrives.
This could result in lavender genuinely struggling to flourish come springtime next year, meaning you’re more prone to ending up with a weakened plant.
Deadheading requires merely two minutes at most to complete, yet it will stimulate lavender to continue developing, and you’re more likely to witness a second wave of flowering despite summer drawing to a close.
How to correctly deadhead a lavender plant
Simply search for any deteriorating flowers at the crown of your lavender plant.
These ought to feel fragile when touched and appear a lacklustre brown or grey shade. Use your finger to trace the stem of the faded flower until you feel the first set of leaves.
Take a clean pair of scissors or shears, and carefully cut above the leaves. Repeat this for any faded flowers on the lavender.
This straightforward method only takes a few seconds to do, but it is the best way to give lavender more energy so it will keep flowering and look stunning during September.
However, once lavender stops flowering completely, you should trim back all the old flowers as much as you can to help keep the plant tidy and healthy.
Do not touch the woody stems, though, as they will not grow back and can greatly damage the plant.