If properly cared for, a lavender plant can have your garden looking and smelling divine for up to 15 years. These pretty flowers are rich in nectar and can attract pollinators to your garden, while also protecting other plants, including roses, from pests. However, once your lavender has been in the garden for a couple of years, you may start noticing one problem.
Eventually, you might find your lavender turning spindly and twiggy, and this will only continue as the plant matures. Taking to TikTok, Michael at The Mediterranean Gardener has shared his tips for countering this, meaning you will have blooming lavenders for up to 15 years. This involves pruning lavender regularly to keep it thriving for as long as possible.
Michael explained: “Lavender can last 10 to 15 years, but they will become progressively more woody as the plant matures.
“If you don’t prune your lavender every year, the rate at which the lavender becomes woody will increase. Pruning in the right way at the right time will slow down the rate at which lavender becomes woody, will improve blooms and extend its life.”
When it comes to pruning your lavender, be sure to follow the method shared by the experts at Gardening Know How, who stress the importance of focusing on the green, living parts of the plant.
Cut these back one-third to one-half, ensuring that some green leaves remain when you’re done. While you might want to focus on the dark twiggy parts, the experts advise against this as lavender won’t sprout new growth from the old wood.
After pointing out that pruning lavender will extend its life, Michael went on to share some tips for when it’s time to replace this plant.
He said: “If it’s time to replace your lavender, there are a couple of things to consider – checking that the plant isn’t already twiggy. It should be lovely and bushy like this one from Crocus.
“Second, choose a variety that’s right for your area — I like frost-hardy varieties, like lavender hidcote.”
