Are You Supposed To Prune Lavender

Yes, you are supposed to prune lavender.
 
In fact, pruning lavender is one of the most important tasks you can do for this fragrant herb.
 
If you’re not pruning lavender regularly, you might notice your plant getting woody, leggy, and sparse over time.
 
When you do prune lavender, you encourage fresh, healthy growth and plenty of those beautiful, aromatic blooms.
 
Many gardeners panic at the thought of cutting back lavender, but understanding how and when to prune lavender is the key to a thriving plant.
 
In this post, we’ll cover the reasons why you should prune lavender, the best timing for the job, and step-by-step instructions to keep your lavender looking its best.
 
Let’s dig in and get your lavender in top shape.
 

Why Pruning Lavender Is So Important

Pruning lavender is essential for the long-term health and beauty of the plant.
 
If you never prune lavender, the woody base will keep expanding, and the green, productive growth will be pushed further and further out.
 
Eventually, you’re left with a bare, woody center that won’t produce new shoots.
 
When you prune lavender properly, you stimulate the plant to produce new growth from the base.
 
So, are you supposed to prune lavender? Absolutely, if you want a full, compact plant instead of a scraggly one.
 

1. Prevents Woody, Leggy Growth

Lavender naturally becomes woody as it ages.
 
But when you prune lavender every year, you can slow down that process significantly.
 
The woodier a lavender plant gets, the less capable it is of pushing out fresh green stems.
 
If you don’t prune lavender, you’ll notice that the lower part of the plant turns brown and bare, while only the tips of the branches are leafy.
 
Regular pruning lavender forces the plant to stay busy producing new shoots lower down on the stems, which keeps the plant dense and youthful.
 

2. Encourages More Blooms

When you prune lavender, you are actually encouraging more flowers.
 
Lavender blooms on new growth that forms in the current season.
 
If you prune lavender in early spring, you give the plant a clear signal to produce lots of new flowering stems.
 
A light prune lavender after the first bloom can also encourage a second flush of flowers later in the summer.
 
So, if your goal is a bush loaded with purple spikes, you need to be pruning lavender on a regular schedule.
 

3. Improves Air Circulation

A lavender plant that’s never pruned becomes thick, dense, and crowded at the center.
 
When you prune lavender, you open up the center of the plant, allowing air to flow freely through the branches.
 
This improved airflow helps keep the foliage dry after rain or watering.
 
Damp, stagnant conditions are what lead to fungal diseases and rot in lavender.
 
So, in a way, prune lavender is a preventative health measure that keeps your plant safe from common issues.
 

When Are You Supposed To Prune Lavender?

Timing plays a huge role in how well your lavender responds to pruning.
 
There are two main windows for pruning lavender each year.
 

1. Spring Pruning Lavender for Structure

The most important time to prune lavender is in early spring, just as you see new green growth starting to appear at the base of the plant.
 
This is when you should be pruning lavender back hard, but never into the old, bare wood.
 
In spring, you’ll want to cut back about one-third to one-half of the previous year’s growth.
 
This hard prune lavender shape sets the stage for a healthy, compact season of growth.
 
Doing this annual prune lavender routine in spring is the single best way to prevent woody, leggy plants.
 

2. Summer Pruning Lavender After Bloom

The next time you should prune lavender is after the first flush of flowers has faded in mid-to-late summer.
 
This is more of a light prune lavender session where you’re removing the spent flower stems.
 
When you prune lavender flower stems off, you’re tidying up the plant’s appearance and preventing it from putting energy into seed production.
 
A light prune lavender in summer tangibly encourages a second round of blooms and keeps the plant looking neat.
 

How To Prune Lavender The Right Way

Pruning lavender doesn’t have to be intimidating.
 
Once you know the basic rules, you can confidently prune lavender every season.
 

1. Use Sharp, Clean Shears

Always start with a clean, sharp pair of pruning shears.
 
Dull tools will crush the lavender stems, which makes them more prone to disease.
 
Wipe your shears with rubbing alcohol before you prune lavender to avoid spreading any pathogens.
 

2. Never Cut Into Old Wood

This is the golden rule when you are pruning lavender.
 
Lavender cannot regrow from old, bare, brown wood at the very base of the plant.
 
That’s why you should always leave a few inches of green growth above the woody part.
 
Cutting into the old wood when you prune lavender will leave you with dead stubs that will never sprout again.
 

3. Shape Into a Mound

When pruning lavender, try to maintain that nice, rounded, mound shape.
 
Don’t cut the plant flat on top like a box.
 
Instead, prune lavender so the outer stems are slightly shorter than the center, which encourages even, bushy growth.
 
Keep the cut just above a pair of leaves so that new growth emerges from that node.
 

So, Are You Supposed To Prune Lavender?

Yes, you are absolutely supposed to prune lavender.
 
Pruning lavender is not optional if you want a healthy, blooming, and long-lived plant.
 
If you consistently fail to prune lavender, you’ll end up with a woody, sparse shrub that produces fewer and fewer flowers each year.
 
So, get out your shears in early spring and again after the summer bloom, and you’ll be rewarded with a gorgeous, fragrant lavender bush.
 
Remember, when you prune lavender, you’re investing in its future health, so don’t be afraid to make the cut.
 
Your lavender will thank you for it with an abundance of purple blooms and amazing scent all season long.