Cutting lavender »When is the right time?

Why do you have to cut back lavender?

From a botanical point of view, lavender is a sub-shrub. As such it tends the vigorously growing plant - many Lavender varieties can be up to a meter high and just as wide - moreover, with increasing age to lumber from below. Where the lavender is already lignified, neither new leaves nor flowers grow. In the gardening language, this phenomenon is called "balding". With good care, lavender bushes can live to be at least 10, sometimes even 20 to 30 years old - and then, uncut, look pretty bare. Just a regular pruning prevents the lavender from doing so and ensures that it sprouts new shoots and flowers every year.

It all depends on the right time

In Germany, trees and bushes are usually pruned in autumn. For the sensitive lavender, however, an autumn cut is fatal as it gives it the Power to hibernate is robbed. In particular, the faded inflorescences offer the plant a certain protection from the cold. It is better to cut the lavender in early spring, before the first new shoots start to grow. As soon as the plant starts to flower again - what about

Coppy lavender may be the case as early as May - it is already too late for a topiary. Ergo, you should cut your lavender back in March, at the latest in April, if the weather permits. A warmer period without frost, but with a lot of sun, is optimal.

Cut faded?

If you prune back the faded inflorescences in July, but no later than early to mid-August, you stimulate your lavender a second heyday at. However, if possible, you should not cut later, as otherwise the plant cannot mature - and there is a high probability that it will die in winter.

Cut lavender properly

When cutting the lavender, it is important to keep the following points in mind:

• Cut with a sharp and clean tool, preferably a hedge or Rose scissors.
• Cap the entire bush by at least half.
• However, do not cut into the old wood, otherwise the lavender will no longer sprout.
• You should also leave a few centimeters of "green wood" - that is, young shoots - on so that the bush can sprout again.

Can you rejuvenate lignified lavender?

Heavily lignified Rejuvenate lavender, is a difficult endeavor. Mostly severely cut bushes do not survive such a measure, because lavender only very rarely sprouts out of the old wood. Also a Share very old plants is usually not possible due to the heavy lignification. It is better to use the plant instead to propagate with cuttings and start over. This time, however, you should pay attention to a regular topiary.

Tips & Tricks

Lavender can often be wonderful too raise as a saplingA regular and correct cut is all the more important in this case.

IJA