Time to prune your lavender

Fall is definitely showing its trademark features and here in Middle Tennessee the trees are finally starting to show some Fall colors! It has been such a hot and dry summer that even the trees think it cannot possibly be November yet! But it is, so with the days getting shorter and shorter it must be true.

If you haven’t already, now is a good time to take a look at your lavender plants and see if they need a little pruning. If this is the first winter after planting your lavenders, you don’t want to cut too much. Stay in the new growth and leave the woody parts alone.

Overall, and especially established plants, you can usually take about a third off your plant from the top and try to keep or create a roundish or domelike shape. That helps the plant from getting too leggy, and it will keep a nice tight compact shape, and it won’t split if it gets covered by snow or the wind blows it around.

If you are a mulcher, you need to remember not to mulch too close to your lavenders, keep a little space, like 6 inches around them. They don’t like to be smothered.

How is your lavender doing? We would love to see some pictures of your lavender garden! Post them here, or feel free to email or text them to me.

Freshly pruned lavender plant at Mulberry lavender farm in middle tennessee - Make sure to Cut in the green parts only and not the woody stems