Pruning lavender is not hard, but it’s important to know what you’re doing before you start in order to avoid over pruning. In this post, I will tell you when to cut back lavender plants, give you tons of tips, and show you exactly how to trim lavender step-by-step.
Before we get started, I want to mention that there are a few different kinds of lavender plants.
English lavender is the most common (and the hardiest), and it’s the variety that I grow. But don’t worry, the basics of pruning are the same for all types of lavender, both in the garden or in pots.
So, you can follow these steps whether you’re pruning English lavender like mine, or if you have Spanish or French lavender.
The only difference is that English lavender can handle a harder pruning in the summer than French or Spanish lavender can.
Why Should Lavender Be Cut Back?
If you’re new to growing lavender plants, you might not know that pruning is a very important part of lavender maintenance.
Pruning lavender regularly keeps them looking nice, encourages flowering, and prevents them from getting too woody or growing scraggly and sparse.
But before you grab your pruners, it’s important to understand exactly how to prune lavender plants, because over pruning can end up killing your plant.
Don’t worry, cutting back lavender plants is not as scary as it sounds, and you’ll get the hang of it in no time!
What Happens If You Don’t Prune Lavender?
If you do not prune lavender, the plant can become overgrown, scraggly, and it might not bloom as profusely.
So, if you want to make sure that this doesn’t happen to your plant, you should get into the habit of trimming it regularly.
When To Prune Lavender Plants
Ideally, you should prune lavender twice a year – once in the spring just as the fresh growth starts coming in, and once in the summer right after it’s done blooming.
Summer pruning, which helps to keep the plant looking nice and encourages more flowers, is optional.
But spring pruning is very important to get rid of the ugly winter damage and encourage fresh lavender growth.
So, if you only have time to prune lavender once per year, do it in the spring.
It’s best to wait until you see leaves growing before cutting back lavender plants in the spring. That way, you will know exactly where to make your cuts.
This usually means waiting until late spring or early summer to prune lavender.
I know it can be hard to wait so long before pruning lavender after winter, especially when the plant looks so ugly. But try to resist the urge to prune too early.
Related Post: How To Harvest Lavender Fresh From The Garden
Tools For Pruning Lavender Plants
For pruning lavender in spring, you’ll want to use precision pruning snips or small pruning shears so that you have full control and know exactly where you’re making the cuts.
You don’t have to be as precise with your cuts for summer pruning, so you can go ahead and use hedge pruning shears or even a electric hedge trimmer to make quick work of trimming lavender bushes in the summer.
It’s also important to use clean, sharp pruning tools whenever you trim plants, so be sure to clean and sharpen your pruners before starting.
Lavender Pruning Techniques
The reason you want to wait until you see new leaves on the plant before trimming lavender in spring is because that way you will know exactly where to make your cuts.
If you prune lavender too early, you could be cutting off the new growth before it starts, or worse – you might end up over pruning the plant.
Spring pruning is much more precise of a job than pruning lavender in summer. When trimming back lavender in the summer, you can focus on shaping the plant, rather than worrying about exactly where to make each cut.
One important thing to keep in mind whenever you’re pruning lavender is to never cut the woody stems below the leaves.
Always be sure to leave some fresh green leaves on all of the stems. Stems that are pruned down too far will never grow back.
Related Post: How To Dry Lavender From Your Garden
How To Prune Lavender In Spring
Before you start cutting back lavender plants, take a close look at your plant to make sure there is plenty of new growth. If not, then give it a little more time to grow.
If you see lots of fresh growth on the plant, then it’s safe to start pruning.
Here are the steps for trimming lavender plants in spring…
Step 1: Find the fresh new leaves on the stem – To figure out where to make the cut on each branch, find the spot where the new leaves are growing.
Many times this will be towards the bottom of the stem, so carefully move any debris or other branches out of the way until you find it. The new leaf buds are very fragile and can easily break off when mishandled.
If there’s a bunch of scraggly new leaves at the top of the stem, find the spot where the thick fresh growth starts to get rid of all the scraggly bits on top. This will give you a fuller plant, and keep your lavender from getting too woody.
Step 2: Prune lavender right above the new growth – Cut the old stem back to just above the top of the new growth. Be careful when you’re cutting so that you don’t accidentally cut or break off any of the new leaves.
Try to make the cut as close to the new leaf buds as you can. If you leave the dead stems too long, you might see them sticking out all summer, which doesn’t look very nice.
Just remember to always prune lavender above the leaves. Never cut lavender back to wood below all of the growth, because lavender will not grow back from old wood.
Step 3: Cut off any dead branches – You can cut any dead branches all the way down to get rid of them.
However, I would strongly urge you to wait before you cut off any branches that look dead, especially if you’re new to pruning lavender.
Lavender can be very slow to get started in the spring. So you might find that those branches that look dead in early spring may end up growing in the summer.
So, to avoid over pruning lavender, I recommend leaving the branches that you’re not sure about on the plant until it’s time for summer pruning.
If there’s still no growth on them by then, it’s safe to say they are dead, and you can remove them. Dead growth can safely be pruned from the plant at any time during the year.
Related Post: How To Grow Lavender From Seed & When To Plant
Tips For Pruning Lavender In Summer
As I mentioned above, trimming back lavender in summer is totally optional. Summer pruning is good for shaping lavender plants, keeping them full and compact, and it helps to delay woody growth.
Plus, cutting back lavender plants in the summer after they’re done blooming will likely give you more flowers.
After the plant is done blooming in the summer, cut back 1/3 to 1/2 of the new growth, being careful not to cut any branches down to the leafless wood.
If you’re too nervous to cut it back that far, then you can try deadheading lavender instead. To deadhead lavender, simply remove all of the dead flower spikes, cutting them down to the tops of the main branches.
If you want to grow more plants, be sure to keep some of your lavender cuttings from your summer pruning. Growing lavender from cuttings is fun and easy!
If you’re interested in trying that, here’s my tutorial for how to grow lavender from cuttings.
It’s important to get into the habit of cutting back lavender plants on a regular basis. If you never prune lavender, the plant will grow to be woody and scraggly looking, which is not very pretty.
Pruning lavender not only gets rid of the ugly dead growth, but it also helps to trigger bushy growth, and gives you tons of flowers too.
Now that you know exactly how and when to prune lavender, your plants will live a long and healthy life. And you will get to enjoy all those yummy smelling lavender flowers year after year.
Next up, learn exactly how to grow lavender in our detailed lavender plant care guide!
Recommended Reading
- The Pruning Answers Book
- Pruning Made Easy
- How To Prune Trees And Shrubs
- The Well Tended Perennial Garden
More Posts About Pruning Plants
- How To Prune Basil The Right Way
- Pruning Rosemary To Promote Growth & Larger Yields
- How To Prune Tomatoes For Maximum Production
- How To Prune Roses: A Step-By-Step Guide
- How To Deadhead Petunias By Pinching & Pruning
How do you prune lavender? Share your tips for pruning lavender in the comments section below.
Margaret Harrison says
I’m not sure what type of lavender that I have but it is very overgrown. Just when I got ready to prune at the end of the summer my lavender bloomed again. Should I wait for the blooms to die before pruning? I live in North Georgia.
Amy Andrychowicz says
I would wait until spring to prune your lavender, rather than doing it in the fall. I’m not sure how the weather is in your neck of the woods, but pruning encourages fresh new growth, which can be killed off by freezing fall/winter temps.
Seong Mcginnis says
What is your recommendation for long neglected bushes that has gone woody and ugly at the center(inside ) portion of the rather large bush? It is still flowering from the perimeter but is dead and ugly at the center. You don’t notice it unless you get right up around the bush.
Amy Andrychowicz says
Remove all the dead branches that don’t have any growth on them to clean it up a bit. Then get into the habit of pruning your lavender bush every year, and it should eventually fill back out again. It’s definitely something you need to keep up on. 🙂
Jeri haynes says
Mine is a plant on a long stem with the bush firming a ball. Really pretty, blooms like crazy but has become a bushy mess. I am not sure what to cut to reshape this plant. There are many woody branches so what do I cut and whastays?
Amy Andrychowicz says
Follow the instructions above in the section titled “Tips For Pruning Lavender In Summer”. If you get into the habit of regular pruning, it should be easier to manage the size of your plant year over year.
Caroline says
Hi. I am new to gardening. We have English Lavender in our new home in Denver, CO. I’m a bit confused about difference between harvesting and pruning. Is it okay/preferable to cut them down before the winter? I know pruning happens in spring, but should it also be done late August if there are still blooms? Could it cause problems to do it this late if there is an early snow?
Thanks!
Amy Andrychowicz says
Well, the main difference is that the purpose of pruning is to keep lavender plants healthy and shapely, and encourage tons of flowers. Harvesting is just cutting of the pieces or flower buds as you need them to use for recipes or other purposes. Here’s a post that is all about harvesting lavender for more details that might help to clear up the confusion for you. I don’t recommend pruning in the fall, because it will trigger new growth – which can be killed off by an early freeze. Since they are starting to go dormant, you don’t want to encourage new growth in the fall. English lavender is hardy, so there’s nothing special you need to do to prepare it for winter. Here’s an article about how to care for lavender that you may also find useful.
Nartin LS says
thanks for the tips. did not know about lots of the tips about pruning lavender—clipped all the flowers off after they were almost done (done) and got a second growth. the bees love it. am ready to clean the second growth of flowers. Should I try to shape the plant of just go with what happens?
Amy Andrychowicz says
You’re welcome! It’s really up to you whether you want to prune your lavender plant for shape, or just cut off the spent flowers. If it’s becoming overgrown, or looking scraggly, then you can work to shape it. Otherwise, there’s no need to do that.
Bev Petrie says
I received a Spanish lavendar tree for mothers day. There is no care instructions with it. So l am wondering if this plant can be planted in the ground? Is it a perennial and will it survive the Alberta winter.
Also if l leave it in the pot do l have to bring it indoors over the winter?
Amy Andrychowicz says
Spanish lavender is only hardy down to zone 6. So, unfortunately, it would not survive outside in your garden over winter. If you want to keep it, then you’ll definitely need to bring it indoors for the winter. Here’s a post that’s all about growing lavender… How To Care For Lavender Plants.
Jeri haynes says
My lavender is a tall 4’ stem with what was a trimmed ball shape. Now it looks more bushy. How do I trim it back into shape? I live in a mild climate on the California coast not sure if that makes any difference.
Thanks for your help.
Jeri
Amy Andrychowicz says
Definitely follow the detailed steps in the post above to learn how to prune your lavender to get it back in shape.
Kathryn says
It is mid-September. Is this too late to prune. My lavender plants look very woody and have lots of grey stuff below the leaves. Should I just start over with new plants or are these worth saving?
Amy Andrychowicz says
I recommend waiting until spring to prune your lavender plant. Then see how well it grows back after proper pruning next spring before you decide if it’s time to replace your plant.
Michelle says
Thank you for the great information.
I added lavender plants to my garden last Spring. I lost one which I thought was the healthiest and biggest one, the least expected one to not make the winter. I don’t understand why it died.
Anyways, I pruned them when I saw new growth this Spring. However, the shape is really bad on one and not too greet on another. I wish I could upload a picture. It has what I’m going to call two main branches since I don’t know how else to describe it. One of the “main” branches is bare and runs parallel to the ground then has vertical growth. I want to cut the branch off. It looks horrible. I also noticed that last year my plants flowered a lot more and bigger/longer blooms. Their shapes were better too.
In every article on pruning lavender, I have read not to cut the wood on lavender plants.
Is this a case where it should be cut? If so, should I cut it to the base or not?
I don’t see how any growth is possible on the bare portion which is quite long, about 5-6 inches running parallel just about an inch above the ground then the last 4-5 inches has vertical growth. My plants haven’t grown much this summer. They were actually bigger last summer.
What did I do wrong??
Any advice on how to deal with unwanted growth would be greatly appreciated.
Oh, I live in Zone 6, Boston area.
Amy Andrychowicz says
If that bare branch doesn’t have any new growth on it by now, then I would prune it off. The reason all of the articles about pruning lavender say not to cut into the hard wood is because it will never grow back if you cut it back that far. If there is any growth coming from that branch, then I personally would leave it on this year, and see how it looks next year. Each year, you can prune it for shape, and it should branch out more and more. For detailed care instructions, take a look at this post… How To Care For Lavender Plants. That should help.
Charity says
My lavender plants are about 4’ tall. They came with the house and have yet to produce blooms. Some of the branches are actually falling down from I would guess the weight of them. How do I want to prune them?
Amy Andrychowicz says
You can prune your lavender plants during the summer to give them better a shape, and that may also encourage blooming for this year. Then prune them again in early summer, following the instructions above.
Mick says
I thank you, Amy, for your very informative article.
My wife has a lavender growing that appears very spindly to me. It’s grown in a pot in a north-facing area. Could that be the reason that it’s looking so spindly? i.e. should we resite it?
Amy Andrychowicz says
You’re welcome! Yes, lavender plants need a lot of sunlight. So I would recommend moving it into a spot where it gets full sun.
Judy Morris says
Unfortunately I didn’t prune my lavender for years and eventually, the plants became too woody and would not stand upright. So last fall (I live in zone 7a) I cut it all back! Some of the plants were completely dead – really hated to lose them.
But I was able to safe portions of 2 plants. This spring they are growing and having a few blossoms. I’ll keep your info in mind this time and prune this summer.
In the past, I’ve made lovely lavender wands for my linen drawer. Hopefully I will get back to that level of production in a year or two.
Amy Andrychowicz says
Glad to hear that you were able to prune your overgrown lavender plants, and they’re growing back fuller. Yes, keeping up on pruning lavender will definitely keep the plants more compact, and help you get a bigger and better harvest. Good luck!
Sarah says
Hello, I’ve left pruning a bit late – do you think I should still prune my plants now (mild autumn – beginning of November at 1200m altitude) or leave it till spring ?
Thanks !
Amy Andrychowicz says
I would wait until spring to prune your lavender.
Jayne says
So the woody part is the thick base part some of it looks brown and the. It’s green tops but there are leaves on the brown part of the plant but the more brownish part it’s more at the bottom. Am trying to figure out what’s the woody part that I shouldn’t cut.
Amy Andrychowicz says
The woody part of a lavender plant is anything at the bottom that doesn’t have leaves growing on it. So, just never cut below all of the leaves, always make sure that the branch you’re pruning has some leaves left on it. Does that make sense?
Jayne says
Lol. Does that make sense? Of course. you make it sound so easy to understand. Thank you. Am just a scared gardener beginner and love lavender.
Amy Andrychowicz says
LOL! Awe shucks, thanks! I’m so glad I could clarify for you. 🙂 Just go slow at first until you get the hang of it. You’ll be a lavender pruning pro in no time!
Nadia Hutchinson says
I am scared to cut my lavender thanks for sharing.
Amy Andrychowicz says
You’re welcome.
Vanessa says
Thanks for sharing! I am timid about pruning my lavender but this had good instructions!
Amy Andrychowicz says
You’re welcome.