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The following are some of the most common Lavender related questions and answers to help you look after your Lavender plants.
Q. When should I plant my lavender plants?
A. Hardy Lavenders (such as “English” lavenders and the Lavandins) can be planted anytime, but the best time would be in the spring as the soil temperature starts to rise. Planting in the height of summer is OK, but you do need to watch out that they get enough water until their root systems are established.
Q. What do I do with my Garden Ready Plugs when they arrive?
A. Unpack them promptly and then stand them in water. They are ready to plant out. If you receive the plugs in the winter we would recommend potting them up and allowing them to grow on in a cool, sheltered environment – an unheated greenhouse perhaps. Take care not to over water them. As the weather warms up in spring the lavenders can be planted out.
Q. How long do lavender plants last for?
A. If you take care of them and give them a good prune each year, there is no reason why yourL.angustifolia (English lavender) orL.intermedia (Lavandin) will not last for years – some of ours in the fields are 24 years old!L.stoechas(French lavender) is more difficult to keep compact and healthy for a lot of years. In these modern days, French lavenders are treated by many as annuals and replaced each year as many of the newer varieties are not comfortable with our cold winters, and the have a tendency to go straggly.
Q. How much water do lavenders need?
A. Lavenders are drought tolerant plants and therefore, once established in the garden, they do not need watering. Lavender in pots need careful watering all summer. In the winter they need minimal watering. Over watering is a common mistake – leading to root rot and the plant’s demise.
Q. How should I prune lavender?
A. Look within the heart of the plant and you should see small shoots on the side of stems. You should prune so these shoots are left below where you cut. You can prune with a pair of secateurs or with shears. The shoots will push out to form the new greenery of the plant. Lavenders like a really good haircut so be very brave about it? Many people tentatively snip off the old flowering stems. This is certainly not a hard enough prune if you are to avoid your lavender becoming woody and straggly.
Q. When should I prune lavender?
A. It depends on the species. English lavender and lavandin should be pruned after they finish flowering – around the end of July to mid August. This provides enough time for the plant to recover and push out new shoots before the winter cold sets in. French lavenders, because they grow all summer, can be cut back in after their first flush of growth during spring.
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