The Lavender Pruning Mistake That Can Slow (Or Even Stop) Growth
Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) is a wonderful, aromatic herb that can bring life to your garden and value to your kitchen. It is a perennial plant that grows in hardiness zones 5 through 10 (USDA). If you plan to grow lavender (or already have some planted), you probably already know that regular pruning is essential. Perhaps you've already found some simple pruning tips that keep your lavender full and healthy. But, improper pruning can quickly lead to disaster.
Of course, there are a few common mistakes that new gardeners make when pruning lavender, such as choosing the wrong time of year or not pruning often enough. But not all of these will impair growth. Cutting into the woody stems of your lavender plant, however, can end up slowing or even stopping your lavender growth and cause irreparable damage. If you don't want a whole lot of bare, woody stems, it's important to prune your lavender regularly. You also don't want to make the mistake of pruning lavender at the wrong time, and make sure you do it in the fall, or just prune lightly in the spring.
Why it is so important to leave woody stems alone when pruning lavender
Among the many mistakes to avoid when pruning lavender, cutting woody stems, especially too close to the base is a big one. The idea of pruning is to promote new growth by trimming spent flowers. You can cut the dead flower heads away after a blooming cycle to encourage regrowth, or trim in specific sections to promote side shoots for a fuller plant. However, as the plant matures, the woody material slowly grows and eventually takes over some stems.
When pruning, you should never cut into the woody part of the stem, as new growth won't emerge from this older part of the plant. When trimming, only cut the green part of the stem down to a pair of healthy leaves, so that new growth can occur. The woody part simply acts as a vessel for the transportation of water and nutrients, as well as a strong support system, but it does not have the ability to promote new growth. Cutting into this section of the plant will simply stop future growth completely.