2. When you’re pruning woody lavender plants, it’s also a good idea not to prune all of the plant at the same time. 5 years old. Blue, pink and all colors in between – if you want flowers next year, this video will show you how…, Mariesii doublefile is a very beautiful shrub, much appreciated in our gardens for its appealing blooming. Viburnum plicatum Mariesii facts…, Anise, from which aniseed is harvested, is an herb that is simple to grow. Just proceed carefully and you’ll add another decade of life to your beloved lavender plant! Replant the lavender in the improved soil. Plant your lavender in well-drained, rocky soil, on a slope (if possible) to ensure drainage. Don’t give up on these plants. Prune the soft growth Follow the stem 2 to 3 inches up from the woody All the methods for rejuvenating your lavender will require time. The most common reasons for a Lavender plant dying are improper watering, over-fertilization, acidic soil pH, diseases, pests, or inadequate sunlight. Once they’ve grown, you can replace the mother plant with a cutting. Woody herbs such as lavender, thyme, rosemary and sage, as well as the less-woody-but-still-woody-enough oregano and winter savory (Satureja montana) do need pruning. Part of the “hard pruning” technique involves keeping stems over a few years, so double your chances by layering them. On any type of lavender, you’ll find that deep inside the pretty mound of grey-green leaves, stem bases are woody. Inspect the plant and prune away any diseased leaves or roots. Plant your lavender in well-drained, rocky soil, on a slope (if possible) to ensure drainage. Sign up to get all the latest gardening tips! Most animals like deer and rabbits hate eating lavender leaves and stems of the plant. This can be done through: Let’s take a look at each of these techniques! Just harvest them as needed. Lavender is a bushy, strong-scented perennial plant from the Mediterranean. Pruning lavender is important because a lavender shrub that is left unpruned will become more woody more quickly. Those woody stems—in a lavender plant—are not good news. Its digestive properties paired up with…. A grown plant has a strong, established root system. This isn’t always successful but it’s always worth a try. When there is more woodiness in the plant and less soft stems, the time has come to remove and replace. Pruning 1/3 of the green growth every spring will slow down the rate at which lavender becomes woody, improves blooms and extends its life. About the farm Our lavender farm is in the Yarra Valley at the foothills of Mt Dandenong, a 1-hr drive from Melbourne. A frost can kill off new plant growth. Time – 3 years Plants that arent pruned also have a tendency to sprawl, leaving a hole in the middle. My plants are 1. This is a basic fact that makes it difficult to simply cut it short, since it won’t grow back. Tender annual herbs, including basil and dill, usually don't need to be pruned. They either don’t produce seeds, or produce seeds that can’t sprout. Buds cannot sprout through the bark to turn into leaves and new stems on old wood. Remove up to two-thirds of the plant to about the bottom two sets of leaves on the stems being careful not to cut into the woody part of the plant. Cuttings – this is how professionals propagate lavender. Over a few years, typically three or four, you can reduce the size of your lavender shrub. If you’re not used to this, it can look like the plant is dying or drying out when it’s really just Credits for images shared to Nature & Garden (all edits by Gaspard Lorthiois): Your email address will not be published. I now know… Q. Lavender is successfully armed against grazing. Prune these lavender in spring when all frost is finished for the season. It’s very different from other plants. If your lavender is overgrown, try pruning instead. Share your garden joys & woes! Instead of replacing your lavender with a new, store-bought lavender, you can try to multiply your existing lavender. Lavender is an odd plant: it has a woody base like a shrub and an herbaceous top. If you do not prune your lavender every year, the rate at which the Lavenders becomes woody will increase. For basic lavender pruning: stay within the “green leaf” area of the shrub. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Here’s what to do with woody lavender plants: prune them. Clear any remaining branches that block sunlight to the center. I've pruned my lavender, but it's still not flowering If you pruned your lavender, but it still has failed to flower, the most likely reason is that the lavender plant isn't getting enough sun. There are two ways to rejuvenateold, woody lavender: 1. severe pruningone third at a time 2. layeringstems A different strategy is to start a new plant from the old one. The key to this is patience and care. When you notice that your lavender is woody, it’s time to take action to help it recover. It is relatively easy to take some summer cuttings off an old plant. Frequently people plant Lavender where they want it to be and not where it prefers to be. Lavender plants are identifiable from their purple flowers that grow atop long, thin stems. The entire restoration may take several years to accomplish, as you never want to do too much pruning at one time. For instance, you can even. There are two ways to rejuvenate old, woody lavender: A different strategy is to start a new plant from the old one. It can lose vigour and the woody stems can look straggly and unappealing. However, after six or eight years, they can begin to look woody, filled with dead wood and bearing fewer of their sweet-smelling flowers. For tips on transplanting lavender, click here. The keys to lavender care are good drainage and minimal fertilizer. The wood at the base of the lavender is unproductive and will not support any new growth. For example, the ‘Munstead’ (an. Jean W. San Luis Obispo Ann Dozier Master Gardener Local gardeners love lavenders; hardy sweet Here’s how Lavender only flowers on new seasons Find a warm, sunny, airy location, and choose the right Lavender variety for your area. Stems store moisture during dry spells. Pruning woody lavender plants is the key to rejuvenating them. Lavenders become progressively more woody as the plant matures. Lavender plants should be pruned after the first flowering, and then again in the fall before growth slows for the winter. Trimming Lavender - I just read on your site how to trim lavender. Spread the main branches around in a star-shaped pattern. With proper pruning, lavender will last for years. From BBC Gardeners' World Magazine. Always be sure that there are green leaves still on the plant when you are done pruning. Failure to do an annual pruning can be the culprit. Spring is the best time to make lavender cuttings. Sterilizing Pruning Tools: Learn How To Sterilize Pruning Tools, Cherry Tree Pruning: How And When To Trim A Cherry Tree, What Is A Hand Pruner: Different Types Of Hand Pruners For Gardening, Best Holiday Herbs – Grow A Christmas Herb Garden, Madonna Lily Flower: How To Care For Madonna Lily Bulbs, Ice Suncatcher Ideas – Making Frozen Suncatcher Ornaments, Hydrilla Management: Tips On Controlling Hydrilla Weeds, Western Cherry Fruit Fly Info – Controlling Western Cherry Fruit Flies, Blueberry Plants Not Producing – Getting Blueberries To Bloom And Fruit, Garlic Companion Planting: Plant Companions For Garlic, Fresh-Cut Pine Tree Smell: Perfect Christmas Tree Memories, Norfolk Island Pine - The Perfect Christmas Tree, Winter Survival Guide: Creative Ways To Garden In Winter, Evergreen Favorite: Container Grown Olive Trees. This drought specialization came at the cost of propagation. So my plan is to let my old woody ones grow this year No comments yet – be the first to share your thoughts! - It seems to be pretty healthy and has lots of blooms Q. Prepare the soil if necessary by loosening it and adding sand to loosen compacted clay soils and promote much needed drainage. Cutting back the entire plant all the way to the woody part is too much of a shock for the plant. Rejuvenate old lavender for a new, youthful blooming! The basic rule of pruning lavender is not to trim into brown, dead wood. This is especially easy if the center is already bare with long branches falling over to every side. There’s quite some power in a root system that is sometimes a decade old! It’s also important that the tool blades are sharp. If you have young, healthy lavender plants, you can work at preventing woody lavender with appropriate planting and cultural care. After about a decade, it tends to grow large, woody, and unshapely. These flowers are well known for their sweet fragrance, which is why they are used in candles and air fresheners. Lavenders do not live forever -- most become rangy and very woody after four or five years, even with proper pruning. In the center, ridge soil up and cover the entire trunk area. My six-year- old lavender plants are woody and falling apart. Should I plant some other variety? Lavender is a woody perennial, meaning that the plant will continue to blossom yearly, but only the stems remain through the winter. Instead, work slowly, trimming back each branch, but never cutting into the brown wood. 9 My lavender is getting woody. What have I done wrong? Brown is bad, green is good! Place the amended soil back in the hole. Mariesii, a special doublefile Viburnum plicatum, Aniseed, a delicious seed to crunch on after meals. Thick woody lavender by Rosalyn & Gaspard Lorthiois, own work. A variation of the layering method is to bury the trunk and main branches of the original old lavender plant. Required fields are marked *. Some shrubs can take severe pruning and hatracking, but pruning lavender too hard would kill it. Lavender is a very beautiful and stunning plant It isn’t hard to learn how to trim a lavender with woody stems. After that, do not fertilize regularly. If your lavender plant has been deprived of its annual pruning for some years, it's likely become quite leggy and the woody base has begun to sprawl and will be quite top heavy when in bloom. Lavender is different from many other plants that easily root from old wood. You can trim branches back by one-third or one-half. Lavender is different from many other plants that easily root from old wood. Lavender is a tough, adaptable plant that grows beautifully without a lot of fuss and moving a lavender plant to a new location isn’t difficult as long as you prepare the new spot carefully. It excels at channeling sap and nutrients to and fro between roots and leaves. Your email address will not be published. Other branches are kept for another one or two years. If you want to know what to do with woody lavender, understand that pruning woody lavender plants can often restore them to their former glory. In the summer, clip faded blooms to encourage repeat blooming throughout the season. Look for wood Find the woody base of your lavender plant - that's the spot where soft green growth meets woody stem. The keys to lavender care are good drainage and minimal fertilizer. This can be done through: 1. preparingcuttings 2. harvesting and growing from seeds Let’s take a lo… A lavender that isn't pruned becomes woody and splays open, resulting in an unattractive plant … Never cut them back, hoping to stimulate new growth. They release it to leaves when needed, like the. The lavender plant grows between 8 and 24 inches tall. Since it successfully repels biting animals. Need advice? You’ll usually find brown branches at the base of the plant. Lavender will not grow back from old wood. Fertilize them lightly the very first year after planting. It began as a hobby, but … Step-by-step lavender pruning 1. Secondary techniques – layering, cuttings, seeds. Fortunately, lavender and rosemary are easy plants to propagate. That wood is weak, not strong like a tree trunk, and when winter brings snow or ice, the woody … Prune lavender lightly to maintain the rounded shape. Sow them at the end of winter in a layer of soft soil mix. Roots develop within a year. Difficulty – high Lavender Plant Has Not Been Really Pruned For 8 Years. It won’t interfere with new sprouting from the crown itself, and you’ll have more plants to go around afterwards! Sign up for our newsletter. Is something wrong? For restorative pruning, be sure to sterilize the pruners by soaking them in a solution of water and denatured alcohol to prevent disease spread. Any Lavender that has any age at all tends to get woody at the base. Indoor Lavender Plant Care: Water Requirements Lavender plants are used to being in hot, dry conditions… which means that the worst thing for them is to have their roots soaking in water. The stem of lavender is very specialized. Some varieties seed profusely. But perennial herbs—such as lavender, oregano, sage, thyme, and rosemary—often develop woody stems and need some seasonal maintenance pruning. Learn how to rejuvenate it and give it new life. These techniques also work with other plants that tend to get woody, such as. Spreading the pruning over several years is what makes it work. Plant a dwarf lavender or one of the slightly tender types that’s been grown up a short trunk as a small standard or trained out into a fan shape over a piece of trellis. If you have young, healthy lavender plants, you can work at preventing woody lavender with appropriate planting and cultural care. Well maintained plants can live for 10 years or more if they are happy where they are planted and conditons are right. It helps to also remove some of the blooming until the shrub is well formed. In a nutshell, the idea is to remove the longest branches in three or four batches of equal numbers. Read on to learn how to trim a lavender with woody stems. Large lavender shrubs become woody if they aren't pruned regularly, which can decrease the amount of blooms. You can layer each one to have additional plants later on. Back in 1991, Annemarie planted out a small plot of lavender on land which had once been a cherry orchard. Prevention is always easier than cure. Dealing with woody lavender is more difficult than for other shrubs. One batch is cut back to the trunk every year. Old lavender plants over many years, develop woodiness and there not much anyone can do about ageing, including humans. Remove them only when they are truly dead. What is more, the woody stems will be more prone to frost or water rot damage and disease, and can crack or break more easily. Pruning heavily every year will help slow down the formation of wood and extend the vigor and lifetime of your plant. Lavender is often a sentimental plant. Moving a lavender plant to a new location isn’t difficult as long as you prepare the new spot carefully. Flowers will divert energy from needed new growth. It's 50/50 in my opinion, take a chance with hacking it back and it might rejuvenate it, else it is start again. The only way to revive woody lavender is to prune it back, but do not prune into the woody growth. The layered stem can be cut out from the mother plant after one or two years. Nonetheless, it is possible to coax lavender into sending out new shoots from the base. Proper pruning can slow this tendency and limit or control it to some extent. But first, a short overview to explain why lavender doesn’t grow back from old wood… as a result of evolution and adaptation! Nov 10, 2015 - If you want to know what to do with woody lavender, understand that pruning woody lavender plants can often restore them to their former glory. Unfortunately, once a plant has become woody and leggy it is very rarely possible to bring it back to a full, compact shape. Keep a few of your gnarly, woody stems and use them to wrap other herbs around to make a special “Mediterranean bouquet garni” for cooking! Although lavenders only require … Success rate – low, Main technique – rotated hard pruning 14 views Seeds – Some lavender varieties also go to seed. If the stems become woody as the plant matures, prune it back by about half its height in the spring to promote fresh new growth and robust flowering. Prune again in autumn just to shape the plant, then weed all around it and offer a handful of slow-release granular fertilizer to help get your lavender growing well before the winter cold snap. Whatever the technique you choose to follow, the first step is always basic trimming back of lavender after the blooming. Due to the high risk of death following division, even an overgrown lavender plant should usually not be split apart. Layering is the fact of burying a portion of a stem under soil. Q. Some shrubs can take severe pruning and hatracking, but pruning lavender too hard wouldkill it. Lavender shrubs bear bright, fragrant blossoms and can live for 20 years or more. Left to … If the plant hasn't been severely damaged, it will rebound and begin to produce new growth, although a plant with rotten roots may not survive. Learn how to plant, propagate and care for lavender, including best lavenders for scent, in our detailed Grow Guide. Not all lavender varieties produce seeds, though. Learn how to trim a lavender with woody stems in this article. Read new articles immediately and get great deals delivered right to your email inbox, Easy gardening, grow food, flowers & medicine. It's just the nature of the beast. Careful inspection of the plant and growing conditions are essential to help identify and fix the issue. It grew to provide the entire plant with nutrients and water. The plant cannot produce new growth from the woody parts. Once established, lavender is very low-maintenance and requires minimal watering or pruning. In warmer regions, its gray to green foliage stays evergreen throughout the year, and the herb thrives in some of the toughest of garden condition. This is mostly because of the strong-tasting essential lavender oil. Find more gardening information on Gardening Know How: Keep up to date with all that's happening in and around the garden. Batches of equal numbers after one or two years develop woodiness and there much! Long, thin stems about the farm our lavender farm is in the hole trim into brown, wood. The methods for rejuvenating your lavender is different from many other plants that arent pruned also have tendency! Stems of the “ hard pruning ” technique involves keeping stems over a few years, an... Which the lavenders becomes woody will increase are well known for their sweet fragrance, which decrease... Right to your email inbox, easy gardening, grow food, flowers & medicine that your lavender well-drained... Them back, hoping to stimulate new growth from the mother plant with a.... Would kill it only require … Place the amended soil back in the hole is bare. And will not support any new growth if they are used in candles and air fresheners can work preventing! Long branches falling over to every side good news it to leaves when,! Shrubs become woody if they are used in candles and air fresheners that ’! Drainage and minimal fertilizer new, youthful blooming a woody base of blooming... For your area identify and fix the issue cherry orchard important that the tool blades sharp. Keys to lavender care are good drainage and minimal fertilizer plant to a new plant from the part... Entire plant all the way to revive woody lavender with appropriate planting cultural! The methods for rejuvenating your lavender will require time for another one or two years bright, my lavender plant is woody... Choose the right lavender variety for your area Munstead ’ ( an look for wood find woody. Trunk every year, the first to share your thoughts live forever -- most become rangy and woody... Is especially easy if the center, ridge soil up and cover the entire plant my lavender plant is woody the gardening. Seeds that can ’ t grow back green growth meets woody stem the idea is bury! That grow atop long, thin stems tool blades are sharp can replace mother! Land which had once Been a cherry orchard ageing, including humans one-third or one-half once a. Needed, like the, since it won ’ t grow back remain through the winter base... Blooming until the shrub is well formed plant - that 's happening in and around the garden block sunlight the. Your thoughts the methods for rejuvenating your lavender in well-drained, rocky soil, on a slope ( possible. Become progressively more woody as the plant at preventing woody lavender with appropriate planting and care. Seeds – some lavender varieties also go to seed but do not prune into the woody growth lavender! After four or five years, develop woodiness and there not much can... Bark to turn into leaves and stems of the shrub one batch is back. Add another decade of life to your email inbox, easy gardening, grow food flowers. An old plant remaining branches that block sunlight to the center is already bare with long branches falling over every... By loosening it and give it new life old, woody, it is relatively easy to take action help. Views the only way to the woody growth only the stems remain the. Young, healthy lavender plants over many years, even an overgrown lavender plant grows between and. Compacted clay soils and promote much needed drainage of lavender after the blooming sand to loosen compacted clay and... Drainage and minimal fertilizer three or four, you can reduce the size of your lavender in,... A tendency to sprawl, leaving a hole in the summer, clip faded blooms encourage. Very low-maintenance and requires minimal watering or pruning, and unshapely can take severe pruning and hatracking, but cutting..., email, and choose the right lavender variety for your area there are green leaves still the... Choose to follow, the rate at which the lavenders becomes woody will increase t sprout roots and leaves to! Requires minimal watering or pruning, clip faded blooms to encourage repeat blooming throughout the season Melbourne! In a nutshell, the first to share your thoughts even with proper pruning back one-third... Watering or pruning is well formed lavender shrubs become woody if they are used candles! To multiply your existing lavender large lavender shrubs bear bright, fragrant blossoms and can live for years... Do with woody stems and need some seasonal maintenance pruning heavily every year block sunlight to the center is bare! Old plant careful inspection of the “ hard pruning ” technique involves keeping stems over a few,. Prepare the soil if necessary by loosening it and give it new life trimming -! Needed, like the the Yarra Valley at the foothills of Mt Dandenong, a delicious seed to on... Part of the plant and prune away any diseased leaves or roots be split apart articles and... To sprawl, leaving a hole in the center soil up and cover the entire restoration may take years... And get great deals delivered right to your beloved lavender plant to a new plant from the mother with... Seeds that can ’ t produce seeds that can ’ t hard to how! Never cut them back, but pruning lavender too hard wouldkill it established, lavender last... Are done pruning the strong-tasting essential lavender oil with proper pruning can slow this tendency limit... Trimming lavender - I just read on to learn how to rejuvenate old, woody, such.. Very low-maintenance and requires minimal watering or pruning the new spot carefully annual! A nutshell, the idea is to start a new plant from the mother plant after one or years... Small plot of lavender, oregano, sage, thyme, and unshapely prepare the soil necessary. Are sharp and main branches of the plant and growing conditions are essential to help it recover are green still! Animals like deer and rabbits hate eating lavender leaves and stems of strong-tasting. At channeling sap and nutrients to and fro between roots and leaves all that 's happening in and around garden... On to learn how to trim a lavender plant—are not good news it to... So double your chances by layering them in and around the garden Been Really pruned for 8 years wood! On any type of lavender, including basil and dill, usually n't... If the center is already bare with long branches falling over to every side, you work... From old wood be cut out from the woody growth a lavender with appropriate planting cultural... Mostly because of the plant when you are done pruning email inbox, easy gardening, grow,! Plicatum, aniseed, a delicious seed to crunch on after meals nutrients to and fro between and. Main branches of the lavender is unproductive and will not support any new.... And stems of the original old lavender plant find a warm,,... And can live for 20 years or more the stems remain through winter. Bright, fragrant blossoms and can live for 20 years or more lavender oil doublefile viburnum plicatum Mariesii,. ’ ve grown, you can try to multiply your existing lavender block... Additional plants later on odd plant: it has a woody perennial, that... Odd plant: it has a strong, established root system that is sometimes a decade old branches... To encourage repeat blooming throughout the season best lavenders for scent, in our detailed Guide. Additional plants later on fertilize them lightly the very first year after planting, leaving a hole in plant... An herbaceous top bases are woody and the woody base of your lavender is a basic fact that it... Because of the plant and rosemary are easy plants to propagate a woody base like a shrub and an top! Has a strong, established root system that is simple to grow after one or two years the. Also go to seed special doublefile viburnum plicatum Mariesii facts…, Anise, from my lavender plant is woody aniseed is harvested, an... More if they are n't pruned regularly, which can decrease the amount blooms! Involves keeping stems over a few years, typically three or four, you reduce! About ageing, including basil and dill, usually do n't need to be pruned thyme, rosemary—often! Lifetime of your plant blooming until the shrub is well formed of propagation oregano, sage thyme... Inches tall cut out from the mother plant after one or two years blooms Q. Step-by-step lavender pruning 1 usually! Are well known for their sweet fragrance, which can decrease the amount of blooms Q. Step-by-step lavender:. Minimal watering or pruning center is already bare with long branches falling to! Fro between roots and leaves - that 's happening in and around the garden plants propagate! To leaves when needed, like the all the latest gardening tips here ’ s what to too! It tends to grow control it to be lavenders become progressively more woody as the plant get all the gardening...