That's interesting - I always let my lavender (Munstead, iirc) stay up over the winter, for "winter interest." I always cut it back right before my grape hyacinths started blooming in early spring, since they are right in front of the lavender.

Of course, I don't think I ever read anywhere what to do about it...

Hi,

It depends upon your zone. Cameron lives in a warmer zone. In zone 5, I wouldn't take the chance of fall pruning. Chancing Winter Kill if you do.

I prune mine in Spring, too, and then poke the trimmings in the garden and grow more plants. Of the 22 cuttings I just stuck in the dirt in the spring, I now have 10 new bushy plants about 18 inches tall, and they have produced blooms twice and making bloom heads again right now. The mother plant have bloomed 3 times since May and is blooming again right now.

I only have Province lavender now. Voles ATE all my other varieties, one by one, those pesky little varmints! At one time I had gobs of Hidcote, Munstead, English Lavender, Spanish Lavender and Grosso 'Fat Spikes'. Grosso is another favorite that keeps blooming all season with FAT spikes of very fragrant flowers that are deep purple. Mmmmmm. (too much information, Annie!)

So short story made long...I prune in spring. Fall pruning will cause major winter damage or winter kill to lavenders here in my area and zone and I am sure it COULD in your zone too.

Annie

Fall pruning may kill your lavendar in zone 5. Best to wait until spring.

Hi, I'm on vacation, so my activity is sparse this week. I just saw this thread.

Yes, my zone is 7 so my pruning time is different. If I miss the fall pruning, then I have pruned lavender in mid-February here without a problem. So I guess you'd prune yours a month or so later in the spring in your zone.

Thank you for the wonderful and fast expertise. Annie, that description of Grosso 'Fat Spikes' was not TMI. I think we all love to know people's favorites. Maybe they will find a home in our gardens and become our favorites too.

Cameron, Enjoy your vacation. If you are away from home, really enjoy that vacation.

Squirrel Girl

Thanks for all the information - I guess I had been doing the right thing by accident all along! (Now I just have to hope my tenants don't fall prune...)

I thought I'd chime in since I'm in 5b. I don't reliably have lavender live over the winter. Munstead seems to fare the best. I do wait until spring to cut it back. It sometimes takes awhile for the new growth to appear. Just when I decide one hasn't made it through the winter, it may start to grow, and do just fine over the summer. Also, they only seem to live a few years.

I also grow different kinds of lavender in pots, and put them in my egress window when the nights are getting below freezing on a regular basis. I always think I'm going to start watering a bit when the weather starts to get warmer, but usually forget until we take them out for the spring.

Sue

SquirrelGirl,

To echo the other comments I'm in zone 5 and do not prune lavender until late spring. I wait almost to June to do it as sometimes the lavender is slow to put out new growth until it really begins to warm up.

But one thing I do do in late summer and fall is deadhead the flowers with a small pair pruners or heavy duty scissors. This keeps the lavender looking its best and not so unkempt(the client I garden for has a very formal setting so we always strive for a clean and tidy look.) The spent flowers can be made into lovely little scented sachets.

gonnativegal,

I harvest lavender wands all summer long to dry and use, but I also give mine "haircuts" so they don't get all shaggy with the unharvested spent bloom stems.

Sue, I have learned to take cuttings every two years in spring of my Lavenders and Rosemary (April-May in my location depending on how warm the spring is each year). That way IF my older ones kick it for whatever reason, I have their babies that will live on. Both root well in the spring. I stick them in the dirt in full sun and water them well every day. In about 3-4 weeks there is new growth and I know they are rooting. I leave them where they are until the following year and then move them where I want them to be permanently. However, Rosemary does not like to be moved once it gets older, so I transplant them in late summer or early autumn allowing three to four weeks for them to settle in before the first freeze. I move the Lavenders the following spring.

~Annie