Pruning/cutting back lavender

Never cut into the woody bit. You can cut back to the woody part but it's a bit late now. You will be cutting back new growth. It will catch up, but I would replace it. You can never get rid of the bit that's gone woody.

Maybe it depends on variety. I have hidcote, a lovely dwarf with dark flowers. I cut it back viciously every winter. Discovered it likes this when we had v low temperatures a few years ago. Seems to thrive on it. Bigger varieties more temperamental maybe?

I have a variegated lavender border. I cut it back at the end of summer, but again do not cut into the woody bit, just the last seasons growth.

Thanks! We messed up the first year so perhaps best to start over ... :P

I bought new lavender plants last year and pruned in Autumn - didn't cut into the wood. I think there are a couple of varieties. They look dead, no signs of growth or green or anything! Shouldn't they be doing something by now?

Also, a quick supplementary - I also bought two blue hydrangeas which I planted in large pots. Do hydrangeas differ in their type of growth - I have an established one which is showing lots of new growth from branches. The new ones aren't but there is new growth around the base of the plants. At least I know they aren't dead

Some shrubs and plants can put our new buds in old wood, but others can't. That is why Jess's survived and the lavender didn't. You can easily take cutting from your woody rosemary but its harder with lavender. Best to chuck them and start again. Both these are plants that thrive in warm spots protected from cold winds.

Lavender cuttings do take quite easily. But it's so slow propagating that way. If you only want two or three, head for the garden centre I say. I find it's quite difficult to stop lavender going a bit leggy, even with cutting back.

I read somewhere that lavender needs replacing every few years.

Yep. I think it does.

Lavender is definitely one of those shrubs plants that are hard to prune neatly or reliably.
Some shrubs you can chop back harshly for years and they just bounce back. eg Buddleias and Pyracanthas. Some like Lavender get woody and leggy and end up looking unsightly.

My garden record of killing off shrubs is a testament to my bad pruning decisions.

In the past I have over pruned my lavender plants with disasterous (sp?) results. Last couple of years I have deadheaded them and cut them back an inch or so. Not recommending this but it works for me,

My last lot of lavender plants were bought from Focus for 10p each perhaps that's why Focus went bust two years ago

aka thanks for that, didn't think to take a cutting from the rosemary, but will do now. Do I just stick it into root growth stuff and then plonk it in the ground?

I know the thread heading was about pruning and I jumped in three weeks later but my question, not very well phrased was, should my lavender be doing something by now? It's just sitting there, correctly pruned, looking dead. Is this normal at this time of year? I suspect I bought French lavender, is it a touch more temperamental?

No Grannyknot. You don't get off that lightly. how to do it

I think everything in the garden is showing some movement now Sel. My lavender has got quite a lot of new growth. But it's not French. Think it should have done something by now though. Did it get dry last year?

I don't know, Sel! Let's hope someone does...

Sorry - leapt in too soon....

jO it was RHS lavender, posh stuff, bought in pots and planted in fresh compost. Nurtured. Pruned according to instructions and I'm sure it's dead. Hmmm. I agree, everything else is showing some life but I didn't know quite what to expect having only had lavender bushes. Bummer

did it get too cold in the Winter?

What you all doing gardening in the dark

Oooh, a blue link. I saw it this time, thanks j08 (would have been much clearer in red) I'll go and check. It may have done, lots of snow here on the North Downs.

Yes Grannyknot that's what I do, but take loads of cuttings and put some of them in pots. I think I had a 50% success rate so ended up giving the others away.

Sel

Yes Sel if there's no new green shoots it's terminal!