Gardeners' World: Monty Don advises on pruning lavender
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Lavender is a Mediterranean evergreen shrub, grown for its fragrant leaves and bee-friendly flowers. They adore the sun and can thrive in poor soil. However, as autumn draws to a close and the weather gets cooler and more extreme, it may be necessary to winterise lavender. Winterising a plant will give it more of a chance to survive particularly cold temperatures and harsh conditions like strong winds and copious rain. Luckily, it’s not difficult to winterise lavender ready for a healthier plant in the spring and summer months.
Speaking exclusively to Express.co.uk, Daniel Carruthers, Director of Sales at Cultivar Greenhouses and Garden Street’s Sales & Marketing Manager, Holly Jones both noted that light pruning is “important” for lavender plants to survive the winter period.
Daniel said: “Lavender is typically a low maintenance plant but there are a few things you can do to ensure your plant survives the winter.
“Pruning is important to maintain the shape and appearance of your lavender, and although the majority of pruning should be done at the start of spring and autumn, during winter you should lightly prune any dead flower stems and generally tidy up its appearance, aiming to create a mound, robust shape.
“This will ensure the plant doesn’t grow woody or leggy next season, as well as help it survive the cold winter months if planted in beds and borders.”
Holly expressed that there are “four rules” when it comes to winterising lavender, one of which is to “lightly” prune the garden plants.
She said: “Prevent snow damage and slow down the formation of woody growth with light pruning.
“Although you will have pruned during spring, pruning the lavender into a mound in late summer or early autumn in preparation for winter will help minimise any winter weather damage.
“For best results, cut the spent but do not cut the woody part of the plant as the wood does not rejuvenate in the spring.”
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While she encourages “light” pruning she stressed that gardeners should avoid “heavy” pruning. Holly said: “Do not heavily prune in winter. Any final pruning should be done no later than late summer or early autumn. Pruning lavender heavily in winter may weaken the plant, preventing it from growing another season.”
Removing fallen leaves is what both experts also advised gardeners to do in order to prevent lavender from developing “root rot”.
Daniel said: “A lot of organic debris can accumulate in your garden throughout winter which can cause issues for your lavender. Although leaves are often used as mulch in your garden, they do hold on to excess moisture, and lavenders prefer free draining soil and dry roots.
“It’s therefore wise to remove any excess leaves from around your lavender as this will help to ensure the soil drains well, reducing the risk of root rot throughout the wetter months.”
Holly also instructed the same: “Tidy away any fallen leaves around the lavender as they tend to hold on to excess moisture, which can lead to rot.”
Gardeners should also avoid planting new lavender in winter, as this too can cause root rot. Holly said: “Lavender should ideally be planted in April or May as the soil is warming up. Avoid planting lavender in winter, as the cold and wet soil causes the plants to rot.
When it comes to watering plants in winter, particularly lavender, the experts recommended cutting back.
Daniel said: “As a hardy plant, lavenders are drought resistant and enter a state of winter dormancy, meaning they won’t require much water during the winter period at all. In fact, you may only need to water your lavender plants every four to six weeks.
“If your lavender is potted rather than planted in beds or borders, it is more vulnerable to cold weather and frosts due to its root system being above ground. In extremely cold weather, it is best to bring your lavender plants indoors for a few days until the cold snap has passed, watering only occasionally throughout the winter period.”
Ideally, over winter gardeners should keep their potted lavender somewhere with a warm, constant temperature such as a greenhouse, conservatory or porch.
Holly also agreed with cutting back on watering and noted that watering should be scrapped altogether if the soil is wet or frosty.
She said: “Reduce watering as summer comes to an end. Lavender thrives on drier soil, and the amount of rainwater in autumn and winter will be sufficient. Avoid watering if the soil is wet or frosty, as this can cause the roots to rot or become damaged when the soil freezes.”
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