Lavender pruning

cazsophieq2019

Hi everyone
Silly question but I just want to double check.

My lavenders are still blooming and it's the first of October, should I go ahead and prune or hold off until flowers die off.  Conscious that there maybe bees still around and wouldn't want to deprive them of a nectar opportunity ...
😉

Thanks 

Carol

edhelka

I prune in February for this reason. It just feels wrong to prune too late in autumn. The downside is untidy look over the winter. I think I'll do it differently next year - I want to try pruning English lavenders in mid-August, after the first flush, and then leave the second flush on (only lightly deadheading) and prune them again in February together with intermedias. All guides say to prune intermedias in early autumn to stop them from growing too big but the variety I have finishes in November. English lavenders stop blooming in mid-October here (with a gap in August).

cazsophieq2019

@philippasmith2 thanks for your feedback. I'm new to lavenders planted them for the first time as plugs mid March and they seem to have thrived.  I live in North Ireland  which has a temperate climate and my front garden can be a sun trap .... when it's out of course.  

What you say makes sense, I'll go with the current climate and keep an eye on the plants.  The blooms are still bright purple.  As you said the guidelines are generic and obviously allow for a bit of give and take, just don't want them to go leggy lol.  Then again, who am I to control nature 😉

@edhelka thanks for your feedback as well.  It sounds as though I've the same English lavender as you have. 

I'm interested to know why it feels wrong to prune late autumn? Is it because of the winter exposure, making the plants naked so to speak? 

edhelka

@cazsophieq2019 Because there wouldn't be any new new growth or leaves covering the cuts and I do as hard pruning as I can (almost no leaves left, 1cm or something like that from the old wood). With prunining in late August or September, it still regrows a bit. But I am not sure if there is really a difference for the plants.