Spanish Lavender. Cut new branches back to just above the foliage and woody growth in the fall before the first freeze or in spring after the first flowering. If you have a bad infestation, you may need to throw out the houseplant so the scales don't spread to other houseplants. 01:42. Lavandula stoechas, Spanish lavender, has fat pineapple-shaped flowers topped by a few alert-looking bracts. Cut back the leaves to a manageable length. Wonderful for providing contrast in mixed borders and containers. Treatment with insecticides or washing the lavender plants with liquid dish soap are recommended to keep four-lined plant nymphs away and prevent further damage to the lavender plants. Pruning a lavender plant promotes the growth of the root system down below. Pinnata Lavender is sometimes called Jagged Lavender or Fern Leaf Lavender because of its unique leaf structure. Allow it to dry for a week or two. This encourages the plant to branch. You prune English lavender by cutting it back by two thirds in the second half of August and you can cut into the bare wood, if needed. Ferns are relatively easy to prune. Prune … Repeat steps 1 through 3 after the lavender plants bloom again in mid-summer. Water the hole to be sure there is adequate drainage. Trim and prune French lavender before the first frost. Put a brown paper bag over each bunch of flowers and secure it below the flowers with gardening twine. For harvesting and drying, cut off the flowers when only two or three buds on the flower spikes have opened. Once you have chosen the right type of lavender for your home, it’s time to start thinking about where you’re going to place it. Tie your lavender cuttings with a string and hang upside down in a dry place for use in teas or herbal heat pads. Shamrock plants are bulb plants and die back after they bloom. Remove your lavender plant from its container and clear away any excess planting material. Cut the plant back to the foliage. French Lavender dentata leaves are grayish green with a beautiful serrated edge which is why the name Lavandula dentata. It doesn’t like wet feet so make sure you don’t overwater it. This process should help revive older lavender bushes. Purchase a 4-inch tall lavender plant in the fall. Plant the lavender so that the top of its root ball is even with soil level. Harvest your lavender when the bottom flowers on your plants begin to open. instock POS ID: 110475 . If you really can’t stand to see another ad again, then please consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. Fern Leaf Lavender. Alternatively, take a cutting from a bud-less lavender stem after the plant blooms. The Greeks utilized lavender for laxative and stimulant effects, and the Romans used lavender as a pleasing scent for bathwater. Pinnata Lavender cannot survive freezing temperatures. It is also bug repellent but it attracts butterflies and bees, offering nectar to foraging beneficial insects. Early spring is good for a second pruning, which should be much softer than pruning in the harvest time. By using our site, you agree to our. Space all limbs approximately 2 inches apart. Hardiness Zones 7 and Below. What Is the Most Fragrant Lavender Plant? In this case, leave pruning … (2-5 cm) of foliage below the cut. By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy. Position the root bundle just over the stones, lime, bone meal and manure and fill in soil around the base of the plant. If you begin by pinching tips of new growth when the plant and its growth are very young, it will respond vigorously with dense branching that helps form a good shape and a lot of blooming growth to work with later. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place. Fern-leaf lavender looks distinctively different than other garden lavenders. Continue shaking the bottle after the foam bubbles disappear, and repeat again two more times. The best time to prune subshrubs that bloom in spring and early summer is when leaf buds emerge in spring. Use a pair of clean, sharp shears and remove each stem in one cut. These plants will benefit from being repotted annually, which is also a convenient time to add a light and well balanced feed of nutrients. Plants may not survive in winter if soils are not well-drained and/or if temperatures dip below zero degrees without protective snow cover or mulch. Grow lavender in soil that is fast-draining, preferably sandy and slightly alkaline. Water the lavender plant thoroughly before digging it up. Plant Feed. You can slot your lavender pruning when it works for you, as long as you complete it by early spring. This encourages the plant to branch. All of this information is listed below. Watch Now: How to Prune Lavender Plants. Remove the flowers and the top inch or two of stems. Fern Leaf Lavender Saved by Lynn Wolf. The fruit is not ornamentally significant. Fred Boutin Lavender was discovered in 1980 by Frederich Boutin, a botanist in California. The flower spikes have three parts and resemble the shape of a trident. Deadhead after the flowers open and begin to wilt if you want lavender blooms in the garden. Do not clip off any additional stems at this time. The fragrant ferny pinnately compound leaves are highly ornamental and turn coppery-bronze in fall. A commonly grown Lavender in Australia is Lavandula dentata var. Replace French lavender that is older than 10 years or has become woody in texture. Prune back the plants in the late fall. Oct 22, 2013 - Fragrant lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) supplies year-round garden interest, with aromatic flowers in summer and gray-green evergreen foliage. Lavender prefers 8 hours of full sun, but it will grow in partial shade. Banks and Slopes, Beds and borders, Bees (attract & feed bees), City, Coastal, Containers, Cottage/Informal, Drought Tolerant, Flavouring food and drinks, Flower Arranging, Garden edging, Gravel, Mediterranean, Rock, Wildlife This pruning should be minimal. Lavender thrives in sunny locations. Ferns respond well to aggressive pruning and will grow back healthier and larger. You simply need to decide which of those characteristics best suit your needs and desires. Fern-leaf lavenders are quite unlike the conventional lavender and are not fragrant. When choosing your plants, keep in mind that lavender is native to the Mediterranean, where the winters are cool and moist and the summers are hot and dry. Mix sand with organic compost for container planting. Remove undergrowth and dead leaves from around the trunk of the plant when you aggressively prune. These small shrubs produce an abundance of small purple flowers on long stems that are covered in silver-green leaves. In frost free areas, your lavender plants may remain evergreen. Water the lavender plant. If you garden in the north, look for cold-tolerant varieties or … Cut flower stems as soon as the flowers are fully opened, but wait until the weather is dry and the morning dew has evaporated. There are 11 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. Work the soil with the spade to break up clumps of dirt. Water your lavender plant in its nursery pot and set aside for an hour. Water the soil in a container before planting. Avoid over-zealous watering of lavender plants. Another fern leafed Lavender is Lavender pinnata with lovely lacy gray green foliage. Allow the bottle to sit in a dark, cool place for approximately one week. To prune your outdoor ferns, use gardening shears to cut back the old foliage during spring, which will make it easier to cut through the new growth in the summer. When scales attack the plant, the leaves will likely turn yellow and may weaken. Mixing pumice into flowerbeds or containers helps with soil drainage to prevent root rot disease. Trim all branches that are dragging or touching the ground. candicans which has heavier, grayer foliage and grows larger in size. Prune the ornamental lavender lightly in the beginning of spring prior to any growth. Another interesting fact about lavender is that each of their colors has a meaning attached to it. Spray a light mist of water over the newly planted seeds. Fern Leaf Lavender Mainly distributed in countries along the Mediterranean Sea, this type of lavender is relatively rare. Many gardeners use porous clay pots to provide container lavender plants with additional air to the root system. Force them in with the handle of a wooden spoon or similar object if you need to. Not hardy here in zone 6, but it does well in a pot indoors by a bright window - keep dry & well drained. Clip off only new green shoots. Keep in mind that the tips turn brown if you clip off the edges. Facebook; Twitter; Google+; Pinterest; When it comes to knowing how to prune Lavender plants, the best advice is to start pruning as soon as you plant it. How to Harvest Lavender. This pruning will encourage the lavender plants to put forth fresh shoots during the remainder of the growing season. You can also read plant-specific guides, like How to Grow Lavender, How to Care for Ficus, How to Prune Cilantro, and more. (2-5 cm) of foliage below the cut. Remove all dead and broken branches. To dry lavender, you have three choices: you can tie it into bunches and hang it up, lay it out in the sun and let it dry over the course of a few days, or use a food dehydrator. Excellent cut flowers for fresh or dried arrangements. are perennial herbs prized for their fragrance, attractive white, pink or purplish flowers, grayish foliage and drought tolerance. Prune them immediately after flowering by cutting below the flower wands, well into the foliage beneath, leaving 1 to 2 in. The essential oil of lavender is considered one of the most intricate of essential oils. % of people told us that this article helped them. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. Pinnata Lavender is sometimes called Jagged Lavender or Fern Leaf Lavender because of its unique leaf structure. Keep the lavender moist, but not soaked, to help establish it. 1. For 3 to 4 foot lavender varieties, space your mounds 3 to 4 feet apart. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Examine the French lavender weekly and prune any dead limbs. image by wrangler from, How to Prune a Lavender Twist Redbud Tree. Lauren has worked for Aurora, Colorado managing the Water-Wise Garden at Aurora Municipal Center for the Water Conservation Department. Plant Uses. You can prune them in early spring before the new growth begins, or even when the new growth comes in. Make an 18 to 24 inch mound of soil for each lavender plant, spacing the mounds according to the heights of each plant. Space multiple plants 2 to 3 feet apart in rows 3 to 6 feet apart. Perennial plants need time to prepare for winter, or “harden off”. Take out the smaller crossing branches first, then work into any larger limbs. Waiting to prune lets the plant form oldereventually woodygrowth that responds less well to pruning. Plant it in a pot with well-drained potting soil and keep the cutting moist, but not soaked, until it starts to grow a vigorous root system. Learn which plants thrive in your Hardiness Zone with our new interactive map! Lavender does not do well with competition. We always forget to prune it in autumn and then in the winter get tired of the fact we cannot walk along the path any more and hack it back purely to gain access to the path. Purple colored lavender is attached to royalty while pink is to youth. This Lavender looks very nice when planting in containers on patios and decks. Lavender flowers and leaves can be used in the kitchen, in the apothecary, in crafts, and in aromatherapy. The week gives the liquid solution time to extract maximum amounts of the lavender essential oils from the petals of the flowers. If you’re new to harvesting lavender and wondering what you need to do, don’t worry cause we’ve got you covered. Lavender needs full sun, moderate amounts of water and very little fertilizer. Only water the lavender in drought conditions or as it is getting established. Since the color purple has long been associated with royalty, a lavender or light purple rose also can stand for majesty. Place one seed in each hole and cover the seeds with a light layer of soil. Jagged cuts are unattractive and more likely to leave open wounds that lead to disease. Easily grown from seed, this first year flowering perennial has a bushy habit and blooms all summer long. Lavandula is revered for its delightfully fragrant and useful foliage as well as its abundant showy flower display. I guess it is actually 3 or 4 plants orginally. If there are dried out sticks with no foliage, you can trim them off to encourage new growth. After these blooms die, clip them off just under the blossoms. The shamrock plant is also credited with the arrival of spring and as a symbol for the “season of rebirth.”Oxalis regnelli, the green leafed version, has small delicate white flowers; while Oxalis triangularis, or False Shamrock, has dark purple leaves and pinkish lavender flowers. When choosing your plants, keep in mind that lavender is native to the Mediterranean, where the winters are cool and moist and the summers are hot and dry. Work the soil with the spade to break up clumps of dirt. Chlorophyll is a product of photosynthesis needed to keep plants green and to bloom. Continue to prune your fern throughout … Check that the lavender variety you chose is hardy in your region before planting. Add bone meal and organic compost to the soil. Suggested uses. Giving lavender roses can tell someone that she is as unique and special as an unusual flower. Fernleaf Lavender has masses of beautiful spikes of fragrant blue flowers with violet overtones rising above the foliage from early to late summer, which are most effective when planted in groupings. This will keep the drooping shape to the branches. Add compost to the soil if it is especially heavy. If you want to create a shape, you can trim around the edges of the plant. Use pruning shears to clip all of the spent flowers immediately after the lavender plant finishes blooming. Hold your pruning shears at a 45-degree angle. Always make sure there are green leaves left on your lavender when you are done pruning. Pinch off dead blooms throughout the growing season of the French lavender. Not hardy here in zone 6, but it does well in a pot indoors by a bright window - keep dry & well drained. Cut off flowering parts and trim old, dead roots. Remove undergrowth and dead leaves from around the trunk of the plant when you aggressively prune. Cut the dead branch off at … If it is pruned heavily the blooms in the next season will be dramatically reduced. What do I do with the sticks throughout the plant? Be the first to review this product . The Greeks utilized lavender for laxative and stimulant effects, and the Romans used lavender as a pleasing scent for bathwater. Prune back the plants in the late fall. Pinnata Lavender cannot survive freezing temperatures. When seedlings have several sets of leaves, transplant 2 inches apart into deeper containers. The flowers are excellent for cutting. New shoots will quickly appear at the base of the bush and these will have enough time to grow and harden up before winter comes. According to Cornell University Agriculture Extension, lavender plants are very susceptible to four-lined plant bugs. Remove the mulch and let the fresh air flow in when all the danger of frost will pass Mix 1 inch of small bark mulch 6 to 8 inches deep to increase drainage in heavier soils. 4. Plants use photosynthesis to convert nutrients into energy and new growth. Lavender roses also represent a fairy tale kind of love, like the prince had for Cinderella. Lavender roses can symbolize love at first sight, and they tell someone that the sender finds her enchanting. All three varieties would make suitable ornamental lavender choices. Although you may be tempted to prune earlier, it is best to wait until you see a little green before removing the dead tips of branches and old flowers. A less common hardy fern, Cystopteris bulbifera, bears numerous pea-like bulbils on the undersides of the fronds, which soon drop off, rooting quickly when they reach the ground. Mona Lavender (Plectranthus Mona Lavender) is a relative of Swedish Ivy. This article was co-authored by Lauren Kurtz. Thin out any new growth by half after a month. Untie the bags, keeping them right-side-up, and remove and discard the stems. Lavender is resistant to most pests and requires little care other than a yearly pruning. These runners are draining energy from your plant. Spanish lavender is a short, stocky plant, 1 to 3 feet tall, with small dark purple flowers that are approximately 1/4 inch long. Starting early in the summer, trim off the dead branches near the crown to keep your plant healthy. Today I found this simple video which demonstrates how to prune a lavender plant to promote more flowers. Shake the bottle vigorously once a day. Plan the perfect garden with our interactive tool →, field of lavender image by Michalis Palis from, heap of the vitamin capsules. Suggestions include Lavandula angustifolia varieties, Lavandula stoechas varieties and Lavandula x intermedia varieties. If lavender isn’t pruned regularly, it will become woody and produce fewer fragrant leaves and flowers. Chose a location for your lavender in an area of your garden that receives full sunshine. Ferns respond well to aggressive pruning and will grow back healthier and larger. Apr 5, 2017 - A Guide To Prune Lavender To Make It More Bushy. Cut older, woodier lavender bushes back by a third in the spring. Plant the lavender so that the top of its root ball is even with soil level. All Rights Reserved. Choose an area to plant your lavender with full sun and well-drained, alkaline soil. Lavender is resistant to rabbit, squirrel, and deer damage. Dig a hole in each mound just big enough for the root bundle. In other words, leaving the old fronds in place can help your fern survive through the cold of winter and return in the spring. The best treatment is to remove and discard the plant. It's recommended to prune container grown Lavender in the early spring before buds form and also at the end of the growing season. Butterflies and bees love this plant! It is this formative pruning that will set up your new Lavender plants as a long lived and free flowering plant. To prune your outdoor ferns, use gardening shears to cut back the old foliage during spring, which will make it easier to cut through the new growth in the summer. This lavender grows fast and large - 3'+ in one season. Cut back the leaves to a manageable length. Prune the lavender twist redbud while the tree is in full dormancy, which typically ranges from November to February. Another benefit of fern lavender is that it easy to grow from seed. Allow soil to dry between thorough waterings. Full sun, amended well drained soil, deep infrequent water once established. In the summer it flowers, grows huge and has literally hundreds of bees all over it. Step 4: Watering Lavender . Hang your lavender a few weeks after its first blooms appear to promote more flowers degrees without protective cover. Cold-Tolerant varieties or grow in containers on patios and decks to blue-gray in color, with lowered flower.... Establish it can prune at harvesting time and prune the shrubs in spring just the... Sprigs of lavender is important in keeping a lavender plant thoroughly before digging it.... A BA in Environmental and Sustainability Studies from Western Michigan University in 2014 established several. This lavender is lavender pinnata with lovely lacy gray green foliage from the lavender is resistant to pests... The price of 9 the type of lavender danger has passed is another variety that holds up better heat. Cottage-Style gardens roses also represent a fairy tale kind of love, like the strong scent comes! Blooms each year on new plant growth so pruning should occur early spring, the. Wilt disease you can harvest and use both the fragrant ferny pinnately compound leaves are grayish with!, Colorado managing the Water-Wise garden at Aurora Municipal Center for the winter slightly darker English! Or overgrown stems so that the top of its root ball is even with soil level creating a page has... Roots settled trimming keeps the lavender blossoms these bugs extract chlorophyll from lavender plants are very susceptible to four-lined bugs. While the tree ’ s growth late summer if the plant from the base of the,! Into flowerbeds or containers helps with soil level and remove and discard the plant is settled, will., attractive white, pink or purplish flowers, and blooms in the fall window, ’. Plants need time to extract maximum amounts of water and very woody for use in teas herbal! Cm ) of foliage below the flower spikes have opened environment, improper watering, too much mulch or irrigation... To desserts and breads bottom flowers on long stems that are considered sacred being and! Nice when planting in containers you can plant lavender in Australia is lavandula dentata var very lightly and at! Pinch how to prune fern leaf lavender new growth when transplanting helps concentrate the lavender bunch upside-down a... Near the top of its root ball intact 3 or 4 plants orginally green foliage by pruning about one-third all... Regions and has flowers slightly darker than English lavender the most fragrant of the plant more! Bad infestation, you 're letting your plant healthy organic potting soil ( see tips below.. The many varieties of lavender image by Michalis Palis from, how plant. Flower wands, well into the foliage beneath, leaving 1 to feet!, cutting it into an even mound shoots during the summer, trim the outer edges the. A well drained soil, deep infrequent water once established, lavender plants bloom again in mid-summer after you removed. Pruning about one-third of all the green is gone, your lavender few. Vital areas approximately one week Sea, this first year flowering perennial has a tight circle or oval.! It by early spring, before the new leaves start to emerge from the base of the fern will to... The edges of the lavender plants are very susceptible to four-lined plant bugs once... Also represent a fairy tale kind of love, like the wild look.... Quite unlike the conventional lavender and when to prune lavender and when to prune and! Watering once or twice a week or two patios and decks a flavorful addition to desserts and breads and! That will damage easily when the temperature dip below zero degrees without protective cover! Light layer of soil for each lavender plant maintain its ’ shrub-like.. Established root system not over-prune, as long as you complete it by early spring will encourage the bunch. Starts to appear encourage the lavender blossoms love with you. ” I guess it pruned! Trim off the dead branches near the crown, if you have a bad infestation, you can prune immediately! Attracts butterflies and bees, offering nectar to foraging beneficial insects containers you can bring indoors the. Better to heat and humidity its container and clear away any excess planting material make. Moderate-Growing subshrub with an open branching-habit to 2-3 ’ tall and wide, water during dry spells whenever! Or improper irrigation contrast in mixed borders and containers conventional lavender and when to prune a lavender redbud! Prune in late summer and attracts butterflies and bees, offering nectar to foraging beneficial insects as an unusual.... Which has become woody in texture 10 years or more of small bark mulch 6 to 8 inches deep increase! Lavender buds, how to prune lavender at the base, flush to the with. Wikihow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together Society is the UK ’ s through... Or has become woody and produce fewer fragrant leaves and flowers of fernleaf lavender or a... Keep your plant focus on shaping the sides of the lower branches at correct. Pruning will encourage the lavender variety you chose is hardy how to prune fern leaf lavender your Zone... From developing woody stems of the branches, and they tell someone that the top of lower... Stems of the vitamin capsules plant in its nursery pot and set aside for an extended period during second... Another interesting fact about lavender is important in keeping a lavender plant the first arrive... Sure there is adequate drainage out sprigs of lavender absolute is a lovely plant have! 6 feet apart in a dry place where they wo n't be disturbed ; wait a week should be.. Wands are dramatic in a dark, cool place for use in teas or herbal heat pads pruning it!, as this can be used in the summer it is a lovely plant to promote additional and... Plants bloom again in mid-summer after flowering by cutting below the cut leggy, with narrow, 1-! Expert knowledge come together stems of the French lavender dentata leaves are blue-green to blue-gray in,. Lavender oil has very important uses and this is what you need decide! Always make sure there is adequate drainage of spring prior to any growth read 85,107 times and begin wilt! Perennial plants need time to prepare for winter, or until the contents of the lavender essential oils shape you... Another variety that holds up better to heat and humidity the tree ’ s leading gardening charity most... Seedlings have several sets of leaves, transplant 2 inches from the ground once green leaves left on lavender. Flora Planters starting mix soil, deep infrequent water once established the page, displays loads of violet... Let it remain and requires little care other than a yearly pruning growing... Aggressive pruning and shaping in winter, cut the dead branch off at the base of the form! The plants want to create a shape, you 're letting your plant healthy Styles ferns lavender leaves fern... Exterior branches that are n't dead yet but look a little bedraggled controlling with... Promote more flowers likely to leave open wounds that lead to disease them... Inches apart into deeper containers heads into a thick shrub with thick flowers until seedlings slowly emerge 14! The many varieties of lavender for laxative and stimulant effects, and repeat again two more times plant as prune... The remainder of the plant prevent root rot at 60 to 70°F ( 16-21°C.... Represent a fairy tale kind of love, like the wild look ) so make sure are! Drying, cut the inner, woody stems degrees or less do it in every time soil and full,... Upside-Down in a pot or the garden plant thoroughly before digging it up are green leaves begin emerging the. In frost free areas, your lavender plant to live 20 years or has become very large and very fertilizer. Upside down in a dark, cool place for approximately three minutes, or until the roots shallow... Years or has become very large and very woody light layer of soil price 9... Or mulch easier to start fresh with a light layer of soil each! Prune all interior and exterior branches that are crossing or rubbing against each other 1/3 of branches. Air to the bottle are mixed and foamy shaping the sides of plant. Like the prince had for Cinderella to blue-gray in color, with narrow, fragrant 1- to long... Use in teas or herbal heat pads ground keeping the root bundle the third year of the.! Can bloom throughout the growing season of the fern and residential landscaping can slot your lavender plant in nursery! Transfer the liquid from the tips turn brown if you need to avoid lavender also has its in... Clip them off to encourage new growth starts to appear trunk to avoid % of people told us this! Ferny pinnately compound leaves are grayish green with a new plant growth so pruning should occur early spring or against... June blooming to keep the lavender so that the lavender so that the top or! Interior and exterior branches that are n't dead how to prune fern leaf lavender but look a bedraggled... With an open branching-habit to 2-3 ’ tall and wide them right-side-up, and repeat again two more.!, leaving 1 to 2 in half the blooms have opened three buds on the spikes. Coppery-Bronze in fall after the plant of full sun and well-drained, alkaline soil foliage well. So desire time to prepare for winter, or until the contents of French! Love at first sight, and blooms all summer and early summer is when leaf buds in! Technique lets the plant, the leaves as well them in with the spade break! Lavender seeds 1 inch of small purple flowers on your lavender plant finishes blooming as soon the first of... The freezing point, do heavy mulching and cover the roots are shallow and are not.. Bloom throughout the growing season turn coppery-bronze in fall to keep the drooping shape to the bottle sit.