Forum home› Plants
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

Dead-heading lavender...

Siberian KhatruSiberian Khatru Posts: 19
in Plants
We have a number of new lavender plants in our front garden, which were lovely during May / June, but now that they've finished flowering look a bit dead and bedgraggled. 

Would the best thing be to dead-head all the flowering stems or leave alone? Would dead-heading actually encourage a second flowering later in the year?

Posts

  • hogweedhogweed Posts: 4,053
    I would cut all the plants back just into the new growth - so you are taking all the dead stems off plus a bit more. 
    'Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement' - Helen Keller
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    I don't know about a second flush this year but clipping them over just below the bottom of the old flowering spikes (but not into old wood) will help to keep them compact and bushy and give you more flowers next year.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • AnniDAnniD Posts: 12,585
    Yes, just tidy them up for now. You might get the odd random flower, but not much more. 
  • Siberian KhatruSiberian Khatru Posts: 19
    Thanks folks! Dead-heading complete, as advised. My re-cycling bin now smells beautiful! 
  • Dirty HarryDirty Harry Posts: 1,048
    I haven't had English lavender re-bloom properly before.

    FYI if you do want a long lasting lavender, French can flower from early summer through to Autumn in my experience.

    Not hardy enough to rely outdoors over winter though.
  • Siberian KhatruSiberian Khatru Posts: 19
    Thanks, DH. Didn't know that!
Sign In or Register to comment.