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Should I prune Hidcote Lavender that won’t stop flowering?

sjhall19744oS8EIjusjhall19744oS8EIju Posts: 3
in Problem solving
So I planted a row of Hidcote lavender into planters back in summer. The raised beds are a mixture of good quality topsoil, grass cuttings, ordinary potting compost, sand and I finished it off with some deep wells of manure about a foot apart. Anyway they just won’t stop flowering and I’ve been waiting for them to stop so I can prune them back. They are obviously feeding well off of the manure but I do not want to stress the plants too much. So my question is should I cut them back now? And if so how much? Or should I leave the pruning until spring?

Posts

  • sjhall19744oS8EIjusjhall19744oS8EIju Posts: 3

  • Pauline 7Pauline 7 Posts: 2,246
    I can't answer your query as I am a learner too,   but knowing whereabouts you are in the country will help those who can.  Conditions vary so much depending on location. 
    West Yorkshire
  • Allotment BoyAllotment Boy Posts: 6,774
    If you do want to lose the flowers now,  you can wait till late February or early March,  and prune then. Just remember not to cut into old or brown stems, they will only regrow from green. 
    AB Still learning

  • AnniDAnniD Posts: 12,585
    Personally l would wait until late March and then just give them a light trim to tidy them up. Generally the weather turns colder in January/February so they will probably stop very soon.
    As Pauline says, a lot depends on whereabouts you are, but they seem very happy  :)
  • sjhall19744oS8EIjusjhall19744oS8EIju Posts: 3
    Hi. Thanks there guys. Location is Morden. Surrey. They do seem very happy yes. Guess I’ll wait til they stop flowering and prune in spring. Thanks 
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    The bumbles are still around and will appreciate the late season nectar. They are still on my flowering salvias, less of them are flying, but still there.
  • Mr. Vine EyeMr. Vine Eye Posts: 2,394
    I’ve had the same. I’m waiting til early spring!
    East Yorkshire
  • Cambridgerose12Cambridgerose12 Posts: 1,134
    Lavender will flower on and on, but if you don't prune it, it becomes leggy and you can't then cut it back without killing it. The best way is to prune in August after the main flush of flowers. You can take the heads, then, and use them for lavender bags if you like. You would need to cut back only as far as the actual living growth, as it won't grow new buds from the old wood. This means it's easy to use shears on it all over. By doing this, you encourage it to branch from the growing tips, meaning your plants stay nice and bushy and compact, and have more flowers.

    But, as someone says, if you cut back now, you'll lose the flowers for next year, so I'd recommend not doing that. Your plants are still young enough that you'll be able to prune all over next August without them getting leggy. If they look untidy then, for now, just snip off the dead flower stems with secateurs or scissors.
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