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

Preparing lavender and salvia for winter - should I cut off all the old flower heads/stems?

2»

Posts

  • Busy-LizzieBusy-Lizzie Posts: 24,043
    I have cut my lavenders back, but not into brown stems without leaves, more like the red ring in the photo. If I lived in the north I would only cut the dead flower stems off and leave the rest for winter protection then prune in the spring.

    I've cut my salvia nemorosas in half to stop them flopping but also to leave some protection. I will cut them down when the daffodils start flowering. I prune the shrubby salvias in spring.
    Dordogne and Norfolk. Clay in Dordogne, sandy in Norfolk.
  • Pink678Pink678 Posts: 498
    That's very helpful thank you Busy-Lizzie.
    I'm thinking cutting the dead flowers off the lavender is not just a cosmetic thing, but it is good for the plant itself ...
    From checking online images, I think mine are salvia nemorosas too, and mine flopped!  I'm guessing you cut them in half vertically, chopping the tops off so they are not so heavy.
  • borgadrborgadr Posts: 718
    I've found nemorosa to be more resilient in winter than certain other salvias I grow (but I'm in a mild part of the country). I haven't had any problems just cutting them right back to stumps and leaving them - no special protection.
  • Like buzy-lizzie says, leave the lavender until April, @Pink678
    I used to cut lavender in Autumn ( mid September) but they always died. Sinceleaving them until April, they survived frost and snow. 

    I my garden.

  • Pink678Pink678 Posts: 498
    edited November 2023
    Thank you @borgadr, that's helpful to know the one I have is more resilient.
    @Simone_in_Wiltshire I will do that, leaving til April is easy to do!
    I have taken the spent lavender flowerheads off now, and I will wait until spring to do the proper lavender pruning.
Sign In or Register to comment.