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Lavender (Hidcote) pruning - Zone 8a, BC

gardenbug
13 years ago

Last year I planted lavender in my garden in front of my climbing roses. but now I'm wondering when to prune it, how much should I take off? Can you just use scissors for this job? Should I feed it something? Thank you everyone for your help.

Comments (8)

  • fatamorgana2121
    13 years ago

    No fertilizer.

    Scissors work only if trimming green shoots. Get some pruners, even inexpensive pruners will work well if you don't do much hand trimming. Never trim off more than 1/3 of the living plant material. With lavender, no pruning is required. I would only trim out the dead material and minor pruning (if any!) for shape.

    I'm surprised that the rose and a lavender would do well together. Roses like more moisture and much richer soil than the lavender. Lavenders prefer conditions that are more similar to a rock garden than a rose bed.

    FataMorgana

  • gardenbug
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Hi fata..
    Thank you for helping me with this. I planted them together because I was told that lavender and roses go well together.

  • flora_uk
    13 years ago

    Garden shears are the quickest way to trim lavender.
    Just clip all over it and remove old flower stems and about half of the newest growth. Don't cut into old wood as it seldom regenerates in lavender. I'd disagree with Fata (very rare:)) over lavender not needing pruning. It's one shrub I would say is much improved by clipping to get rid of the dead flower stalks.

  • gardenbug
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Hi flora, thank you for your suggestion. Okay, I won't cut into the old wood. What is your opinion on planting the roses with the lavendar? I always read that they went well together. This is all new to me and I'm not sure what to do? Thanks again.

  • flora_uk
    13 years ago

    No particular opinion on roses with lavender, except they are a common combo over here in traditional style gardens. Although lavender is a Mediterranean plant it is quite happy in the average damp English garden. Not sure what is meant by 'Go well together'. Does that mean they are an aesthetically pleasing combination or a traditional combination? Or is there supposed to be some sort of 'companion planting' effect? The link shows some examples.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Lavender and roses

  • gardenbug
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    thx flora, actually what I was trying to say is can lavendar be planted them in the same soil as the roses? We get a lot of rain during the winter so the soil is moist but has good drainage. I think lavendar and roses look beautiful together. Thx for the link, what a gorgeous garden.

  • lavender_lass
    13 years ago

    I have Hidcote lavender, in front of my roses, and they've been very happy together. I did it mainly to keep out the deer (which works pretty well) but also because they look so pretty together.

    Last spring, I didn't trim my Hidcote lavender, at all. It was a wet and cold spring, and we kept getting late frosts. My mom cut back her butterfly bush, too early, and it died...so I was hesitant to trim anything, too soon.

    One day, I noticed all the old blooms/stems had fallen off the lavender and new flowers were forming. So, I don't think you have to trim lavender at all, but the choice is yours :)

  • flora_uk
    13 years ago

    Maybe it depends on your climate. I pass a front garden every day on may way to work which has a lavender hedge the whole length of the frontage. The house has obviously changed hands and the new oweners did not clipped it last year. The dead flower stalks have persisted all winter and are still there now looking very scruffy.