Plant
Doctor Archive
Trimming
lavender and herbs
My
partner and I have had the wonderful opportunity to house sit a
cottage for a year, but I am struggling with the garden. I know
that you are supposed to cut lavender back once it stops flowering.
What I am wondering is do the same rules apply for standard lavenders?
Also, there is a wonderful herb garden here, and once again should
I be cutting these back as well?
Lucky
you, managing to house sit a cottage and a garden! You are quite
right about pruning lavender once it has finished flowering, and
the rules also apply to standard lavenders. However, you cannot
be too hard when cutting the plants back as lavenders only rarely
grow new shoots from old wood. I recommend cutting back into the
green growth by between a third and a half. This should encourage
new growth and new flowers. You should also remove any straggly
or sick foliage and dead twigs. With the standard lavenders, you
should also make sure you maintain a good shape to the plant. Lavenders
do not last forever, and when they get woody it is often a good
idea to replant with new plants.
As for the rest of the
herb garden, it really does depend on what herbs there are. Annuals
like basil and fennel can be removed; they will not last the winter.
Perennials like rosemary, marjoram and thyme can be given a light
trim to keep their shape and encourage new growth. Sage can be treated
in a similar manner to lavendar. Good luck!
Advice
by Dr Dan Blanchon from Unitec's Diploma in Sustainable Horticulture and Bachelor
of Resource Management.
Reproduced
with permission from NZOOM Home and Garden content,
from the previous
website of
The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the RNZIH
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