Pruning Lavender That Has Gone Woody

Lavender is a beautiful plant from the Mediterranean. When this beautiful plant hasn’t been taken care of it becomes thick and woody detracting from its appearance and flowering. So when a lavender go woody a hard pruning is needed.
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#gardening #beginnergardening #gardeningtips #gardenlife #plant #plantlife #garden #flower #beginnergardener #lavender #lavenderflowers #lavendercare

[@OrganicallyAnn]

I like to see how drastic you pruned your lavender back. Often times people discard them when they get that woody, but you showed them the green growth that was still viable on the plant. Thanks for the video.

[@goodsoilnursery]

Thanks for watching. Plants are a lot tougher then what most people give them credit for.

[@DerrickBarber]

You're like the Edward Scissorhands of lavender. It's beautiful to watch!

[@goodsoilnursery]

😆 thanks I appreciate that and I’m glad you enjoyed the video

[@darlenemc3586]

I moved to my house and inherited the 2 large pots out front with woody lavender in it. I was thinking of tossing it out, but will prune it down like you showed! Thank you for this video. It's well timed for me.

[@goodsoilnursery]

You’re welcome hope it helps.

[@PaulOutdoors]

A great explanation and demonstration. This is something that I have done to revitalise woody lavender. Got to be brave. Thank you. Paul 👍😊

[@goodsoilnursery]

Glad you enjoyed it, and you’re welcome. It works really well, and you do have to be brave. If you haven’t subscribed yet, don’t forget to subscribe.

[@laurengrinberg3505]

Thank you for showing all the steps of this pruning

[@goodsoilnursery]

You’re welcome

[@jamesedwards2687]

Thanks for this excellent presentation. I've been flying blind with my lavender.

[@goodsoilnursery]

You’re welcome, lavender was a learning curve for me as well and I’m very happy this helped you.

[@GoldenPowergardens]

I have been on the learning curve with my lavender. Trimmed mine a lot like you did but was cautioned not to dig up even to improve growing medium to sandy compost. Very exciting to see real gardening skill.

[@goodsoilnursery]

Thank you very much. I am glad you enjoyed the video.

[@nikkigramling8193]

Thank you! The life you just saved was my lavender plant

[@goodsoilnursery]

You are very welcome.

[@lonettehendrick9836]

I was wondering about the woody part. I have had mine for two years your video is the first one to help me with quest and hopefully keep mine looking good. Thank you!

[@goodsoilnursery]

You’re very welcome, thanks for watching and practice makes perfect

[@rotorblade7363]

Awesome video.

[@goodsoilnursery]

Thanks, I appreciate it.

[@graceclifton-uv1vj]

Thank you! I didn't know how to care for lavender and mine got so woody and sparse looking. I have hope now 🥰

[@goodsoilnursery]

You’re welcome and thanks for watching. Hope it works out for you.

[@kamauwikeepa7308]

Well I lost count of how many my sister has tossed in the rubbish and purchased more to replace them. However, in her old home she had a lush hedge she had established from off cuts. She virtually just stuck them in the ground with no problems at all. She has the idea that they play around with them so much that they have lost their resilience. Sadly all the bushes she tossed out are gone except one. Thanks for your information, I will up root this one and have a close look. Her hedge had sun all day, this could be another reason because we also have many mature trees on our property. Here goes!

[@goodsoilnursery]

You’re very welcome and thanks for watching. If the plants are strong enough they will return beautiful like nothing has happened. To much shade isn’t the best thing for lavender a good substitute would be catmint.

[@KishorTwist]

All _above_ the new spring growth! 👍

[@goodsoilnursery]

You got it

[@paulette6900]

Thank you, I was getting depressed looking at my beautiful bushes not looking so beautiful. I wonder if it's the extended hot, dry spells we've had this summer. I finally watered them a few times and that seems to have helped.

[@goodsoilnursery]

You’re welcome and thanks for watching. It could be, however lavender are what they call sub shrubs. If you don’t prune every year they do get very woody.

[@frankryan782]

Strange plant , most videos says if you cut lavender right back it will not regrow . I'm wondering if you cut it right back the results will depend on when you do it?

[@goodsoilnursery]

It’s always best to do it in the spring helps the plant recover

[@deedee8568]

Thanks! It may die but I'll try. Better than binning.

[@goodsoilnursery]

You’re welcome. Out of all the ones, I had to cut back hard to include the one in this video there was about a 75% success rate.

[@violetrosegold]

Great video. I need to do that to my lavender. How long did it take for your lavender to grow big and full again?

[@goodsoilnursery]

It took until the following year to grow back big and full, so let’s say you prune this year, next year they most likely will be back nice and full.

[@Roonitochka]

Thank you so much! I'm so excited I can save my lavender! Could I ask if it is only in April that this pruning can be done? Thanks

[@goodsoilnursery]

You’re very welcome and thanks for watching. Earlier the better if pruning hard like in this video. It will give your lavender the best chance at recovery. Than the following year prune in the fall or after flowers have faded.

[@Roonitochka]

@@goodsoilnursery I really appreciate the reply! To clarify: it is not a good idea to do it now in Oct?

[@goodsoilnursery]

I would not. With cold weather around the corner the lavender may not have a chance to recover and succumb to the cold

[@Roonitochka]

@@goodsoilnursery Thank you so much!

[@goodsoilnursery]

You’re welcome

[@kutecitten5701]

Can this be done in summer? Thanks

[@goodsoilnursery]

It can when you pruning lavender that’s gone woody to put it simply your removing all the dead old wood. Lavender blooms on new growth. I did a video pruning lavender as well. The woody lavender that I cut back hard most survived.

[@virgorising8123]

Wish I would have seen this before I pruned it completely in hopes of it coming back and it hasn’t yet. About to go home and take it out and look for some green. But what if you see no green at all then what? Is it totally done

[@goodsoilnursery]

It is totally done if there is no green at all

[@kindafoggy]

Sorry if I missed it in your video, but what variety is the lavender you pruned? I understand some varieties respond well and get nice and lush with a hard pruning and some, like Grosso (which I have) do regularly die/flatten out in the center of the plant. Does make it look "woody" because all the little new grow is out on the ends of the branches. Does Grosso bounce back with lots of new, full growth for you?

[@goodsoilnursery]

Thanks for watching. The lavender I’m pruning in this video is all Munstead. All lavender will get woody over time, pruning helps slow that process down. These haven’t been pruned in a long time so by doing the heavy trim, I did makes them more floriferous. 3 out of the 5 I ended up trimming hard survived. Many think of lavender as flowers when in fact they are actually shrubs, I wish KZbin would allow pictures in comments so I could show you how they recovered

[@kindafoggy]

@@goodsoilnursery I appreciate the information! I'll be replacing the Grossos with Munstead I think.

[@fishsimplyoutdoors]

@@kindafoggyyou’re welcome. It wouldn’t hurt to try, it never hurts to experiment. Also what may work for one may not work for another even if they are right down the road.

[@mandarani.rambutani]

When should you be doing this exactly? During/before Springtime or when Summer's ending? I adopted woody lavender from someone whose father passed, because they were going to get rid of it anyway, but I'm a bit hesitant as I don't want to ruin the plants 🙈

[@goodsoilnursery]

Do it during springtime, doing it in the spring gives the lavender the best possible chance at recovery and will allow you to spot the new growth to cut down to.

[@Barbara-c6b4t]

Thank you

[@goodsoilnursery]

You’re welcome

[@tinaknutsen]

Can you do the same with Heather? Mine looks woody like your lavender -straggly and gappy instead of full.

[@goodsoilnursery]

Heather you can’t cut back as hard or be as drastic. Without seeing the plant I would remove any old dead/dying branches. Then from here on out cut stems back 2/3 after flowering, and over time it should grow i to its own.

[@mghtrock48]

It seems one would want to control/minimize woody growth? Otherwise, as the plant matures, the green growth will appear further away from the root zone. This correct?

[@goodsoilnursery]

You would want to control that, unfortunately most people who buy plants like lavender are not told that at purchase or just don’t know.. Anyone, I mentioned this in the video who wants or buys lavender should prune a 1/3 of the plant after blooming. Most people don’t know that and typically aren’t told that when they buy the plant this video showed plants that weren’t taken care of, and how to help remedy the issue.

[@mghtrock48]

Thanks! I grew a bunch of lavender in 3.5 inch pots. They completed a full year of growth and wasn’t sure how to prune since most videos don’t really talk about growth in young plants. After your video, it makes sense now to prune after the flowering. This will encourage new growth at the base, allowing that new growth to catch up to the pruned parts, thus creating a bushier lavender.

[@goodsoilnursery]

@@mghtrock48 you're welcome

[@dianahcrumpler9791]

What if your lavender bush blooms almost all year? Doesn’t stop producing flowers until the first frost. El Paso West Texas.

[@goodsoilnursery]

If it’s woody like the one I did in this video. I would wait until spring and when the lavender starts its new growth for the year so you can identify where to cut down to. If you’re just talking about pruning by a 1/3 I would just do that before first frost.

[@jacobandcassidydejong7674]

When should I give the lavender a hard prune? Spring or fall?

[@goodsoilnursery]

Spring is the best time, gives the plant the best chance of recovery

[@msyafiqmuhd3332]

Any updates of its growth?

[@goodsoilnursery]

3 out of the 5 that, I ended up doing recovered and are doing very well. 2 of them didn’t make it.

[@msyafiqmuhd3332]

Aww man its like a gamble risk .i cut most of the stems and leaves and left some stems and main stems because i saw the tip leaves turn black and white

[@butterflywings370]

Thanks for video. I have a potted lavendar that has some wooded stem at the bottom but the top seem to have green and brown leaves. Would pruning help?

[@goodsoilnursery]

You’re welcome thank you for watching. There will always be a little woody, but you never trim it then it will turn very woody like the one, I did in this video with all wood and very little foliage and flowering. To keep you lavender happy, healthy, flowering and less woody after flowering trim the plant by a 1/3 every year.

[@butterflywings370]

@@goodsoilnursery Thanks!

[@fishsimplyoutdoors]

@@butterflywings370you’re welcome

[@karenrhine3612]

Do you have to remove from the ground to trim like this?

[@goodsoilnursery]

You do not, they were removed from the ground because, I was moving them to a better location, sometimes it’s much easier to do them being hunched over.

[@CBTCFT]

Thanks for the video. Is it safe to do this in autumn, or should I wait until spring now?

[@goodsoilnursery]

Your welcome. Wait until spring to give it the best chance of recovering and putting on new growth.

[@charleshsu7160]

curious to see what it looks like if it survies?

[@goodsoilnursery]

Wish I could post pictures, out of the 5 I pruned hard 3 survived and are looking fantastic.

[@DozaCraft]

I mean call me crazy.. but shouldn't that plant be IN THE DIRT?!

[@goodsoilnursery]

😆 i was moving them and it was easier for me to prune them out of the dirt. Plants are a lot tougher the. What people give them credit for. Upon transplanting and the heavy pruning 3 out of the 5 pulled through.

[@AYFU2]

Why does it go Woody ? Lack of water or winter cold ?

[@goodsoilnursery]

Lavender is actually a shrub not a flower, so if you don’t annually trim it after flowering it gets woody and shrub like. By trimming it by about 1/3 after flowering helps to minimize how woody it gets by keeping it compact and taking off the “old” growth.

[@AYFU2]

​@@goodsoilnursery Thank you !! I'll be pruning it down . First plant of lavender I've owned. Appreciate the feedback!

[@fishsimplyoutdoors]

@@AYFU2you’re welcome

[@paulaivens8063]

My lavender got water logged and looks awful but will give it a good cut and see what happens.

[@goodsoilnursery]

Just look for where the green growth is popping up and trim above that.

[@paulaivens8063]

@@goodsoilnursery I’ve probably over chopped but hopefully it will come through.

[@AllisonTobin-tb2vc]

My lavender has no white flowers at the top of the blue

[@goodsoilnursery]

Most lavender has purple flowers there are some varieties that have all white flowers

[@dellahayden5606]

I’m going to try to cut mine back today… wish me 🍀

[@goodsoilnursery]

Good luck and thanks for watching

[@belindalee4626]

Omg I just threw away 3 lavendar plants that look like yours. Why didn't I see this video sooner. Thanks this is the 2nd year of purchasing Lowes lavendar plants and they die.

[@goodsoilnursery]

You’re welcome. It may or may not be a tad more expensive sounds like you should check out some local nurseries in your area.

[@PattyRissmanKidd]

It's a good video except that you went too fast and didn't get enough close-ups to show exactly where you were cutting. If you slow down a little bit and showed more of where exactly you cut according to the new growth, it would very much improve the video. Thank you for your time though.

[@goodsoilnursery]

Cut just above the new growth. Thank you for watching