Did he kill my lavender?

Help!! I am a novice gardener in Seattle. I inherited a beautiful lavender bush. I think it is an English lavender. It seemed to be well established and was probably 3 feet tall by 3 feet wide last August.

My finance was told to cut the plant back after it bloomed. And boy, did he cut it back, all the way back. I think he killed it. I've promised not to beat him until I was sure the plant was dead. I know nothing about lavender, so here is a picture taken March 13th. There is no growth of any kind showing any where.

Tell me what you think...is the wedding off or will my plant rebound?

Thanks in advance!

Wow! Take the pruners away form him! He may indeed have killed it. Lavender rarely need more than a haircut after bloom. But give it some time...they are VERY hardy so you just might get lucky.

Thanks rikerbear, that's what I was afraid of. If it was to come back, do you think it would do anything soon, or would it be weeks or months?

good grief. I never cut mine back except maybe to prune the stray limbs. I dont think it will come back.
wow you need to let the plant rejuvinate after it flowers. thats why it stays green after it flowers s it can get what it needs for next year.


i have heard to only cut back a third of the plant once a year if you must prune. or the dead pats after flowering but not the whoole bush.

its still cold for you all isnt it? if so wait till spring and see what happens it might come back . hopeing the best for you.

babers, wait a few weeks before doing anything drastic (like removing it)....it may yet surprise you with some regrowth.
Our temps here are now in the 40s and 50s pretty steadily now, so true Spring may just bring it around for you.
Good Luck! :-)

...The "lavender pruner" responds....

I too am relatively new to gardening. And I pruned the holy heck out of that poor lavender on bogus advice from a very accomplished gardener. I guess I'll just have to chalk up the unfortunate demise of our use to be beautiful lavender to inexperience. I feel like a shmuck!

This message was edited Mar 15, 2004 11:07 AM

Oh don't feel 'shmuckish'...these things happen.
lavender grows quickly, so even if worse comes to worse, you can replace it with new and in no time at all it will be big and beautiful.

RikerBear
aka
Marc

Yes, give it some time, but please don't feel bad if you boo-boo'ed. We've all done it -- I did it to a wonderful artemisia 'Powis Castle', myself.....

If you want a fast grower, you might try the 'Improved Hidcote' lavendars. I really like them and find they flower the longest of all the lavendars for me.