Despite the fact that there's still some snow at the base of the plants, my lavenders have just started to put out new growth... and according to Tom DeBaggio, that means it's time to trim them back! I don't think the cold front in next week's forecast will cause any trouble... if temps were going to drop to the mid 20's, I'd wait, since a hard freeze can damage newly cut stems.
I spent about an hour this afternoon working on the hedge along the driveway, clearing out dead twigs and spent bloom stalks (never did clean them out last fall, but actually I think they add some winter interest) and cutting back at least the tips of most of the branches.
Tom says to cut the branches back by about 1/3 -- that doesn't mean cut the whole plant back by 1/3, just look at the length from where it branches out... Even just trimming the tips will make the plant grow out bushier.
I didn't do much in the way of shaping, just wanted to get the plants in the hedge looking a little less gangly. Even if you have very young plants, a little pruning (and occasional pinching during the growing season) will really help the plant fill out nicely.
Did I mention how you could smell the cut lavender halfway down the block? Yummy!
:-)
It's time to trim the lavender!
Well, I just inspected the perennial bed yesterday. The lavender looked fine to me. Should I prune something?!? the old stalks and the branches!? "winter interest" HA - just poking fun Jill!
Yes, even if it looks fine, I'd go ahead and prune off the tips... like pinching any herb, you'll end up with a fuller plant. Some of the leaves at the ends of the branches on my lavender were pretty long, so I had to take a second look sometimes to make sure I'd actually pruned the tip off the branch rather than just snipping at the leaves.
And yes, "winter interest" -- that's my story and I'm sticking to it! I was taking off dead stems everywhere yesterday -- from the mint, from the salvia, from the coreopsis... but really, I'd rather look at something like that in winter than look at an apparantly bare bed. I'm sure your front landscape was cleaned up within an inch of its life last fall, LOL.
Nah, I still have some raggedy coreopsis out there. Thanks for the head's up on the lavender. Now about this chickweed?!?!?
Before you get rid of any chickweed!!! It's edible and highly nutritious. Just so's you'll know -- do as you will with it. Makes good compost anyway.
Oh yes I have eaten it before but I could eat for days and not make a dent in the amount out there. It will go into the compost if it ever gets pulled. I seem to recall it dies back when the weather turns really warm.
I don't think the chickweed here ever died back last year... and bluekat is right, the way it grows around here you could eat it exclusively for weeks and not eat it all... even the bunnies seem to leave it alone... at lest it's not an unattractive groundcover! I even left it alone in a couple of spots because I thought it looked better with a little green...
You mean Mr. Everything-perfectly-in-order didn't get after that coreopsis? ;-)
Oh, jeepers... that low of 29 in the forecast somehow turned into 6 inches of snow and a low more like 24... those poor lavenders! Hopefully they'll forgive me and put out lots of bushy new spring growth. Serves me right for pruning them at the "right" time this year -- usually I'm late!
Thanks for the heads up on the lavender but we have some freezing weather coming yet should I procrastinate a little longer before I do lol We had freezing rain and snow if I remember correctly around the last of March last year and the year before that, I remember because I had my tomatoes outside hardening off had to bring about 300 in the house they were everywhere got too big for the lights lol It was March 30th in 2005 about the same time last year too.
My chickweed just started blooming, I think that’s what it is, little white flowers? You can eat that? Do you put it in salads? I love salads yummmmmmmm!
Yeah, my problem was finding the balance between 2 conflicting bits of advice from herb guru Tom DeBaggio...
On one hand, he advises trimming lavender as soon as (or even "just before," as if you'd know when that was) new growth starts in early spring...
On the other hand, he advises against trimming any herb within 2-3 weeks of when you expect freezing temperatures, as the cold can hurt newly cut tips.
It's not Tom's fault -- it's the crazy weather this winter!
*sigh*
I think we need our weather reports a month in advance but then they can't tell the weather for the next day right lol
I don't think that last snowstorm was in the forecast until it was falling from the sky! The forecast seems more changeable here than other places I've lived... I think we are right on the line between weather systems from the north and weather systems from the south, so even a little shift in the pattern can completely change things!
Critter, I have 'True' and 'Lady' lavender do you know when the best time to dig one up is by any chance, I want to dig one up for a friend, do these transplant well?
Sorry, I've never moved one...
Thanks anyway.
Well, I'll try to remember to cut them back next year! Ours lavenders are blooming, even the plants we put in as seedlings last summer. They are nice and bushy, so I think I'll leave well enough alone! I was surprised how they sailed through our 20s temps in January, but some of our other plants seemed to get a boost from the cold, too.
Can't smell much at all, because with spring comes allergies and I'm all stuffed up!
Good thing I didn't get my lazy butt out there. Maybe next week.... Oh allergies, can't wait - Not.
LeBug , I've moved my lavender in the spring after the last frost date and it did fine. About the same time you would plant newly purchased plants. The fall is when you need to be careful not to start new growth. I've had a small lavender border for about 8 yrs that has seeded a few new plants that moved easily.
Thanks sempervirens, I've had these for about three years so I will try moving them then.