o u t d o o r s GARDEN
doctor
H o w o fte n sh o u ld laven d er
b e trim m ed ? H o w m u ch
sh o u ld I c u t o ff?
Cut older, established lavender back
hard in spring, to perhaps half its
height. This promotes bushiness and
removes dead tips that are common
after winter exposure. Let young
plants grow for 2-3 years to reach a
mature size before you start cutting
them back this significantly.
After the plant finishes its main
June-July bloom, give it a light
“haircut” to remove spent flowers;
often, this will prompt a second
flush of bloom.
T h e lav en d er I plan ted a fe w
m o n th s a g o is dying. Plant
p a rts tu rn b ro w n an d th e n
s e e m to w ilt aw ay. I w a te r
daily, fe e d w eekly. W h a t a m I
d o in g w ro n g ?
Lavender does not like wet soil, and
if you’re watering every day it may
be developing root rot. It’s very
drought tolerant and shouldn’t need
watering more than once or twice
per week (except for newly planted
specimens, which will need a bit
more water the first season). That
makes lavender ideal for drier
gardens and landscapes with sandy
or rocky soil, but risky alongside
1 3 6 APRIL 2010 BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS
moisture-loving perennials and
shrubs in mixed borders that you
must water more frequently.
Lavender is a plant that gardeners
like to say “thrives on neglect.”
A L SAYS."DOGS
IN STROLLERS?
0
ESI
6
NER DOG
FOODS? WAKE HE
WHEN IT'S OVER."
AL'S THE VOICE OF REAL DOGS
goodness of
100
% complete and balanced ALPO.
PHOTOS: (BLUE LAVENDER) LYNN KARLIN; (WHITE LAVENDER) ROB CARDILLO
