Re: Lavender lovers

At 03:15 PM 3/22/98 -0800, Anne Long wrote:
>Sheryl Williams wrote:
>> 
>> Any advice on pruning lavender?
>> Sheryl in Western CO
>
>Here in Chicago, I cut lavender back by about half after the weather
>warms a bit, usually in April when I can see some new growth.  This
>gives the plants a nice compact bushy shape, since they get a bit floppy
>through the winter.  The books say don't prune into old wood, but I have
>cut pretty severely in some years and it doesn't seem to hurt.  I have
>some plants that are six years old and in only half-sun -- amazing! 
>Good bloom, too.
>
>Anne LD

Sheryl and Anne,
I also grow my lavenders in part shade.  They are on a dry slope under a
tall Doug Fir that has been limbed up about 30 ft but the huge canopy keeps
that slope very dry even in the rain.  I prune my lavenders fairly hard for
shape and to keep them from getting too woody.  Otherwise after a few years
the plants get taller and taller with lots of naked knee space that is
pretty homely.  When they look like that, might as well pull them out and
start over.  So, if they are pruned  every year, they stay compact and, I
think, much better looking. After dead wood and broken stuff is pruned out,
I shape them up with hedge shears.  They bloom very nicely.
Marilyn Dube'
NATURAL DESIGN PLANTS
Hardy Perennials, Choice Tropicals
Portland, Oregon


---------------------------------------------------------------------
To sign-off this list, send email to majordomo@mallorn.com with the
message text UNSUBSCRIBE PERENNIALS
Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index