How long does Lavender last ?
Lavender is a perennial plant. However, this does not mean that it grows forever. It is a perennial with quite dynamic growth, which means that it reaches its maximum size in just a few years.
With proper care, starting from the moment of planting lavender seedlings, Lavender can grow for up to 15 years. In this article we will try to explain to you how to do it.
How to care for young lavender seedlings so that they grow for many years?
The first step is to choose the right lavender seedlings. We buy young plants – annuals or biennials, which are low but strongly branched. Thanks to the purchase of such plants, we will be able to form them from the very bottom, which will prevent rapid alopecia of the bush and give it the right shape.
Immediately after planting, we cut off the tips of the young lavender’s shoots (2 – 3 cm), which will accelerate its bushing and proper rooting in a new place. In the case of buying tall, improperly branched lavender seedlings, in many cases it is impossible or very difficult to give them the right form.
Returning to our trimmed, dense seedlings – when we plant them in spring, after trimming 2-3 cm of shoot fragments, our plants will bloom in the same season.
In the case of lavender planted later, there may be a problem with flowering in the first season after planting. More important than flowers is to give young seedlings a good start. If it happens that they bloom, after flowering, of course, the flowers are cut along with 3 – 4 cm fragments of shoots.
How to care for adult lavender bushes so that they age slower?
In the following years of cultivation, we use a fairly strong autumn pruning just after the flowers bloom, remembering not to overdo it and not to cut the woody part of the stem (brown color), because then there may be a problem with the release of new shoots.
Too much pruning is also a stress for the plant, which can make wintering difficult. So, for safety, we leave the entire woody part and 3-4cm above the woody part.
Varieties with strong growth, such as “Provence” or “Grosso”, can be cut twice a year, in early spring and just after the flowers fade.
Thanks to the proper method of pruning, we will make the lavender beautiful for several years after planting. Cutting and purchasing the right cuttings is the biggest factor in ensuring a long life for your lavender.
