[Herbalist] Cutting back lavender

[foxryde]

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At 12:00 PM 10/24/02 -0500, you wrote:
Hi,

I can field this (a little garden humor there).

I have over 300 lav plants in the ground at various stages and the oldest
is going on a decade.  I garden a quarter acre of herbs and have been
growing for over 30 years.  I grow professionally, so these are my opinions
and observations based on that kind of growing and not a in the yard sort
of grower.  YMMV

I cut them back by at least 1/3 in the very early spring before they start
to green up (if I am on the ball).  Otherwise, I wait until they start to
green and cut out what ever doesn't turn green and start growing.  I have
never noticed a deficiency in the blooms, but I've never heard that a
pre-frost pruning is good for blooms.  It is generally bad for vegetation
to cut back in late fall as it triggers a growth spurt at the time when the
yummies should be heading into the root cellar.

I think that if you live in a humid or other wise damp climate to cut back
by half would be better and thin the bush hard so it gets air
circulation.  Lav loves to rot off.

I don't fertilize at all - just a good top dressing of compost in the early
spring.  Only give them around .5 inch of irrigation a week.  They grow in
pretty much sand and compost and are very happy.

All the best,
Baroness Leonora
Unser Hafen, Outlands
Loveland, Colorado



>Message: 1
>Date: Mon, 14 Oct 2002 15:04:16 -0400
>From: Norma Storms <stormsno at oplin.lib.oh.us>
>To: herbalist at ansteorra.org
>Subject: Re: [Herbalist] Lavender trim
>Reply-To: herbalist at ansteorra.org
>
>I'd appreciate it if there were replied to the list as well since I'm pretty
>sure mine got frosted last night.  Thanks!
>
>Ciao,
>Francesca
>
>"Amy L. Hornburg Heilveil" wrote:
>
> > Lavender.  I really love my lavender plant.  Unfortunately, I think I've
> > waited too long this autumn to trim it properly, as last night came really
> > close to a frost.  Should I trim it anyway or just wait for spring and
> > understand when the poor thing doesn't flower as well?
> >
> > Opinions?
> >
> > Smiles,
> > Despina de la on digest format, so please mail direct if you want a quick
> > answer  aheilvei at uiuc.edu
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > Herbalist mailing list
> > Herbalist at ansteorra.org
> > http://www.ansteorra.org/mailman/listinfo/herbalist
>
>
>
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Fox Ryde Gardens - Handmade herbal products for bath, body, & spirit
7743 West First Street
Loveland, CO 80537
970/669-3835
Visit our website: http://www.foxryde.com

  Doing the right thing starts first thing in the morning, Sparky.  Not
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