Can I cut back lavender?

Question

I have lavender either side of garden steps. It's lovely but my kids disagree as it becomes swarmed in the summer with bees, making steps useless. Can I cut off all the long stems? I can't remove it as the house is rented. Can I cut it now as it's cold and the bees have gone?

Answer 1

After the plant has flowered dead head the old flower stalks and gently cut back. This gentle pruning will help retain an attractive shape and encourage the plant to bush up. Don't prune too harshly, and never cut back to the old wood.
Pruning after flower happens in Autumn. In Spring you may need to do a mini-prune to tidy up the shape.

The main problem with lavender is that if you do not prune it and prune it gently it can become very woody and unattractive. Even with careful tending you may have to replace many lavender shrubs ever 5-6 six years. If you don't like the bees, prune off the flowers too (a few gardens I know do this and just keep the foliage as a hedge - it still smells nice as you brush past it).

Answer 2

yes, however this is the best thing you can do for it and will promote strong growth in the summer - so more bees!, if it causes that much of a problem you could just keep it cut back through the summer too, if the plants are already well established they will take pretty much anything without dying off completely. The bees are attracted only to the flower heads themselves so chop them off, dry them in the airing cupboard and make lavender pillows with them =0)

Answer 3

Well, you can cut it, but he problem with Lavender is that if it is not used to being pruned you can kill it. The most you can hope for is to give it a light trim unless you want to run the risk of killing the plants. You might consider asking the owner to take care of it so you can't be held accountable if something does happen. Please read this article before pruning the Lavender. It explains what I'm talking about. You need to start very slowly and gently.
http://www.lavenderenchantment.com/Growing/pruning.htm
Good Luck

Answer 4

Think of it this way: the lavender is a great repellant for all other bugs and beasties. And personally my daughter loves watching the bees - maybe your kids ought to stop and observe sometime!

And yes, you can trim it back now, but not too much!

Answer 5

It is vital that you do!!! It stops the plant going woody and leggy. I am brutal with my lavender, I take the tops of the dead flowers with my lawnmower, the plant is now 17 years old, and still blooms twice a year.

Answer 6

Yes - cut back to the point above (1/2 inch) where the stems have just started to become 'woody' - no lower

Answer 7

think you can cut it in the spring to renew the growth for the summer just chop off the dead bits on top,to stop it growing just keep trimming off the flower ,

Answer 8

just a light trim,