How To Prune, Harvest, And Dry Lavender

It may be difficult for lavender plants to grow in our sometimes sweltering region, but Southerners aren't going to let a little bit of humidity stop them from cultivating beautiful, fragrant lavender plants in their garden. Thanks to tougher, more weather-resistant varieties, such as the 'Phenomenal' plant, lavender lovers in the humid South can use creative avenues to enjoy this sun-loving aromatic, which will flourish in raised beds or container gardens despite our Southern climate. Like many plants, a healthy lavender bush owes its longevity partly to proper pruning and harvesting.

Follow these simple steps on how to prune lavender for better growth and how to harvest lavender, and you'll be well on your way to growing and nurturing a thriving lavender plant.

Why You Should Prune Lavender

Lavender is a semi-shrub or subshrub, a plant that looks like a perennial because most of its growth is soft and green, but its older base stems turn into wood. At the center of the mounded semi-shrub, the lavender is trying to turn into wood. Unfortunately, the wood is weak. It can split open and when this happens, the plant will no longer produce new shoots. Pruning each year will help slow down the formation of this weak wood and extend the vigor and lifetime of your plant.

Because lavender blooms on new stems, pruning can be done in early- or mid-spring without sacrificing the current year's flowering. Pruning in late summer or early fall encourages good air circulation, which guards the lavender plant against rot.

When To Start Pruning

When your lavender plants are still young, begin pinching tips of new growth; the plants will respond vigorously with dense branching that will help form a good shape. Don't make the mistake of delaying your first pruning. When you delay pruning, the plant will have the opportunity to form older (eventually woody) growth that won't respond as well to pruning later. Since lavender will grow vigorously in the right conditions, you should prune back at least one-third of an established plant each year in order to ensure the best possible growth outcomes.

How To Prune And Harvest Lavender

Many gardeners prune and harvest their lavender at the same time. Removing the flowering stems from the bush promotes new growth in the plant's roots, keeps the plant looking tidy, and gives you bunches of fragrant, fresh lavender flowers. To enjoy dried stem bunches or dried buds for cooking, you'll want to cut the lavender when just a few of the buds on the stem have bloomed. This will allow you to enjoy a more vibrant color in the dried stems and the buds do not fall off as easily once dried.

Harvesting in the spring or early summer will give your lavender plant enough time to possibly produce even more of its fragrant flowers for a second cutting. The best time of day to harvest lavender is in the morning after the dew has dried but before the heat of the sun has drawn out too much of the fragrant essential oils that the lavender plant is so well-known for. Here's how to do it:

1. The best tool for harvesting lavender is a small, scythe-like instrument called a harvesting knife, but if you don't have one of these tools, a sharp hand pruner will work fine.
2. Using your thumb and middle finger, encircle a bunch of stems above the leaves and make a clean cut, being careful not to crush any flowers. Cut about 2/3 of the height of English lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), or to just above the first two sets of leaves on each stem. Hybrid lavenders only tolerate losing about half of their foliage, so be more conservative with any plant labeled Lavandula x intermedia.
3. Continue trimming back the plant until you've shaped it into a tidy, mounded form. Never cut into the woody part of the plant, which may not recover.

A first-year lavender bush will typically produce enough flowers to form just one or two bunches, while a fully mature plant may produce eight to 10 bunches of lavender.

How To Dry Lavender

The simplest method for drying lavender is to hang the bunches upside down. As you cut each bunch from the plant, tie it together at the cut end with a rubber band or piece of twine. Hang the bunches upside down from hooks or nails in a cool, dark area. You will need to retie the bunches as they dry because they will shrink and loosen. The darkness of the room helps the lavender flowers and buds retain color. Hanging the bunches upside down means the stalks dry in an upright shape—ideal for use in flower arrangements.

How To Harvest Lavender Buds

It can take up to six weeks for lavender to fully dry enough to harvest the buds. To determine whether the lavender is ready, the stem should break when bent. When ready, gently run your fingers along one stem at a time to remove the dried buds. For larger amounts, shake a bundle of stems against your hand over a bowl or strainer or against the side of a bowl. Use the strainer to filter out debris and remove large pieces of stems or leaves by hand. Store lavender that will be used for cooking in airtight glass jars. Loose buds used for other purposes can be stored in zip-top plastic bags.

How To Use Dried Lavender

There are many uses for lavender. While many gardeners love to use it to perfume the home, you can also use the flowers in cooking, cocktails, and moisturizers. Elevate your cooking by steeping dried buds in simple syrup for drinks or in milk to add to baked goods. Make your own bottle of air freshener with lavender essential oil. Tie a sprig of dried lavender to a gift, hang a bunch from a doorknob, or add several stems to a floral arrangement.