Pruning English lavender 'Munstead'

Lavandula angustifolia 'Munstead' needs pruning twice a year to stay compact, floriferous, and long-lived. The first and most important prune happens in March or April, just as new green shoots appear at the base of the old stems. Using clean, sharp secateurs or shears, cut back all the previous year's growth by about one-third to one-half, shaping the plant into a low, rounded mound. Always cut into the leafy green growth, never back into bare, woody stems—lavender rarely regenerates from old wood and a hard cut into brown stems can kill the plant. This spring prune encourages bushy new growth and plenty of flower spikes. The second prune comes in August, immediately after the main flowering flush. Deadhead by cutting off all the spent flower stalks along with an inch or two of leafy stem beneath them. This tidy-up prevents the plant wasting energy on seed production, keeps it neat, and often triggers a modest second flush of late-summer flowers. Again, stay in the green growth. If you've inherited an old, leggy lavender with a bare, woody base, renovation is risky; it's usually better to take cuttings and start afresh. Young plants respond well to pruning, so begin the routine in the first spring after planting. Use sharp tools to avoid bruising stems, and choose a dry day—wet foliage and open cuts invite fungal disease.