Lavender Problems

[stevedo]

I moved into a house which has what can only be described as a lavender hedge. It has been planted between the edge of a patio and the lawn to a length of about 40 feet, supposedly to soften the transition between patio and lawn. The patio is approx 30cm higher than the lawn.

This lavender is now very tall, almost 5 feet in places and needs to be either cut back or removed. My question is, if I cut it back REALLY hard will it regrow from the wood that would remain, or should I just dig it all up and start again?

Thanks
Steve

 

[countygardens]

I would suggest giving it a cut back first and see what it does next year.

Seems a shame to start again without at least trying that first.

 

[Srodders]

If you cut back lavender too much it goes into shock and dies. It only usually likes the last years growth to be removed. But, give it a go and see what happens, if it dies get another - if it doesn't you've saved some money, but chances are it will die.

 

[sidecar_jon]

not sure about all lavenders but ive seen lavender fields cut down to the ground nearly. And grow again next year... tho that maybe a difernt kind than you have.

 

[Srodders]

Thought I'd have a look on the gardening bible site (RHS) and found the following advice

Evergreen shrubs producing often numerous flowering shoots in late summer and autumn
Examples: Calluna, Erica vagans, lavender, Santolina.
Pruning: In spring cut back flowered shoots to 1.5-2.5cm (0.5-1in) from older wood.

and also

Lavender does not shoot readily from old wood and neglected specimens are best replaced. Established plants do not usually transplant and it is better to buy a replacement.

but they do also say

Prune newly planted lavender hard to encourage bushy growth.

and

Low growing sub-shrubs such as lavender (Lavandula), and heathers (Calluna, Erica) can prove to be short lived and need replacing after 10 years;

Hope that helps

 

[sidecar_jon]

ah..probably the lavender fields are never left to grow to "old wood".

 

[stevedo]

Thanks for all the ideas and quotes from RHS web site. What we have I would guess to be about 15 years old, ie planted when the rest of the garden was landscaped, and it is VERY woody. If I were to cut this back to a more appropriate size I would probably be left with nothing but wood about 1 inch or more in diameter. It looks as if this particular lavender hedge has had its day.

Now the question is, what on earth could I replace it with?

 

[countygardens]

MORE LAVENDER!!!!

 

[Kimberley88]

In my last house I had some lavender bushes that were massive and very woody, I hated them but my wife liked them so I cut them down right to the floor thinking they would die off and then I could get rid of them.

The following year they grew back

Went past the house the other week and they are looking great.

Guess if you like them and cut them back they will die, if you don't like them they will live.

 

[STENDEC]

You can replace it with a dwarf variety of Lavender!

It wont ever grow more than 2 feet tall then.

Failig that there are any number of semi-evergreens / Perrenial shrubs that would do the job just as well in your type of soil, which is probably slightly alkaline.

Again The RHS website wil be a good starting point for your research. I would go for something like

 

[stevedo]

Well, thanks for all the advice and ideas. We spent 2 days cutting/digging it all up and taking it to the dump. Looks like we'll have to spend some time now considering what to put in its place, at least that should be fun. It's also interesting that I hated this stuff and my wife loved it, just as in a previous post. There was also an awful lot of bees looking a bit lost once we'd got rid of it as well.

 

[Nige F]

Well, thanks for all the advice and ideas. There was also an awful lot of bees looking a bit lost once we'd got rid of it as well.

I`m going to report you to the RSPB Royal society........Bees Am I apis taker