To stimulate new growth and flower buds:
- Prune in early spring (after the last frost) to shape the plant and remove dead wood.
- Lightly trim again in late summer after the first bloom cycle to encourage a second flush of flowers.
🚫 Don’t cut into old wood, as lavender doesn’t regrow well from hardened stems.
🌱 4. Avoid Overwatering – Lavender Likes it Dry
Lavender is drought-tolerant once established. Overwatering can dilute essential oils and discourage blooming.
- Water deeply but infrequently.
- Let the soil dry out completely between waterings.
🍽️ 5. Limit Fertilizer Use
Unlike many flowering plants, lavender does best in low-nutrient soil. Fertilizing too much will encourage lush green growth but fewer flowers.
✅ Use compost or organic mulch sparingly once or twice a year.
🌿 6. Deadhead Spent Blooms
Once the flowers fade, snip them off (deadheading) to encourage the plant to produce new blooms. This keeps energy going into new flower spikes rather than seed production.
✂️ Use clean, sharp pruning shears and trim just above a new leaf set.
🔁 7. Choose the Right Variety of Lavender
Some lavender varieties naturally produce more blooms than others. For high flower yield:
- Try Lavandula angustifolia (English Lavender)
- Or Lavandula x intermedia (Lavandin), which is known for larger blooms and stronger fragrance
🌸 Final Thoughts
With a bit of planning and care, you can turn your lavender into a flower-producing powerhouse this summer. The key lies in mimicking its native environment: sunny, dry, and not too rich. Add in timely pruning and proper spacing, and you’ll have bees buzzing and flowers blooming all season long.
