Lavender is a popular and fragrant garden shrub, beloved for its purple flower spikes. Deadheading, the removal of spent flower heads, is generally beneficial. This simple maintenance task encourages a longer and more abundant blooming season while keeping the plant tidy. Understanding the purpose and technique of deadheading ensures your lavender remains vigorous and productive throughout the summer.
The Purpose of Removing Spent Blooms
Deadheading prevents the plant from expending energy on seed production. Once the flower color fades, the plant begins to set seed, signaling the completion of its reproductive cycle. Removing these spent flower heads redirects the plant’s energy reserves back into vegetative growth and the development of new flower buds.
This energy redirection often results in a second flush of blooms later in the season. English lavender varieties, including ‘Hidcote’ and ‘Munstead,’ frequently respond by producing a repeat performance of flowers. The removal of the brown, drying stalks also improves the overall aesthetic of the shrub. For Spanish lavender, deadheading is particularly effective at supporting its continuous flowering habit.
Technique and Timing for Deadheading
Deadheading is a light, surface-level maintenance task requiring a clean, sharp cutting tool, such as small shears or scissors. The goal is to remove the faded flower spike without cutting into the dense foliage. A precise cut must be made just above the first set of healthy leaves or new growth nodes found below the spent flower head.
These nodes are the points from which new shoots will emerge, potentially bearing the next round of flowers. Timing is crucial; begin deadheading immediately after the first major flush of blooms starts to fade, typically from late spring through mid-summer. This prompt action prevents the plant from diverting energy into seed formation, maximizing the chance of a second bloom. Deadheading is an ongoing task, and the process should be repeated throughout the blooming season as individual flower spikes turn brown and decline.
Seasonal Care: Deadheading Versus Pruning
It is important to clearly distinguish deadheading from the more aggressive, structural maintenance of pruning. Deadheading is strictly the removal of the spent flowers and the short length of stem directly beneath them. It is performed primarily to encourage re-blooming and neatness during the flowering season. This light trimming does not affect the overall shape or size of the semi-woody shrub.
Pruning, by contrast, is a heavy cut intended for structural shaping, ensuring air circulation, and preventing the plant from becoming excessively woody and leggy. This heavier maintenance is typically performed once a year, either in the late fall after the last blooms fade or in early spring before new growth emerges. During a proper prune, you may remove up to one-third of the plant’s overall size, cutting back into the leafy green growth. It is crucial to carefully avoid cutting into the woody, non-productive base of the plant. Mistaking a heavy pruning cut for a simple deadheading cut, especially by cutting into the old wood in mid-summer, can severely damage the plant and prevent it from growing back.