Lavender will grow faster and look better if you do Monty Dons 1 simple task in August

A soothing scent, striking purple flowers, and pest-deterring properties there are so many reasons to plant lavender in your garden. This shrub grows beautifully in UK gardens, especially in sunny, well-drained spots, and is perfect for raised beds, borders, or pots. However, some gardeners struggle to maintain them, but that neednt be the case, according to gardening guru Monty Don.

The TV gardener noted that to keep lavender in pristine condition, one task needs to be carried out in August pruning. If you don't prune your lavender regularly, it can grow into a woody and irregular shape. Pruning helps maintain a more compact form and can result in a vibrant display of flowers year after year in the spring, with a chance for a second bloom in the summer.

In his gardening blog entry for August, Monty recommended that lavender should be pruned every year.

He noted that the best time to do this is when the flowers start to fade, which can differ by variety, typically from midsummer to late August.

Gardeners should be careful not to wait until seed heads develop or flowers wilt, as the plant requires sufficient time to rejuvenate before winter arrives.

The essential tip is to prune back decisively to keep a tidy shape while leaving some new shoots on each stem, since lavender will often not regrow from bare wood.

These new shoots will "grow fast and provide an attractive and healthy cover" throughout winter, serving as the foundation for next year's display.

After pruning, don't throw away those cuttings from your careful work; you can even propagate new lavender plants from them.

This technique is a fantastic way to replace any lavender hedges or plants that may have struggled, needed to be removed, or simply to minimise waste.

How to propagate lavender

To grow more lavender plants, start by taking cuttings from your lavender and choose the side shoots that do not have flowers. It's best to pick one that has a heel of bark, which is a thin strip of bark still attached to the lower end of the stem, as this will help the new roots to form.

Next, use a knife to cut the bottom of the stem, making sure to leave a short section of bare stem visible. After that, place the exposed part of the stem into a pot.

If you want to plant several cuttings, you can do so in one pot, just make sure they are spaced out evenly.

Water the cuttings well and put them in a shaded, humid spot. A greenhouse or a polythene bag can be very useful for this purpose.

Make sure to check on them regularly to keep them healthy. By the next spring, they should have developed a strong root system and some top growth, which means they will be ready to move to a larger pot and flourish in your garden.