Lavender

Question

Hi. I started pruning my lavender (Melbourne Australia) but the flowers that seem dead or finished look the same as the one that are starting to flower.Am I cutting off new flowers or not.

Answer 1

Each lavender flower is so small that it can be hard to tell. I go buy color; the spent blooms are slightly darker (and a little ratty at the edges). Also, pollinators do not visit spent blooms. On the other hand, there is no need to dead-head until the entire flush of spring blooms is over. Pruning or cutting into firm, woody parts of a plant is better done in very early spring.