I come from a family that never cut things back in the fall, and my boyfriend (coincidentally named Dave) is of the school of thought that everything get weed whacked to the ground in the fall. I am wondering how much 'whacking' is beneficial and if there are plants that do not benefit from this treatment? The one that comes to mind is lavender - we had gotten 6 or so lavender plants in a perennial bundle deal and the only ones that seemed to survive were the ones in my herb garden that does not get cut. I also have greek oregano, lemon balm, chives, common sage, and mint (spearmint I think) which are in the same area. The lemon balm hasn't yet shown signs of waking (not cut), the mint (cut) is coming back much slower than I would imagine it would, the oregano (cut) is also quite slow, and the sage (not cut) came out of the snow looking nice and green and has since turned mostly black with new growth slowly appearing at intervals on the branches. This is a garden that was made less than 2 years ago, and I want it to thrive as best it can? I would love to be pointed to any resources on herbs and other plants - like the echinacea (tiki torch) and the gaillardia that I put in in Sept. and have yet to show signs of waking. Is there a rule of thumb to follow at all? Thanks in advance for any and all advice!!! Liz
I need info about fall/spring protocols!!
Lavender does not like to be cut back to much. Here is what a friend gave me to read when she gave me a piece of hers. Hope it helps........
Pruning
Pruning is essential to maintaining a young, healthy and vigorous lavender bush. The secret to pruning is to start when plants are young and still in pots, by pinching out the new growth to encourage lateral branching and by cutting off flower buds in the first year to ensure a larger bush and abundant spikes for the following season.
L. stoechas, L. angustifolia and L. x intermedia may be pruned back by 1/3 to ½. This helps to keep bushes young and healthy. If cut any lower, the stems will die. Lavenders that have not been kept well pruned have a tendency to become woody in the center of the bush.
Plants should be cut back at least once a year during their life span. If done in the fall it should be done well before danger of a hard freeze. Weedeaters and hedge trimmers work well for pruning. Plants can also be pruned after flowering in the spring or early summer.
Make sure there are green leaves to be seen when cutting back. If the plant is cut too far back, it may not survive.
Plants that have not been pruned in the beginning of their growing career may not survive heavy pruning. If bushes have reached 3 years of age and have never been pruned, then pruning at this stage may not achieve anything and it may be better to replace the bush. If, however, there is young growth just above the woody part, start with lighter pruning to encourage lower leaf growth. Then continue each year to prune a little heavier. Cut as close to the woody part without cutting into the wood. Do not cut too far back into the old wood or the lavender will die. This technique may force new growth further down the stem and eventually allow the bush to be reshaped. However the success of this treatment will depend on the type of lavender as some cultivars are more prone to woodiness than others.
Lavenders such as dentate dentata and dentate candicans generally require little pruning unless they have been grown as a hedge or have become too large for their situation. The best time to prune in these circumstances is summer.
IMPORTANT: Pruning a lavender bush to the point where it has no foliage will most likely kill it. You can try pruning in increments. In spring, cut back by 1/3 to stimulate new growth. After new foliage has grown in, cut back by 1/3 again to stimulate new growth at base of the plant. If new growth does come, prune back to just above the new growth. Never prune out old wood unless it is completely dead
Some herbs rules
-Pull out excess seedlings when too many sprout very close together. Follow the spacing guidelines for the type of herb.
-Deadhead annual herbs such as basil and mint. Deadheading involves clipping off flower buds before they bloom. Deadheading helps these herbs to develop their best aromas and flavors.
-Resist trimming or deadheading herbs that are raised for their seed, like caraway and coriander.
-Cut back herb foliage whenever you transplant the plant. It will reduce transpiration and stress on the roots. This is a good time to harvest the herb to be frozen, dried or used fresh as immediate harvesting can reduce the shock of transplanting.
-Prune excess growth on herb plants that are very close together to keep air circulating around each plant. Simply trim the ends off with shears.Cut back perennials in February. Remove old, scraggly growth to make way for new spring growth.
-Prune soft perennials such as germander and oregano by 50% during the rainy season.
-Leave at least 2/3 of the growth behind on perennial herbs to avoid weakening the plants. Annuals can be cut down to the ground.
-Prune thyme back in the fall to keep the growth from becoming too woody the following spring.