How to Prune Lavender and Harvest it Properly

Once you’ve bought some of our fragrant and decorative Lavender, you’ll want to know how to prune it! That’s why we’ve put together this step by step guide on how to properly harvest and take from your Lavender plants. Keep reading to learn exactly what you need to do to keep both you and your herbs happy.

How to Harvest Lavender

1. The first step is always confidence. If you are knew to harvesting Lavender then you may be nervous about harming the herb, but if you follow these steps then your plant won’t mind at all.
   
   
2. To start, remove any parts of the Lavender plant that look old or very dry. Doing this will help to keep the rest of the plant happy and it will also make it easier to harvest, as the parts you don’t want won’t be in the way.
   
   
3. When it comes to Lavender, you may be more interested in the flowers than the leaves, though both are edible. To harvest the flowers, you’ll want to get a sharp cutting tool, as using your hands could damage the stem. You can harvest flowers that have bloomed or are just starting to bloom. Cut at the point where the flower stem meets the top of the leaves. If you would like to take some leaves, you can simply pick some of the top ones off, as you likely won’t need very many. 
   
   
4. The final thing to do is use those flowers you’ve gathered. You could decorate drinks, make bouquets, use them for perfumes or put them into baked goods. You’ll be able to find ideas on how to use Lavender and more facts about this herb on our Instagram.

Other Lavender Varieties

Some bonus advice, we’ve included things to know about your other Lavender plants too! Since there are so many varieties of Lavender, the most important advice is how to tell them apart from one another, so that’s what we’ve done for you below: 

1. Hidcote has flowers which are the classic, lavender colour.
2. Munstead has flowers which are a little more spaced out and lighter/dusty in colour.
3. Rosea has pinkish flowers, rather than the common purple colouration. 
4. Stoechas has large, bulb shaped flowers with delicate, pinkish petals on top.
5. Imperial Gem flowers appear later in the season (around Summer) than the other varieties.
6. Platinum Blonde is the most distinctive variety due to its yellow foliage.
7. Grosso leaves are a little bit wider than the other varieties.
8. Folgate is known for its deep purple, almost bluish flowers.
9. Melissa Lilac, as the name implies, has lilac coloured flowers.

To learn about the other herbs and varieties you’ll need to prune, stick with us. We’ll tell you everything you need to know about harvesting all your SEASON Herbs!