Lavender Care: Soil, Pruning & Overwintering Guide
Lavandula angustifolia
Lavender thrives on neglect. The two things that kill it are wet feet and skipped pruning. Get drainage right and prune annually and a plant lives 8–10 years.
Soil & siting
Full sun, sharp drainage. Add grit or coarse sand to heavy soils. Slightly alkaline pH (6.5–7.5). Avoid mulching with bark — use gravel or stone.
Watering
Water deeply after planting, then leave it alone. Established plants need water only during prolonged drought. Container lavender wants more frequent water but never sitting in a saucer.
Pruning
Prune once a year, right after the main flush of flowers fades (late summer). Cut back by about a third into soft green stems — never into bare woody stems, they rarely re-sprout.
Winter
English lavender is hardy to zone 5 with sharp drainage; wet winters kill more plants than cold. Mulch the crown with grit, not bark. Container plants overwinter in an unheated greenhouse or cold frame.
Feeding
None. Rich soil and fertilizer produce floppy plants with weak scent.
Frequently asked questions
Why is my lavender turning woody and bare in the middle?
Missed pruning. Once a plant has bare wood, you can't cut back into it — propagate cuttings from the green tips and replace the plant.
Can I grow lavender indoors?
Not well. It needs more light than any windowsill provides and dies back without a cool winter dormancy.
When does lavender bloom?
English lavender blooms once heavily in June–July. Some cultivars give a lighter second flush in early autumn if deadheaded.
Why is my lavender dying after winter?
Wet soil, not cold. Improve drainage with grit and stop mulching the crown with bark or compost.
Track your English Lavender in PlantbookOS
Adaptive reminders learn your plant's actual dry-down rate in your home — not a generic schedule. Log waterings by voice, snap photos to track growth, and ask FloraAI when something looks off.