What to Do With Lavender in September – 5 Easy Tasks to Complete Now for More Fragrant Blooms Next Summer

September is an important transition time for lavender plants. They are replacing strong summer growth with winter and cold weather preparation. Lavender is a relatively low-maintenance task, but a few well-timed and simple chores now can help them survive winter and be ready for healthy growth and abundant flowers next year.

September lavender care is simple and focused on helping your plants prep for the colder months as growth winds down. A little pruning, a drainage check, and steps to keep lavender warm enough over winter are adequate steps for maintaining this healthy, thriving perennial.

Lavender is generally low maintenance. If you do nothing for it now, it will probably grow again in spring, but it won’t be its best self. Providing a little bit of extra care in September doesn’t take much time, but it rewards you hugely with healthier, more abundant growth next year. Follow these tips and your lavender will thank you with dense growth and lush, fragrant blooms.

1. Harvest & Trim Lightly

Depending on your growing region, climate, and weather, you might still have time to harvest lavender flowers this month. Make the most of your plants by gathering this last harvest. Flowers are most useful before they’ve started shedding.

Even if you can’t use the flowers now, it’s best to trim them off. Use sharp, clean shears, like these pro-approved Felco pruners from Amazon, and also trim back some of the green growth. Keep this lavender pruning light, just to maintain a good size and shape.

Save heavy pruning for late winter or early spring. This is especially important where winters are cold, as too much trimming can trigger new growth that receives cold damage later. Always avoid cutting woody stems, as these rarely regrow.

2. Reduce Watering for Fall

As temperatures cool and your lavender is no longer actively growing, it needs less water. Rain tends to be more consistent in the fall, reducing the need for supplemental water even more. Now is the right time to taper off watering rather than stopping it altogether.

Check the soil to determine when to water next. Water when the top three to four inches (8-10 cm) of soil are dry and water deeply at the soil level. Do not do any overhead watering. Excess water on the plant now can cause harm by encouraging common lavender diseases.

Keep in mind that, at this time of year in particular, it’s more harmful to overwater than to underwater your lavender plants. Use a soil moister meter, like this one from Amazon, to get rid of any guesswork and keep plants perfectly watered.

3. Check Soil & Improve Drainage

Lavender needs soil that is light and drains well. It will suffer and ultimately die in heavy, soggy soil, especially as cooler weather sets in in fall and winter. September is a good time to check on the soil and roots, especially if you have had a wet and rainy summer.

Gently dig into the soil around the plant to determine if it is holding too much water. If it feels wet, even days after rain, amend the soil by carefully working in coarse sand or pea gravel. Faster-draining soil will help your lavender plants maintain healthy roots throughout fall rains and winter snow that turns into spring snowmelt.

4. Touch Up Mulch

If you had mulch around your lavender plants all summer, it’s time to check on it. Heavy organic mulch, like compost or shredded bark, can be useful in summer. But in fall and winter, it can hold too much moisture. Remove or thin this mulch, especially if it has broken down and deteriorated over the summer.

Consider adding a layer of pea gravel, which you can get at the Home Depot, or grit mulch around your lavender plants. This provides some protection from colder temperatures and can also improve drainage. It’s a better option than organic mulches at this point in the season. Aim for a depth of about one inch (2.5 cm) of mulch.

5. Prep & Protect Potted Lavender

If you grow lavender in containers, those plants will need a little extra care. Go through the same care tasks here for bedded plants. Harvest any remaining flowers, give it a light trim, and check on drainage. Have the holes at the bottom of the pot gotten clogged or the soil compacted? If so, correct these issues now.

Your potted plants always need more water, as the soil dries out more quickly, but this is still a good time to start tapering it off. As for winter protection, container plants need more. There are two options: bring the containers indoors or protect potted plants outside.

If you have very cold winters, it may be best to bring containers inside. Even a garage should provide adequate warmth to keep them alive over winter. If your winters are less harsh, you can protect containers outdoors by grouping them together, moving them to more protected areas, and wrapping the pots with landscaping cloth, burlap (available from Ace Hardware), or even bubble wrap.

Seasonal Gardening Shopping Inspiration

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