Lavender plants will be 'full of blooms' when you follow 1 simple task in May

Lavender is a popular loved by gardeners for its versatility in outdoor spaces, and fragrant scent that can including slugs and snails, meaning it's often used as a . Best planted in late spring, lavender is fairly easy to care for, and doesn't require much watering once it's established in the ground.

As its delicate purple start to come into bloom next month, many gardeners will be looking to make the most of the elegant plant. While lush foliage can be encouraged by to soil, lavender can start to appear more woody with age, especially if the actual plant isn't well-maintained. One task can quickly revive the appearance of lavender, helping the flowers bloom. Even gardeners with full lavender blooms should complete this task for healthy flowers for years to come.

While it might feel scary to chop lavender plants back just before they come into bloom, pruning is an essential part of taking care of flowers. With proper care, lavender can live for up to 15 years, but it's essential to know how and where to prune it.

experts Jim and Mary Competti have shared some tips on how to give lavender a spring trim that will help keep plants "healthy and strong" and "full of blooms".

Spring is the ideal time to get the garden shears out, and pruning lavender plants at this time of year can actually encourage more flowers. If you're not sure if your plant is ready, have a check for small green shoots forming at the base of the plant, as this is a "sign that it's waking up and ready for some attention".

These small green shoots on the lower parts of the plant let you know that it's safe to begin pruning. While the "general rule is to cut back about one-third of the plant", this can vary depending on the size of your lavender plant, or how woody and leggy it's become.

Avoid cutting down to the woody part where there are no green shoots, and instead stick to cutting above where you see the new green growth starting. It's also important to try and keep the plant rounded, as this shape "helps the plant grow evenly".

The experts advise leaving some green growth on each stem, and if you're unsure about how much to trim, "it's okay to be a little more cautious and take off less".

As daunting as it may seem to trim lavender plants, it's crucial to maintaining healthy blooms, and pruning "actually stimulates new growth". Instead, waiting too long to prune them leaves you at greater risk of accidentally chopping off buds as they're about to bloom.

While it's crucial to prune lavender in spring, there's "one big no-no" and that's trimming plants that have only been planted in the ground for one season. Young plants should be left to grow and establish roots in their first year before getting a good cut back.