When do you prune your lavender?

[Ekphrasis]

It's getting really fantastically big and I've been really careful to cut it right back and the last two years do so quite early, around now.

However it's still flowering and the bees and some butterflies are all over it; as so many neighbours are using fake grass and bricking over their gardens I'm keen to let them have their fill. Best time to cut to encourage best flowering next year? Also how far back? I think I've been taking pot luck and go as far as I think it will take.

Mid to late August usually, as the flowers have mainly gone over by then and summer rain makes it horrible to walk down the path it lines.
Some years I do it very hard, others I just take the top off.

I have some lavender that is currently surviving due to my healthy neglect but i would like to actually look after it!
I normally remove the old dead flowers as I see them. And then end up cutting back whatever looks dead in November because I forget abkut it.

I'm guessing this isn't the right approach. So following with interest!

I've found in the past that now is a bit late, espicaly if you want to cut it hard back and allow it time to grow a bit before winnter.

I'd give it a trim this year and cut it back next year early September even August. Down to any new growth you can see shooting. If you cut into the hardwood it won't regrow, you need to see some new growth coming on the stems. You could always collect the lavande and dry it. I know it's a shame for the bee's but you do need to keep the plants in good health.
Just be careful I've overpruned and lost ones before now.

I struggle with this, too. I've usually just left them & they look awful.

So I cut all mine back this week, apart from the stems still in flower as I felt guilty about the bees.

Mines finished flowering apart from a couple of buds. I cut it back this week. I've no idea if it's the right time or not, but I go by either in the autumn after it's finished flowering or spring before it's getting ready to flower. Usually works.

This is the thing; it's still flowering! I might do as catmint says.

I've been trying to watch what gardeners do around and about; the gps has an amazing hedge and it's not yet cut. Work's is very hap hazard. Going to ask Dh to spy what the university has done!

What kind of lavender is it?

This year I came across the 8/8/8 rule - on the 8th August, prune down to 8" from the base.

Hope this helps

Late August. Always seems a shame but it seems to be very good for the plants.

Thanks for replies - I wonder if it's type and area dependent?

I've noticed that smaller plants locally clearly finished flowering in August whereas my and other huge Lavenders are still going - gorgeous perfume in the air due to this wind! A local publicly placed one is still flowering and incredibly bushy.

I'm going to do it

I prune lavender the week schools go back to school in September. No idea if this is late or early but at least I remember....

(And autumn raspberry canes get cut down on 5th November - everything else is fairly random)