Lavender is a beautiful plant with a nice smell. If not cared for, it can become leggy and woody.

Gardening expert Michael Griffiths shared tasks for gardeners in May. This is the perfect time to care for lavender.

Lavender can be planted in May. Established plants may start to show flowers, but can become leggy if not cared for.

A quick prune in May will prevent lavender from going leggy.

A leggy lavender plant has long, sparse stems with few leaves and flowers. A last-minute prune can help.

Ideally, prune lavender in late summer, but May is a good time for a last-minute prune.

A spring prune helps prevent the plant from becoming leggy and encourages new growth. Not pruning correctly can leave the plant leggy.

When pruning in spring, identify old and new wood. Old wood is brown, and new growth is bright green.

Avoid trimming at the base, and trim just above the old wood. Cut the lavender back by about a third.

Plant lavender in a sunny area with free-draining soil. It needs occasional water and rain to stay hydrated.

Use healthy compost on top of the soil to give lavender the nutrients it needs.

Lavender can become leggy if not pruned correctly. This can lead to few flowers and a short lifespan.

After lavender flowers in the summer, give it a heavy prune. Cut back as much as you like, but leave new growth.

If you cut too far into old wood, the plant may not regrow. Leave a few inches of regrowth to protect the plant in winter.

The new shape will be ready in the next spring to produce new flowers.