Pruning your lavender? Don't throw the cuttings away – they have a surprisingly useful second life
In the spirit of using every bit of a plant, keep hold of lavender or rosemary clippings to make use of them well into winter
With the hot weather, you might be more preoccupied with how often you're watering lavender and other fragrant favourites. However, garden experts suggest pruning your lavender at this time of year to keep the plant neat – while also boosting new growth.
The great news is, thanks to gardening author and expert Michael Griffiths, you don’t have to worry about letting any part of your plants go to waste, because the offcuts can be repurposed.
He recently shared his efficient and eco-friendly method for turning Lavender cuttings into free firelighters that will also give your fires a burst of fragrance.
As you go about pruning to give the likes of lavender or rosemary a second life, Michael shared what he likes to do with the cuttings to ensure zero waste and a stack of firelighters for the BBQ or chiminea.
Sharing his simple tips with his social media followers, he explained that you first gather your cuttings into small bundles. Next, tie them together with natural twine - you’ll want to get them really nice and tightly packed together.
Next, hang or lay them somewhere warm with good airflow. This is the most important step that cannot be overlooked. Your bunches must be properly dried before they go near a flame – a hint of dampness and you’ll get a ton of smoke.
As a top tip, Michael suggests that properly dried stems should snap, not bend.
Once they’re ready, tuck one under your kindling and light it: the dried oils catch beautifully, and it scents the whole evening – and voila, “the best-smelling fire you’ll ever start”.
This is such a clever and simple way to elevate your next garden party or outdoor event. You could even take it one step further by creating a theme. If you've transformed your garden into an outdoor cinema for the night, offer a selection of dishes or cocktails that match the lavender or rosemary-scented air you'll create with the fire.
We're big fans of homemade firelighters to scent our homes during winter
While Michael shows how they can be used to light a fragrant and inviting fire, you can actually use these dried bunches in other ways.
Tie them together with lovely twine or ribbon, and you can present them to someone as a gift, for example. Or, if so inclined, you might be able to create smudging sticks to light and add some incense to a room.
Further proof that if you take care of your plants, they really are the gift that will keep on giving.
