The first two years after planting lavender, the flowers are cut to strengthen the plant but are not distilled as the plant has not yet reached the maturation necessary for the quality of the essential oil. The best cuts are those between the third and seventh year, when the flowers are in their prime. While harvesting can be done manually with a sickle, pruning shears, or scissors on small areas, it is carried out mechanically on a larger scale using forage harvesters that cut the flowers and stems.