Remove any broken bits and clean up the snapped areas and wait. They will regrow from the base. I cut one of ours down to 2 inches from the ground because of damage to it and it has regrown rather better shaped than it was originally.

I agree with Owdboggy cut back and they will regrow. Think of the heather moors, they actually burn the top of the heather off completely - yet it grows again. Fact is we should prune our heathers and I know I don't do so often enough. I've been told to be bold and take the strimmer over them

Really depends on the definition of mature heathers, their gereral health, and which species they are. If they are old woody, leggy summer flowering Callunas, then I'm not so sure they are worth the effort . from my own experience, my preference is to replace them.

Well there is that as well Bluespruce... Often easier.

Or lack of patience :0)

lol

The one I had to cut down was over 10 years old and had not been pruned before, but yes I agree, replacing with young new stock is a good idea. However, do be careful where buying from, there is a lot of virus ridden stock out there I am told.

Yes, Botrytis, mainly associated with Culluna vulgaris, although I think the situation has improved over the last few years.

Another way is to sink the old plant so the old branches still attached are surriounded with a peat/sand mix and roots form on the upper parts and all looks fresh and new or you can break up the rooted divisions. another way is to earth up the clumps by packing peat around them.

Actually I was thinking of Phytophthora root death. I was talking to a gardener at a garden with a huge collection of Calluna and he was saying that a lot of nurseries had this problem and to be wary when buying heathers as this very nasty thing can and does spread to many other species of plants. Look it up for symptoms to look out for on a Nursery or Garden Centre.

Interesting, not heard about Phytophthora being a problem with Calluna before.