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Re: Salvia pruning


In a message dated 7/8/98 9:29:01 AM, Rachel wrote:

>To all those salviaphiles-- a question:
>
>I have a large perenniel bed with a lot 
>of salvias in it in front of my house, including salvia 
>confertifolia, salvia "Indigo Spires", s. chaemedrys (sp?), salvia 
>microphylla and salvia gregii.  They all grew and bloomed beautifully 
>the first year.  
>
>Last winter, I cut them back rather severely, thinking it would 
>protect their brittle, woody stalks from the winter winds and renew 
>them.  I think I cut them back too hard. They all came back, but 
>not as fully as the previous year.
>
>What is the best approach?  If I don't cut them back at all, I'm 
>afraid they will become too leggy and sprawling and woody in the 
>center.  Is that just par for the course for salvias?  Please advise. 

Rachel,

I garden in the San Francisco Bay Area (mild wet winters) so this advice
applies here only. I don't know where you are. Location matters due to vast
climate differences.

I have simplified Salvia pruning for my crew thusly:

Wait until you see new growth begin, then prune to the new growth. This will
occur at different times of the year for different Salvia species, but I find
that the plants know best... don't prune them by the calendar but by
observation... If
the new growth begins in late fall wait until spring after last frost date (if
you have frosts) so that the old growth protects the new shoots below it.

Some salvias put up new growth at the base of the plant and some put out their
new growth further up the stems or branches, monitor your particular
collection until you learn the habits of your species. I can tell you though
that S. greggii is woody and comes from dry, high elevations in Mexico and
should handle wind fine, the leaves are small and the foliage should not be so
dense as to topple the plants, If they are you may be over feeding and/or
overwatering them.

good growing...

Deborah Lindsay
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