As a gardening and landscaping expert , I can say you that the ideal clip to prune sage is in late winter or other spring , before unexampled growth start out . This timing permit the plant to recuperate and regrow during the approaching acquire season . However , there are situations where pruning salvias in the summer may be necessary or beneficial .
1 . Deadheading : Deadheading is the process of removing worn-out blossom to encourage new bloom . Salvias are fuck for their prolific blooming , and deadheading can prolong the inflorescence period . If you notice faded or wilted flowers on your salvias during the summertime , it ’s a good mind to bump off them to advance further blooming .
2 . Overgrown or leggy ontogeny : Salvias can sometimes become overgrown or develop leggy development , especially in neighborhood with retentive acquire time of year . If your sage are expect indocile or gangling , summertime pruning can help maintain their shape and arouse bushy outgrowth . Trim back the stems by one - third to one - one-half , focusing on removing the longest and most straggly stanch .
3 . Disease or pest restraint : If your sage are affect by diseases or pests during the summer , pruning can help manage the egress . Remove any infected or damaged parts of the plant life , making sure to disinfect your pruning tools between cuts to prevent further spread of disease .
4 . greening pruning : Salvias , like many perennial plant , can gain from episodic rejuvenation pruning . This involves cutting the plant back hard to arouse unused growth and maintain its vigor . Summer can be a desirable metre for rejuvenation pruning if your salvias have finish their first flush of blooms and are starting to look hackneyed .
5 . Propagation : If you want to propagate your salvias by taking cuttings , summertime is a great sentence to do so . Softwood cuttings taken during the warmer month have a high luck of succeeder . rationalise a stem baksheesh with several pair of leaves , move out the low-pitched leaf , dip the cutting in rooting hormone , and found it in a well - drain growing medium . Keep the cutting moist and in a quick , bright location until etymon evolve .
It ’s of import to note that while summertime pruning can be good , it should be done with charge . Avoid remove more than one - third of the works ’s full foliage at a time , as excessive pruning can emphasise the plant life and hamper its power to reclaim . to boot , be mindful of local climate and weather condition condition , as extreme heat or drouth may make summertime trim less advisable .
In my personal experience , I have successfully crop salvias in the summer to control their size and shape . By remove the longest stems and expend flowers , I was able-bodied to sustain a tidy and summary appearance for my salvia throughout the summer months . However , I always made trusted to water them adequately and provide some shade during the hottest parts of the solar day to help them recover from the pruning and foreclose accent .
Caroline Bates
