If you’re a proud owner of salvias, you already know the striking allure these plants bring to your garden. However, to truly enhance their beauty and promote a flourishing garden, knowing how to prune salvias is essential. In this guide, we’ll delve into the intricacies of when to prune, essential techniques, and aftercare practices to ensure your salvias bloom vibrantly year after year.
Benefits of Pruning Salvias
There is a profound positive impact that pruning can have on your salvias and. Beyond the immediate visual appeal, proper pruning promotes long-term benefits such as increased flower production, extended blooming periods, and a healthier overall plant structure. Pruning encourages the redirection of energy toward new growth, contributing to the resilience and vitality of your salvias.
The Best Time to Prune Salvias
Salvias thrive when pruned at specific times of the year, allowing them to rejuvenate and prepare for robust blooming. For most varieties, early spring is the ideal time for a rejuvenating trim. This sets the stage for new growth, ensuring your salvias produce an abundance of blossoms during the growing season.
But to be more specific, these are the best windows for pruning different salvia varieties:
- Deciduous herbaceous salvias – spring
- Herbaceous salvias – late fall or early winter
- Rosette-forming herbaceous salvias – fall or spring
The Tools you’ll need
There are only two things that you absolutely need for pruning salvias:
- Pruning Shears: Still a gardener’s best friend, pruning shears are versatile and essential for those precise cuts. Opt for high-quality, sharp shears to ensure clean cuts without causing unnecessary stress to your salvias.
- Gloves: Protect your hands with a pair of durable gardening gloves. They not only shield you from rough branches but also provide a better grip on your pruners.
Basic Tips for Pruning Salvias
Let’s talk about some very basic pruning tips that can get you better results when pruning Salvias:
- Clean your pruners before use! – A lot of people make the mistake of pruning with dirty tools. That is the perfect way to spread diseases and kill off your plant. Sanitize before & after pruning!
- Consider the variety – Pruning at the wrong time can do more damage than good. Choose the pruning window according to your specific Salvia’s needs.
- Avoid overpruning – pruning too much can not only damage but also kill your Salvia. Focus mostly on basic shaping & deadheading.
How to Prune Salvias by Varieties
Let’s see how you should prune different salvia types:
Pruning Deciduous Herbaceous Salvias
These salvias (Salvia elegans, S. guaranitica, S. leucantha, S. waverley, S. ulignosa & S. patens), known for their softer stems, benefit the most from pruning in spring, right after flowering. Cut the stems down to the ground once or twice a year for a healthier appearance and more abundant blooms.
Pruning Herbaceous Salvias with Woody Stems
For shrubby salvias (Salvia greggii, S. chamaedryoides, S. coccinea, S. microphylla), prune back after flowering, avoiding cutting all the way. Trim to at least where the first set of foliage starts on the flower stem. You can do more intense pruning in late fall or early winter, with lighter ones in late spring and mid-summer.
Pruning Rosette Forming Herbaceous Salvias
These salvias (Salvia nemorosa, S. x superba, S. penstemonoides) form low rosettes plus they are evergreen. Prune in either fall or spring by cutting stems down to the rosette, cleaning up any dead foliage near the ground. Be aware of their densely growing leaves, ensuring the undergrowth isn’t smothered.
Aftercare
Here are some tips for you to help your salvias bounce back fast after pruning:
- Keep the soil to remain moist but not waterlogged.
- Boos with a balanced fertilizer (this one on Amazon is pretty good) that provides the nutrients essential for robust growth and vibrant blooms.
- Regular monitoring is key; be vigilant for signs of stress or disease, and take action whenever it is necessary
Frequently Asked Questions
When should I cut back my salvias?
It depends on the variety. Deciduous herbaceous salvias like Salvia elegans are best pruned in spring after flowering, while Herbaceous salvias with woody stems benefit from intense late fall or early winter pruning. Rosette-forming herbaceous salvias, such as Salvia nemorosa, thrive with pruning in either fall or spring.
Should I deadhead Salvias?
Yes, deadheading your salvias can encourage fresh growth and make your plants healthier.
How do you prune salvias in the summer?
If your Salvia is getting a bit too tall, you can do some early summer pruning. Focus on removing old stems while leaving the new shoots alone. Do not overdo it!
How do you keep salvias bushy?
If you want to keep your salvias bushy, cut back the outer stems by one-third of their length. You can repeat this if your plants start to get out of shape.
How often should I prune my salvias?
Pruning your salvias annually usually does the trick. Just make sure you time the pruning according to the specific needs of the variety. Minor trimming for shaping can be done multiple times in the growing season.
