If we want to cook with the highest quality pruductos possible, we will need to harvest the sage leaves with a good flavor. There is no need to trim the flowers. Dried sage is stronger in flavor than fresh sage, so use it conservatively to avoid over-seasoning your meals. This cleaning pruning does not change anything to the pruning that should be done to any tree or shrub. This will be able to stain the leaves, leaving them unfit for their culinary uses. Blooming in autumn until the first frost, Mexican sage can provide a beautiful patch of color in any garden just as many other plants are beginning to fade into dormancy for the winter. Prune after bloom to keep neat. Focus mostly on removing dead leaves instead of stem-cutting in order to encourage growth that will keep the plant healthy all year. How to Prune Native Plants (without killing them) General Pruning Tips. To learn how to harvest your sage before pruning, keep reading! The best time to prune subshrubs that bloom in spring and early summer is when leaf buds emerge in spring. If you read to the end you will learn the best techniques for proper pruning, the right time to trim and the tools to do it. It is an excellent time for this task because if you do it in periods of cold, you can confuse the dead stems with those alive and woody. A good pruning after the blooming season between winter and spring keep sages neat and compact, and encourages new growth. Carry out the previous care on a regular basis and you will be saving good money on tools. Tecoma stans Yellow Trumpet Flower Spring to fall flowering. There are 12 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. Plant Specialist. By using our site, you agree to our. Although you may be tempted to prune earlier, it is best to wait until you see a little green before removing the … This will help to prune the flowers of the plant before they open. Always remembering that the main use given to this bush is the culinary, so we will need well-developed leaves with good flavor for our recipes. Planted in mass, they create a spectacular blanket of color. Rounded leaves are deep green and have strongly serrated margins; large clusters of softly fragrant cream colored flowers occur in spring. S. clevelandii Chaparral Sage S. greggii Autumn Sage Tecoma stans Yellow Trumpet Flower If you are doing a severe pruning late winter or early spring is a good time. Sage plants should be replaced every four years so that there are enough productive stems to prune and harvest. Prune sage in the springtime. Just touching the leaves and breathing that amazing aromatic smell into my lunges brings a huge smile to my face. If you design the planting appropriately pruning should only be part of the late summer and late winter clean up. Salvia clevelandii. Chaparral sage has wonderful foliage fragrance, though the flowers are not terribly fragrant. Their blue-purple flowers were a definite focal point in the spring time landscape . You may also be interested in knowing about pruning: Below we will see the types of pruning that must be carried out during the year to maintain a healthy sage. After pruning, when the weather improves, the sage will get new sprouts and grow bushier. It’s an evergreen salvia, and the flowers are similar to horsemint (it is a relative). With over 15 years of experience, Monique specializes in interior botanical design, living walls, event decor, and sustainable landscape design. What happened? To prune sage, all you need to do is use clean, sharp gardening shears or scissors to cut the stems so that they are about 4 to 6 inches (10 to 15 cm) above the ground. Trim your sage plants in the springtime instead, just as new leaves begin to emerge. And I’m not the only one who feels this way, many words have already been said and written about Sage. Deadhead spent flower stems. It is commonly found in oak woodlands not far from the Pacific Ocean. I've read about them online and in my library of garden books, but there's no substitute for hearing first-hand from someone with success, so if you have Cleveland sage (also known as chaparral sage, Salvia clevelandii) that is … Sage bushes are fragrant additions to a garden, with striking gray-green leaves that add a punch of flavor to dishes in the kitchen. You can cut them when they are already dry, helping the good aesthetics of the plant. https://www.finegardening.com/article/pruning-subshrubs, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Id8OjwsLPLM&feature=youtu.be&t=88, https://www.thekitchn.com/everything-you-need-to-know-about-growing-sage-221035, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rm24CgBeD1Q&feature=youtu.be&t=82, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Sx4X8yNt5w&feature=youtu.be&t=18, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEEBjxvxzIE&feature=youtu.be&t=54, https://www.gardenfocused.co.uk/herbs/sage.php, consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. As is the custom of this blog we like to close the articles with a video material (in this case Michael Boyton channel), where you can review more graphically and practice many of the concepts seen so far. % of people told us that this article helped them. Prune dead wood in early spring, otherwise light pruning as needed. This will help prevent disease transmission, you will have to do it before you start pruning and every time you change plants. 22 September 2020. Scientific: Salvia clevelandii Common: California blue sage, Cleveland sage Family: Lamiaceae, the mint family Origin: From the Southern California coastal mountain chaparral (such as in the Cleveland National Forest area) south into northern Baja California - a classic, chaparral fire dependent shrub. Pruning Sage - This herb that always reminds me why I love hand pruning. Salvia clevelandii Cleveland Sage. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. It should be pruned every year to encourage new growth. As with any type of plant, it is necessary to know some basic characteristics of it before carrying out any maintenance task. Pruning sage is not a complicated task, and with it the tools you will need for this task are easy to achieve. Blue Sage Chaparral Sage Autumn Sage Spring, or spring through summer. Once the plant is analyzed, start cutting. Once you finish reading the article it will be necessary to analyze all the information and apply what you have learned in the best way. This practice can help us to carry out a second harvest as we explained before, but if we carry out pruning in late autumn or early winter it will be of little benefit. To learn how to harvest your sage before pruning, keep reading! The flower spikes are this plant's most striking feature, with clusters of blue-violet flowers stacked like shish-kebobs along the stalk. But perennial herbs—such as lavender, oregano, sage, thyme, and rosemary—often develop woody stems and need some seasonal maintenance pruning. Chaparral Sage Autumn Sage Mexican Bush Sage Salvia. Anyway, for a culinary use you can always get some leaf, this will not affect the bush greatly. It grows in the chaparral, sage scrub and oak woodland plant communities. In zones with well-marked cold seasons the sage generates a single annual harvest. No sage gets the pruning hand itching quite like Salvia canariensis. When left to their own devices and with proper growing conditions, perennial herbs can become shrubs or carpets of ground cover. This article was co-authored by Monique Capanelli. Salvia clevelandii 'Winnifred Gilman' (Sage) - A selection of California Blue Sage, Salvia clevelandii, that grows to 3 to 4 feet tall and wide with aromatic gray-green foliage and profuse golf ball-shaped clusters of electric blue-purple flowers. If it's container-grown, rotating it would make it look a little more uniform. Its popularity lies in the many uses that are given, including culinary and medicinal. The flower spikes are this plants most striking feature, with clusters of blue-violet flowers stacked like shish-kebobs along the spike. As we said, this shrub will start with its development in spring, from that moment new buds will start to appear, it is a good time to prune the sage. The soft gray-green foliage of chaparral sage is extremely aromatic. Find help and information on Salvia leucophylla Purple sage San Luis purple sage Chaparral sage, including varieties and pruning advice. This practice, in addition to influencing the good taste will stimulate the growth of the leaves. Should I trim the flowers off of the sage? Monique Capanelli. Once your sage leaves are dried, they can be crushed easily with your hands if you wish to store them that way. Be sure to use sharp scissor or pruners to avoid damaging or crushing the stems of the plant. When Canary Island sage flowers in June and July, its mauve to purple flowers are glorious, but in a single season, this plant is perfectly capable of growing to 8 feet tall and becoming just as wide. Try to carry out this pruning of the sage every spring, since too long stems are prone to lean and end up on the floor. On the other hand, in warmer areas, the sage has enough time to develop and generate a second crop. Whenever I give talks on caring for new native gardens, this is a topic people want to learn about. Autumn sage (Salvia greggii), a native flowering shrub, comes from the warmer climates of the Southwest. Sage. You can store sage stems and pluck individual leaves as you need them. Trimming back the branches that flowered will also help promote new shoot growth. So you should take your time, do not rush or you can leave unwanted branches. I have left for the last this pruning since there is no specific time to do it. They are also known to have deep purple- or soft yellow-colored leaves. How to Prune a Sage Bush. Not only is it tasty in cooking, it's also great to use medicinally. Chaparral sage is a medium-sized plant with very fragrant foliage. Prune early bloomers in springafter the first flush of growth. Sage loves a warm, sunny and sheltered spot - and is attractive enough to be grown alongside other ornamental plants. Note that sage is a potent herb, so a small amount will add a lot of flavor to your dishes. Pruning sage is not a complicated task, and with it the tools you will need for this task are easy to achieve. Any time is good for a cleaning pruning. Remove dead or dying leaves, which you can identify by yellow coloring or dropping, throughout the year whenever you notice them. soft gray-green foliage of chaparral sage is extremely aromatic. clevelandii S. greggii S. leucantha Spring, or spring through summer. In this section we will see the key care of spirea. Shears. clevelandii S. greggii S. leucantha Spring, or spring through summer. Cut back old stems in winter or early spring. Begin by carefully observing the plant, recognize the dry stems of the woody ones. Click here to find out more. If you want to extend the useful life of your pruning tools there are some basic care. It is also good to let stand, without pruning or harvest, the wise for a few months (you always have permission to cut one or two leaves to cook, but do not overdo it!). Take the stems and trim them to 1/3 of their height. Southwest native to 5 x 5 feet has blue flowers in spring and wonderful sage fragrance; makes a superior addition to any desert landscape. You shouldn't need to prune the plant because it is too large for the space (instead replace it with a lower growing plant). With over 15 years of experience, Monique specializes in interior botanical design, living walls, event decor, and sustainable landscape design. Deadhead spent flower stems. The article has no waste, I assure you. There are several wild sages that scent our sage scrub and chaparral wild … Mexican sage, or Salvia leucantha, is a popular plant with numerous benefits. Just harvest them as needed. Last Updated: October 22, 2020 It may need pruning so that sun reaches all branches, not just some. The 1/3 is an estimative, the correct thing is to cut just over a new bortacion, this will allow the sage to recover and respond faster and with less effort. Harvest sage leaves as you need them, or in bulk to dry and store for later use. . Chaparral sage grows in excess of 5 feet tall by 6 feet wide. The leaves of the most common variety of sage shrubs are green and light purple in color. While it will not be a harvest as abundant as the first will be enough for several uses in your kitchen. Sage is a woody perennial herb that makes a great addition to both your garden and kitchen. Do not plant sage near cucumbers, as it will hinder their growth. Originally from the Mediterranean region, this shrub is cultivated in many latitudes of the world. So here we are, I hope that everything was clear about how and when to prune sage, and do not have any doubt at the moment that you should take your scissors and trim. After the sage has grown new shoots and leaves in spring, you can use the fresh sage leaves for a sage tea, for example, or to flavour meals. Sage grows into a small woody shrub of about three feet (one meter) in height. Prune off the blooms spikes as they flowers fade to promote new growth. However, if new shoots have already formed when you plan to cut back your sage, no pruning should be done any more. Although the pruning of sage is the central axis of this article, it does not stop being one of several of the caution that this bush needs to be healthy, strong and beautiful. Depending on the size of the species, sages makes a great border or background for desert wildflowers. Perhaps the most common and easiest-to-grow native sage is Salvia clevelandii and its numerous hybrids. Sage is a lovely herb. This plant can be easily grown in the garden with very little plant care. This article has been viewed 65,893 times. This info is for Texas sage (cenizo) or a lot of times refered to as purple sage. Cut back old stems in winter or early spring. Keep in mind that you must disinfect all the tools before trimming your sage. . If you are doing less than a third of the plant than you could wait a bit but personally I would still do it now. Sanitize your cutting tools with isopropyl alcohol before and after every use. When pruning the sage you will have to make sure to trim the following elements: The success of this pruning will depend almost exclusively on the good observation of the pruner. Woody herbs such as lavender, thyme, rosemary and sage, as well as the less-woody-but-still-woody-enough oregano and winter savory (Satureja montana) do need pruning. Monique is a Certified Permaculture Designer. It is very durable in well-draining soil as they don't like soggy roots. How & When to Prune an Autumn Sage Plant. If this is the sage plant’s first trim, be very careful not to over-prune. She provides plant and botanical design experiences, from small gifts to entire transformations, to shoppers as well as commercial clients including Whole Foods Market and The Four Seasons. Please help us continue to provide you with our trusted how-to guides and videos for free by whitelisting wikiHow on your ad blocker. I adore the scent of the leaves, but I am routinely killing them. Sage is a woody perennial plant classified as a subshrub. How to prune sage? How to Prune Woody Herbs on September 29, 2015 We’ve got an extensive collection of herbs for culinary, medicinal and garden health purposes and while they mostly need nothing from us, I do give the woody herbs a drastic haircut around now (spring’ish) to bring on fresh, abundant growth. Pruning will make way for tender new growth that will be vulnerable to the cold and may be damaged or killed. If you have any questions, remember that you can contact us to make your inquiries. The older it gets the thicker and woodier the stems get. If you really can’t stand to see another ad again, then please consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 65,893 times. To prune the sage you must bear in mind that although the new shoots are flexible, as it ages it generates thicker and woody stems. Deadhead spent flower stems. You can continue to let them grow. Sage is evergreen plant that belongs to the family Lamiaceae. She attended the University of Texas at Austin. Sage (Salvia Officinalis) is a common garden plant with good fragrance. Trim back half of the plant to ensure rejuvenation. © Copyright, HowandWhentoPrune.com • Contact • Legal, privacy and cookies, Sage Pruning (https://youtu.be/PQI1Suz9OHE). Loves full sun, well drained soil, deep infrequent water once established. Deadhead spent flower stems. The sage develops in the warm months (spring-summer), and remains at rest during cold months (especially in winter). Salvia clevelandii or Chaparral Sage Prune after flowering in spring to control shape or cut back to woody stems to rejuvenate. She provides plant and botanical design experiences, from small gifts to entire transformations, to shoppers as well as commercial clients including Whole Foods Market and The Four Seasons. It is not advisable to prune sage during the fall or winter. Monique Capanelli is a Plant Specialist and the Owner and Designer for Articulture Designs, an innovative design firm and boutique in Austin, Texas. There is an epidemic of truly horrible pruning that affects not only Texas Sage (Leucophyllum species), but also Cassia (Senna species), Fairy Duster (Calliandra species) and even Oleander. Famed as part of a double act alongside onion in the famous sage and onion stuffing, sage is a strongly-scented herb that can be used to flavour many vegetable or meat dishes. The smell of sage is the smell of the California chaparral. This article has been viewed 65,893 times. Cut back old stems in winter or early spring. Expert Interview. Monique Capanelli is a Plant Specialist and the Owner and Designer for Articulture Designs, an innovative design firm and boutique in Austin, Texas. Pinch a leaf of Sage, smell it, and you’re a happy person. A common species that grows on shady slopes in oak woodland, chaparral, and coastal sage scrub. References. As it can not be otherwise in this article we will learn all about how and when to prune sage, but not before studying some of the most important care that this shrub needs. Note: Please note that the advice given here is general, this blog is consulted from many countries in the world, with totally different characteristics, what not all tips will be adapted in the same way in all cases. That is why it is beneficial to replace the plant every four years so that there are enough productive stems to harvest. Sage stems can also be re-planted to propagate new growth. If needed, renewal pruning in early fall for clevelandii and greggii;in the winter for leucantha. She attended the University of Texas at Austin. Fresh or dried leaves are used to make teas. Rinse your sage thoroughly with warm water before you eat it or cook with it. It is an evergreen perennial with herbaceous flowering stems from a woody base, growing from 0.3 to 1.5 meters (1-3 feet) tall and spreading by rhizomes. Monique is a Certified Permaculture Designer. Remove any dead or damaged leaves that you see as you harvest the sage stems so that your kitchen herbs are as healthy as possible. Pronounciation: SAL-vee-a clev-LAN-dee-i Hardiness zones I dedicated an entire post to the unfortunate shaping of many of these beautiful shrubs into ‘cupcakes’, which you can view here Read The Plant Label Or You Might End Up With Cupcakes . Salvia clevelandii also attracts butterflies and hummingbirds into the garden. ‘Prostrata’ Salvia chamaedryoides Blue Sage Spring, or spring through summer. This is especially important if you used any insecticides or fungicides while your sage was growing. New growth has supple stems, but older growth is stiff.