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Pruning Salvia Hot lips

KeithsterKeithster Posts: 29
in Problem solving
I've just been looking at previous posts on this forum, but I'm still not sure of the best thing to do with Salvia Hot lips. 

The shrub hasn't been pruned much before and, as a result, is leggy with the leaves appearing on top growth only.  The back of the shrub doesn't have any leaves on at all (it's in shade).  I did cut low down at the back of the shrub and it's green so still alive.  Just wondering whether I should prune hard now that the risk of frost is over and whether this would encourage new growth at the bottom of the shrub or whether that isn't advisable with this particular Salvia. 

What do most people do for Salvia Hot lips to keep it looking neat, but flowering well?

Thank you. 

Posts

  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    I don't have hotlips but I have several of the single-coloured ones. I prune them back reasonably hard in mid-spring (in a normal year I'd probably have done it by now but it's been cold so it'll be in the next couple of weeks probably). Having said that I've always had some green growth lower below where I prune to, so I don't know what would happen to yours. It ought to shoot from below where you prune it if you cut it back hard, but there's always a risk that it won't.
    What I would do in your situation is take some cuttings from the new growth on top to get new young plants and then prune hard, but I'm of the kill-or-cure school of pruning sometimes so you may want to leave it until your cuttings have rooted.
    Useful links:
    One of my favourite gardening youtubers looking after his salvias:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vA9uQx_5oE
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    I would prune down to the lowest point of green on the branch, not lower or else it probably won't sprout and grow.

    If it has got very leggy and woody over years, it might be worth pulling out the plants and putting in new ones. You can then prune back after threat of frost has passed, each spring to keep things compact.

    They grow easily from cuttings. If you think you might like to start again, and don't want to pull the shrub out now, you could take some cuttings now, grow the plants on and plant out next year.
  • Robert WestRobert West Posts: 241
    Normally I wait til there's a bud on every branch and chop right back to just above that point. This year they've been slower to get started so, being impatient, I've just chopped them back to the usual size which is about a foot tall. I'm pretty confident they'll be fine. There's some new growth so I know the plant is alive and kicking. 
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