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How far back to safely prune a woody salvia?

sonia.tadaa23317sonia.tadaa23317 Posts: 13
in Problem solving
Hi everyone, there's a lovely old salvia in my garden (I moved in a few months ago), but it's very woody. 

How far can I safely prune back? Am I ok to go as far as the inner stems are still green, or do I need to make sure I cut above new growth?

The new growth is quite high up and stringy, but the inner stems are green quite a way down so was hoping to cut back further.

Appreciate your advice. Many thanks!
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Posts

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    I cut my S. gregii types back by two thirds, but not until the possibility of the last hard frosts are over. 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • sonia.tadaa23317sonia.tadaa23317 Posts: 13
    Many thanks Dove from above, does it matter if there's no new growth showing where you cut?
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    No they’ll soon show new shoots from lower down.. But unless you’re way down south I wouldn’t do it yet. 😊 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • sonia.tadaa23317sonia.tadaa23317 Posts: 13
    Thank you DoveFromabove, really helpful. I am in Surrey and they are in leaf so am going in with the secateurs!
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Mine are in leaf but I won’t be cutting back until at least May. They look scruffy but we’re in a bit of a frost pocket … it’s what I’ve done here for the past ten years or so and it works here 😊 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • sonia.tadaa23317sonia.tadaa23317 Posts: 13
    Dovefromabove said:
    Mine are in leaf but I won’t be cutting back until at least May. They look scruffy but we’re in a bit of a frost pocket … it’s what I’ve done here for the past ten years or so and it works here 😊 

    Ooh ok!! I will follow your guidance then!
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    Mine haven't even lost all the old leaves and they are merrily sprouting, but I don't normally prune them hard until well into April at the earliest. I might tidy up some of the old long sprawling branches before then, if they're in the way of something else. 
    One exception is that I have just this week chopped down a S. Nachtvlinder to almost ground level, and hoiked out some of it, where it was spreading a bit too enthusiastically. That variety is a bit different to most in that it spreads underground like a running perennial. I have other plants of it and I won't be upset if that one dies, but I bet it won't.
    If you want more of yours @sonia.tadaa23317 , you could take some cuttings from the new shoots. They root very easily.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • AnniDAnniD Posts: 12,585
    edited 12 March
    I agree, hang fire for a while, at least until mid April. Mine are running rampant in the front garden, but although they're in dire need of a prune l'm resisting the temptation  :)

    As @JennyJ says, they are easy to propagate from cuttings and if you have somewhere you can overwinter them they can act as insurance. Lots of videos and information online, here's just one.

    https://blog.thompson-morgan.com/taking-cuttings-of-half-hardy-salvias/
  • bédébédé Posts: 3,095
    It depends on the species.  My experience is with culinary sage, and that doesn't reliably grow from old wood.
     location: Surrey Hills, England, ex-woodland acidic sand.
    "Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
  • granmagranma Posts: 1,933
    Most of my salvia  have died right back this year  but are showing signs of coming back..
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