May Night Salvia

The tag says it blooms all spring & summer. We had a glorious spring. Now all the blooming is done on the "stalks" they currently have. So... do I hedge it back to get another bloom season? Will it re-stalk itself or re-populate it's current stalks.

I'm leaning towards a severe deadheading, but am hesitant just in case I'll be killing the whole summer's blooms.

Suggestions, experience?

Here are TWO in the right bed, I have many many many more since the bees love them, I kept bringing them home.

I'm not too sure IF the plant gives out a second flush of flowers, but unless you want seeds from the blooms as they die and dry off, I would leave all the foliage on the plants and just remove the dead flowers and their stems, even IF you don't get more flowers this year, by removing the seed-heads, all the energy will go down to the roots forming more growth there which is what you want, also after removing the flowers that have died, I like to sprinkle a handful of feed around the root area so they get a nice bulking up before winter causes them to die right down in most areas.

Best regards, WeeNel.

Cut off the flowered stems. If they will rebloom, it will be on new stems growing from lower down.

I agree. They will usually rebloom about a month or so after cutting off the spent flower spikes but sometimes not the same full bloom as they originally had. If you cut the plant back by about half, they will (usually) put out new growth, rebloom and continue on blooming through the summer. I suppose there may be some differences with zones.

When I am cleaning up pretty much anything in the mint family (Salvia, Lavender, Mint and others) I generally am conservative when the season is still right for reblooming, taking just the old flower stalk and a couple of leaves (one or two pairs) under it. Often these are a bit smaller a leaf that the plant makes as if they are part of the flower stem. Then the new growth will come from the buds that are next to the larger leaves that I have left. This will generally produce some nice flowers.
After several flowering periods I will cut harder, perhaps removing 1/3 to 1/2 of the plant, well into the larger leafed part. Often this triggers regrowth from even lower, and I will then see where to trim off even more, leaving just the new growth near the base.

is there a salvia forum or community for me to join
Salvias are one of my main plants
I have Wendys, blue black , may night, rose sensation
and a red called Autumn sage I really like a lot

Would like to ask you all what others shaped like an upright bush
like Autumn sage , which is red and small flat flowers
I have...blooms well and long season..similiar to that plant
in size which here is 3 foot high and wide...

I need a great red salvia that blooms more than just a few weeks..
and small size...part sun part shady..all mine are doing well
in part sun and part shade...
Thanks
sheridragonflys

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/f/salvias/all/