How do I overwinter Salvia nemorosa \'Caradonna\' with purple spikes?

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Orange349 Oxford, United Kingdom Oct 09, 2021

I am very new to this. I have a couple of large plants of Salvia nemorosa 'Caradonna' in flowerbeds.

They flowered well. I didn't deadhead them during the summer (I now realise I should have). One plant I cut the dead stalks off, the other one I left them, as they actually look better on.

How should I overwinter them?
I have found conflicting stuff online. One site said to leave them completely as-is, as the plant matter protects from frost, then cut them back heavily in spring. Another site said cut back by a third, ready for cutting back heavily in spring.

The first photo shows the plant still with stalks on. I can see they are sprouting new green leaves at the bottom, illustrated by the second photo.

Any advice would be very much appreciated.

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Krootie Weirton, WV(Zone 6a) Oct 09, 2021

Here in the northern panhandle of WV, I give them a haircut around the 4th of July cutting off the spent flowers. Then they have another burst of flowering until fall. But I let them be for the insects over winter. Come Spring, there will be new shoots sprouting out of the ground, just gently remove the dead. Pollinators love this plant. A favorite in my garden.

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Orange349 Oxford, United Kingdom Oct 09, 2021

Thank you very much, I think I will just leave them then, and prune them in the spring. Maybe the spikes will look pretty in the frost.

I am trying my best to learn which plants need to be left as-is over winter, ready for pruning in the spring (like salvia, and clematis). Compared to some that need to be cut right down before winter (like lavender).

I just cut down a lot of lavender which would have been good for the insects, so I'm glad to leave the salvia for them at least.

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