Mexican Sage

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DocM124 Lincoln, CA Oct 20, 2004

We have two Mexican Sage bushes, planted in May - They are gorgeous, but growing very large and sgraggly - I read that by pruning them, after they finish blooming, it would enable them to grow more compact. Need help know HOW to prune them ? Thanks for any suggestions you can give us.

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frogsrus San Diego, CA(Zone 10a) Oct 20, 2004

Hi Doc, welcome to Dave's. Hack them back!! You can be pretty brutal. They are a large plant, especially if watered lol. They will get fuller each year as more new growth comes from the rootball. I cut mine pretty close to the ground. You can almost watch them grow back. I yank the new growth around the base if the plant that is beyond the border of where I want the plant to go. I do not know what you mean by compact. All of mine are near 6 feet tall.

This one was also planted in May. I do have one that gets almost no water that is a mere 4' tall.

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DocM124 Lincoln, CA Oct 20, 2004

Thanks - Thats a big help. By compact I meant thicker - ours get watered regulary and have grown to about 6 ft but are scraggly. In any event - one has blown over and we have had to cut it down close to the base. The other is still in full bloom, so we shall wait a little while and then give that one a "whack".

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frogsrus San Diego, CA(Zone 10a) Oct 20, 2004

I had to go out in the rain to shoot this. Here it is in its first rain storm. It is like adding water to cotton. Poor thing. Its resident hummer is quite put out about it too. Ah well, the storm will end tomorrow and it can dry out again.

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jkom51 Oakland, CA(Zone 9b) Oct 21, 2004

I agree -- you need to be ruthless about cutting this type of sage back regularly. Too much rich soil and it will flop, too, like many sages. Without pruning, I have seen this sage literally pry apart granite boulders!

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hanna1 Castro Valley, CA(Zone 9a) Oct 28, 2004

I cut mine back yearly, way back, it will come back full force!!!! I have them all over my yards. I always miss them, but only gone a very short time.

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