- A good pair of hand pruners is all you need to prune your Russian sage. Hand pruners are a better choice than heavy shears because they are lightweight and more maneuverable. Also, hand pruners can cut both soft green stems and hard wood growth with precision. Hand pruners come in many different shapes and sizes, so find the one that is lightweight and comfortable to grip. For best results, you will need two kinds of hand pruners to keep your Russian sage healthy and growing strong.
- Bypass pruners have scissor-like blades that bypass each other, making smooth, clean cuts. They are an effective tool for cutting new green growth and deadheading flowers. Gardeners use bypass pruners on Russian sage to thin overgrown shrubs and to maintain their shape.
- Anvil pruners are used to cut thicker wood stems and older growth on a Russian sage plant. The top blade closes down on top of an anvil, crushing the thick part of the plant being removed.
- Prune Russian sage in the early spring after new growth has emerged to encourage branching and flowering. Cut back previous year's growth 6 to 12 inches. Throughout the growing season, prune only to maintain shape and encourage flowering by deadheading. Do not prune Russian sage after fall flowering. Allowing the flowers and foliage to die naturally not only provides interest in your garden during the winter months but also provides the plant with protection from harsh cold.
