| How far back can I safely prune my Allen Chickering? Is this the right time to do that? The shrub is healthy but I would like to encourage it to be a bit smaller. |
| Your Allen Chickering Salvia is one of the larger ones and pruning is best done in two stages: a third off the stems in the fall (after flowering is finished), and another half of what's left in winter. This will keep a more manageable shape. I'd prune it back by one-third to one-half now and then pinch the tips of the plants out in about 4 weeks. This tip-pruning may delay flowering for a few weeks but it should encourage branching which will give you a denser, more compact plant. Enjoy! |
