How to Prune Russian Sage

• 1). Remove spent blossoms of Russian Sage shrubs planted in warmer reaches of its hardiness zone to get a second round of blooms from the plant. The flowers should be removed as soon as they fade, before the seed pods have formed. Make certain that only the flower is removed, as the plant will require the energy from its leaves to produce the second set of blossoms.
  
  
• 2). Trim softwood cuttings from Russian Sage in midsummer to root cuttings and start new plants. Softwood is growth that is easily recognized as fresh and new. Take cuttings with several sets of leaves, remove the bottom set, treat the cutting with rooting hormone and plant it in fresh potting soil. Move the new plant to the garden in spring.
  
  
• 3). Cut back Russian Sage in mid-spring to six inches tall for optimal plant health. Make sure that four to five growth nodes (bumps on the stem that leaves grow from) remain below the cut line, to ensure the plant is able to regrow.