From our perspective, a "leggy" growth pattern is not a design flaw but a direct and desperate response to our environment. When we, as sage plants, do not receive sufficient sunlight, our survival instinct takes over. We begin to rapidly elongate our stems and internodes (the spaces between leaves) in an attempt to reach a light source. This process, known as etiolation, prioritizes vertical growth over lateral, bushy development. The energy that could be used to produce more leaves and branches is instead funneled into stretching. We become top-heavy, weak, and less able to support ourselves. The primary cause is almost always inadequate light, though sometimes overcrowding or a lack of regular pruning can also contribute to this spindly appearance.
Your act of pruning is a form of communication that we understand perfectly. When you make a clean cut just above a set of leaves, you are removing the apical meristem—the primary growth point at the tip of a stem that produces a hormone called auxin. Auxin suppresses the growth of lateral buds (the small, nascent shoots where leaves meet the stem). By removing this dominant tip, you break its hormonal control. This signals to us that it is safe to redirect our stored energy. Instead of sending it all upwards in a futile climb, we can now activate those dormant lateral buds lower down on the stem. This results in the production of two or more new branches from a single cut, creating the fuller, bushier form you desire.
To have the most productive dialogue, your cuts must be precise and timely. The optimal time for a major pruning is in early spring, just as we exit dormancy and enter a period of vigorous growth. This allows us to heal quickly and respond with enthusiastic branching. Locate a node—the point on the stem where a pair of leaves emerges. Using sharp, sterilized shears, make a clean, angled cut approximately a quarter-inch above this node. Always ensure there are healthy leaves remaining below your cut, as we cannot photosynthesize and produce energy from a bare stem. For a severely leggy plant, you can be more aggressive, cutting back up to one-third of the plant's total height, but never into the old, woody, leafless growth, as we may struggle to regenerate from there.
After pruning, our needs become very specific to ensure a successful recovery and robust new growth. Immediately after you prune, place us in a location with abundant, direct sunlight for at least 6-8 hours a day. This abundant light is the most critical factor, as it provides the energy we need to fuel the new growth you have prompted. Water us deeply but only when the top inch of soil feels dry to the touch; our water needs are slightly reduced immediately after pruning as we have less foliage. Withhold fertilizer for 4-6 weeks to allow us to focus on root and shoot development rather than being forced into soft, weak growth. This combination of signals—ample light, appropriate water, and a pause in nutrients—tells us the environment is now ideal for becoming the dense, bushy, and productive plant we are both striving for.
