Greetings all!

I live in a fairly hot and dry part of California, USA, and have for
the last few years grown a nice garden of drought-tolerant, native- or
mediterranean-type plants. These include a variety of sages, rock
roses, rosemary, lavender, malva, lavatera, germander, etc. Most of
the plants are doing pretty well, though it is apparent that we
probably planted some plants too close together and are having to move
some.

One gardening skill I have never developed is the art and craft of
pruning. I virtually never prune anything (though my wife does
sometimes prune things like the Mexican sage). Is there some online
source that will provide for me a set of general pruning guidelines --
when to do it, how to do it, when to avoid it, what plants need what
-- just to get me started?

The specific plant I had a question about is the California Blue Sage.
We planted a few of them a few years ago, and they barely got going
at all; we thought our soil was just too hard or something. Then,
sometime last year, they just got HUGE (crowding neighboring plants,
regrettably) and put forth a spectacular display of flowers in Spring.
Now the branches look like dried sticks. I know some sages (like Mex
sage) get pruned when new growth comes in in Spring, but this kind of
sage (clevelandii, I think) doesn't follow the same growth pattern.
Any thoughts?

Chuck

P.S. I'm just about to transplant an acacia redolens that I planted a
couple years ago, and which is starting to crowd out neighbors. Any
thoughts as to well these guys tolerant transplanting?

In article ,
(Dolchas) writes:

One gardening skill I have never developed is the art and craft of
pruning. I virtually never prune anything (though my wife does
sometimes prune things like the Mexican sage). Is there some online
source that will provide for me a set of general pruning guidelines --
when to do it, how to do it, when to avoid it, what plants need what
-- just to get me started?

The best source for Calif. gardeners is a book: The Western Garden
Book, published by Sunset. It's a wealth of information- "The Bible for
Western Gardeners". Perhaps your library has it, so that you can take
a look. Then Buy it. (2001 edition, there are many previous editions)

The specific plant I had a question about is the California Blue Sage.
We planted a few of them a few years ago, and they barely got going
at all; we thought our soil was just too hard or something. Then,
sometime last year, they just got HUGE (crowding neighboring plants,
regrettably) and put forth a spectacular display of flowers in Spring.
Now the branches look like dried sticks. I know some sages (like Mex
sage) get pruned when new growth comes in in Spring, but this kind of
sage (clevelandii, I think) doesn't follow the same growth pattern.
Any thoughts?

Cleveland Sage likes to be pruned in late winter or very early
spring when the weather is cool. I wouldn't cut back too much,
maybe about a third, or as far as you need to go to remove the
smaller dried growth, or to live wood if there is a lot of dead stuff.

Chuck

P.S. I'm just about to transplant an acacia redolens that I planted a
couple years ago, and which is starting to crowd out neighbors. Any
thoughts as to well these guys tolerant transplanting?

I don't know anything acacia, but W Garden Book doesn 't
mention anything specific about their resenting transplanting.
Your drought garden sounds great.

Emilie
NorCal zone 8