potted sage does benefit from specific care management after flowering. Here’s what you should do to keep your plant healthy and potentially encourage more blooms:

Post-Flowering Care for Potted Sage:

1. Deadhead Spent Flowers:

• Why: Once the flowers on your sage plant begin to fade and dry out, it’s beneficial to remove them. This process, known as deadheading, prevents the plant from putting energy into seed production. By redirecting the energy, you can often encourage the plant to produce more foliage and potentially another flush of flowers later in the season.
• How: Use clean pruning shears or scissors to snip off the spent flower heads just below the flower spike.

2. Light Pruning After Main Bloom:

• Why: After the main flowering period has finished, you can lightly prune the flowered stems. This helps to maintain a more compact shape for your plant and encourages the development of new shoots with fresh leaves.
• How: Cut back the flowered stems by about one-third to just above a set of healthy leaves or side shoots.

3. Consider a More Significant Prune (If Needed):

• Why: For older sage plants, an annual hard prune in the spring is generally recommended to promote vigorous new growth. However, if your plant has become particularly leggy or woody after flowering, a more substantial trim (but not a full hard prune) can be done.
• How: Be cautious not to cut back too harshly into the old, woody growth, as sage may struggle to regenerate from there. Aim to prune to just above leaf nodes where you see signs of new growth or healthy foliage.

4. Continue Regular Care:

• Sunlight: Ensure your potted sage continues to receive at least 6-8 hours of sunlight daily.
• Watering: Maintain your regular watering schedule, allowing the soil to dry out slightly between waterings.
• Fertilizing (Optional): You can give your sage a light feeding with a balanced liquid fertilizer after the main flowering period to support new growth. However, sage generally doesn’t require heavy fertilization.

5. Decide About Seed Saving:

• If you want to collect seeds: Leave some of the flower heads on the plant to mature and dry out completely. Once dry, you can harvest the seeds for planting in the future. If you choose to save seeds, avoid deadheading those specific flower heads.

By following these post-flowering care tips, you can keep your potted sage healthy, encourage more foliage growth, and potentially enjoy another round of blooms.