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Looking a bit 'off' - should I cut it back to get fresh growth?

Tim, I'd leave it a bit til we're sure the weather's not going to get mean with us. Mine aren't showing significant new growth yet (but nor have they lost all their leaves as they have some hard winters). If you do decide to cut out the dead stuff (and I did this to 2 of my purple sage bushes a couple of weeks ago) ...be gentle. A severe all-over cut's not going to do it any good at all?

My sage is also looking a bit woebegone, but I'm waiting for the temperature to rise somewhat before pruning. (Advice from a Google search.)

Tricia

Wait Tim, the dead bit will still give protection from a hard frost

Thanks - I was just hoping I might be able to reduce its size a bit.

Will all new growth be from the top - increasing its size even more?

Sage can send out shoots from hardened wood, it's not as bad as Rosemary for that. I've cut back my ordinary sage very hard in the past and it has regenerated nicely from base shoots, but I find the variegated and tricolour types are less likely to for some reason.

Tim! You, who always advocates patience & sitting on one's hands at this time of year.......suddenly you're in a rush? ::)

If you sit on your hands (or rattle pans in the kitchen or something ;)) for a couple of weeks or so, you'll see new growth starting down on the branches...that's when you cut back to wherever you want...just like any other pruning job, really..

I've had my 'original' green sage for oh!....20 years or so? And I keep it to just the size I want 8)

Rush? Who, me??  No - just planning ahead!!

I tend to hack mine back in autumn and also now if its looking bad, but i do have quite a lot so not worried if I lose some - maybe take some cuttings as a precaution, or don't cut back the whole bush - I've always thought it to be quite tough - so many different ways of doing something but if in doubt wait  :)

I generally cut back mine by half at least in mid to late April.