[header] How to prune sage [title] Prune sage in the springtime. [step] It is not advisable to prune sage during the fall or winter. Pruning will make way for tender new growth that will be vulnerable to the cold and may be damaged or killed. 
Trim your sage plants in the springtime instead, just as new leaves begin to emerge. [substeps] Live woody stems can easily be mistaken for dead stems if they are pruned too early, so it is best to wait until some new growth emerges before starting.