Growing Salvias In Containers

Growing salvias in containers

Salvias of all types can be grown in containers, too. Take care when choosing salvias, because not all plants are hardy in all regions; some are best treated as annuals, but perennial varieties are also available. All salvias do best in full sun (6-8 hours of sunlight per day) and well-drained soil.

How do you take care of potted salvias?

Growing Salvia Indoors Keep in mind that salvia plants soak up the full sun and will need sufficient sunlight to thrive. Watering salvia that is potted indoors will likely need to be done weekly or twice-weekly. A thorough soak will provide the necessary amount of water needed for your salvia to thrive.

Do salvias like sun or shade?

Growing Salvia Most salvias prefer full sun and well-drained soils, but some will bloom well in part shade. Once established, most salvia species are quite drought-tolerant and require little care. Excessive water and fertilizer can increase fungal disease problems for salvias.

How often do you water salvias in pots?

Generally speaking, the best way to determine how often to water your salvia plant is to check the top half-inch of soil for dampness. As a rule of thumb, if it's dried out, give the salvia plant some water. If it's still damp or moist in the top half-inch, then no need to water the salvia plant.

Do salvias in pots need feeding?

Only salvias grown in pots should receive extra feed; if you feed them in the ground you will get a lot of growth and less blooms. For pots, use a high potash feed like tomato feed.

Should salvias be cut back?

Once the flower spikes have faded (generally in early summer), cut the stems right back down to the base. This will encourage a second flush of blooms. Leave the second lot of stems over winter to protect new growth from frosts. Then, cut all old growth off in spring, leaving new, green growth intact.

Are salvias low maintenance?

John Whittlesey, author of The Plant Lover's Guide to Salvias, says, "Hardy perennial salvias bring strong color and form to the early summer border." Salvias are a favorite of hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees. Their drought-resistant nature and low maintenance make them a perfect choice for an easy-care garden.

Do salvias lose their leaves in winter?

1) Herbaceous – deciduous The herbaceous salvias are those that tend to die back to the ground in winter and include the popular Salvia 'Amistad', the new closely related cultivar 'Amante' and species Salvia azurea, Salvia elegans (pineapple sage), Salvia engelmanii and Salvia guaranatica to name a small number.

Why are my salvias not thriving?

Salvias don't like to be in wet soil. Too much water on the roots from overwatering or sitting in wet soil for an extended period of time can cause salvia plants to droop or flop over. Be sure that you don't overwater or even water at all if there's been rainfall recently.

Do salvias like coffee grounds?

It is advised to use organic matters such as used coffee grounds, compost, and bark mulch. Fertilizers need to be so dry since salvia plants want a type of soil that has good air circulation.

Why are my salvias leggy?

Often as plants age, they may develop a tendency to become leggy. Perennial salvia is a good example of this growth pattern. Immediately after flowering, cut the salvia back to basal growth. They may bloom again later in the summer.

Which salvias are most hardy?

Beautiful and popular hardy perennial salvia varieties

• Salvia nemorosa 'Amethyst' (Sage)
• Salvia nemorosa 'Caradonna' (Sage) ...
• Salvia nemorosa 'Ostfriesland' (Sage) ...
• Salvia verticillata 'Purple Rain' (Whorled Sage) ...
• Salvia x sylvestris 'Blue Hill' ('Blauhugel' Sage) ...
• Salvia x sylvestris 'Mainacht' (Wood Sage)

Can you take cuttings from salvias?

Salvias are a large group of plants popular for adding colour to borders in late summer. The perennial types vary in hardiness so a good way to safeguard against winter losses is to root cuttings. This is simple to do and it is satisfying to share these long-flowering plants with friends.

What should I do with my salvias over winter?

Protecting salvias in winter In mild areas, mulch tender salvias with a 10cm layer of well-rotted manure or garden compost to protect them from frost. In colder areas, lift them as you would dahlias, and overwinter them in pots indoors.

Do salvias bloom twice?

Many perennial Salvias will bloom twice if you do nothing, but if you dead-head them (remove the old, spent flowers) you can get three or even four blooms in a season. The first flush of bloom is the most robust, but the flowering will linger on all season if you give it a proper pruning after the first bloom.

Which salvias are winter hardy?

Salvia cacaliifolia is a native of Southern Mexico and Central America that produces eye-catching indigo flowers held on tall stems, which can reach 90cm in height, and has bright green foliage. Half-hardy, so provide winter protection.

What fertilizer do salvias need?

Fertilizing Salvia

• Salvia plants need very little fertilizer, and they will not do well when fertilized frequently with chemical fertilizers.
• Avoid high nitrogen fertilizers.
• Instead, keep their soil healthy and well-drained by fertilizing with natural or organic soil builders.

Where is the best place to plant salvias?

You can plant salvia in average soil in a sunny to partly shady location for most varieties. Some growing salvia plants, however, such as Japanese yellow sage (Salvia koyamae), like shade and rich, moist soil.

What plants should you not put coffee grounds around?

In most cases, the grounds are too acidic to be used directly on soil, even for acid-loving plants like blueberries, azaleas and hollies. Coffee grounds inhibit the growth of some plants, including geranium, asparagus fern, Chinese mustard and Italian ryegrass.

What does Epsom salts do for plants?

Epsom salt – actually magnesium sulfate – helps seeds germinate, makes plants grow bushier, produces more flowers, increases chlorophyll production and deters pests, such as slugs and voles. It also provides vital nutrients to supplement your regular fertilizer.

10 Growing salvias in containers Images