SUPER SALVIAS 2018

Rightio, cheers both for your advice.

I completely agree longk - these weren't bought at the right time. It's just I am planning on moving house next Spring so got carried away I could buy these, keep them until then.

I think I'll leave them under my "underpass" outside (under the lean-to), but on low temperatures/at night I will bring them inside and pop them on a windowsill. I'm anticipating I'll lose some of the plants tbh, but then it's all a learning process so looking forward to the challenge.

Would I be right in assuming, keeping them in a dark garage for a week or two during really cold weather wouldn't be beneficial?

And watering wise, one every fortnight or so?

 

Hiya Ben
Agree with longk ...word for word really.
Of them all Amistad and Love n Wishes are most tender. Amistad is slightly hardier than love n wishes in my experience
Watering? No, dont do any regime. Only if they feel dry should you lightly water them

 

If it is truly arctic they'll be pretty much dormant so it won't be the end of them.

Nah, S.discolor by a mile! I actually got Amistad through last winter - it is planted up against the house wall.

And from the bottom if possible.

 

Of course, they are all hardy here!

 

Discolor ain't

 

Neighbour grows it longk....we'll see

 

I've grown it and lost both plants to very light frosts.

 

Many thanks to you both longk and Verdun for your knowledge! I'll keep them lightly watered where possible.

I refound the documents and identified the other Salvia species that I received:

- Cherry Pie
- Jean's Jewel
- Peach Cobbler
- Super Trouper

I'll let you know how I get on but I think I'm going to leave them under the lean-to for the day and bring them indoors when the weather gets grim. I wish I could afford a little greenhouse or cold frame but there is no room sadly.

The other option I have is I have south-facing rear window which I could place the plants on the windowsill all winter, and leave the window open (ergo lower temps and some airflow) - might this work for them? The downside to leaving them outside is I anticipate breezes etc might knock them over as the pots are so light and this would remove this risk/hassle.

On a side note, I too lost a bunch of my Salvias to the Beast from the East last winter - Amistad and Lemon Parfait to name two, but some given zero protection at all survived really well. My Nachtvinder has come out well this year. My Hot Lips is literally the size of a small car now, the way it has spread... it's in a pot too.
Am I right in assuming now is the time to prune Salvias already outside?

 

Hot Lips and some you mention are microphylla types.....shrubby, woody and hardy. Yes, Hot Lips can make very large shrubs
Pruning ? I do it now but it is very mild here over winter. Best to prune in spring Ben. You can take cuttings though and they will root quickly to make good size shrubs next summer.
I would not leave your salvia plugs outside...the windowsill sounds good
Amistad here is over 8' now from cuttings taken last autumn.......lots of vigour

 

Agree, this far inland it is best to prune in the spring.

Jean's Jewel is another S.guaranitica derived cultivar/hybrid. It looks rather like S.guaranitica var.violaceae which I am growing for the first time this year. I've kept three of the seedlings, all bloomed well and I will find out just how hardy they are come the spring.

 

I lost all the Salvia amarissima that I grew from seed when I forgot to water them but this self seeder has saved the day, if somewhat late in the season!
Salvia amarissima by longk48, on Flickr

 

In habitat Salvia coerulea is a winter blooming species and here it has just started blooming........
Salvia coerulea by longk48, on Flickr

It has lots of nice full inflorescence like this..........
Salvia coerulea by longk48, on Flickr

 

Am I finally going to get S.lasiantha to bloom?

 

All my Salvia flowers and buds have gone having two frosts, Hotlips, Mellen and Icing Sugar, so I have cut them all back to about 18" high, Amistad almost collapsed so it too has been cut back and will soon be lifted for greenhouse over wintering.

 

S.lasiantha is cheating - it's in the greenhouse!
So is S.coerulea now..............
Salvia coerulea by longk48, on Flickr