Salvia Growing Guide

Salvias are hardy perennials, requiring little to no maintenance but providing plenty of joy. They have such great diversity: Salvia range from small shrubs in deserts to lush green tree like plants to swamp loving blues and mint herbs for cooking and traditional medicine. There are over 1000 species of salvia plus 3000+ cultivars bred all over the world.

Salvias are a delight: providing color and food for bees and butterflies. They should be in every garden. 

 

Each species and cultivar will have it's preferences but these general approaches apply:

• Salvias prefer well drained soil and full sun. Most can tolerate light to medium wind but prefer some shelter and thrive in a mixed planting border garden.
• Do water salvias deeply when planting and for the first 60 days. After that, they need very little watering and most species prefer dry and hot conditions.
• Salvias benefit from a slow release granular fertilizer applied in spring and do appreciate a liquid seaweed fertilizer applied one month before and during mid-summer flower production.
• The vast majority of salvias don’t like wet heavy soil and are susceptible to root rot. Add pumice and organic matter to heavy clay soils. If growing in pots use a free draining potting mix.
• Salvias are hardy and have few pest or pathogen issues: They contain many immune system defense aromatic compounds, they are part of the mint (Lamiaceae) family of plants.
• Salvia can grow well in pots 25cm wide. If growing in pots fertilize in spring and summer every two months for healthy growth and flower production. Roots will rapidly grow out the bottom of pots. Apply a slow release granular fertilizer to the surface of the pot.
• Don’t be afraid to prune or severely cut back salvias. The plant benefits from this and will form a more attractive bush shape rather than few extended stems. Regularly cut back flowering stems for continuous flowers.
•  Most species are fast growers that prefer to be cut to the ground each autumn with just one node above ground. 
• Most salvias develop a woody center after 3-4 years. They have not died. They are putting their hormones and energy into new growth (underground stolons) at the edge of the plant clump. You should divide the clump with a sharp spade, removing old wood at the center and divide the clump into smaller clumps with fresh stolons and new shoots. Now you have more plants!

Salvias will provide years of joy and feed the bees. You can never have enough salvias.