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Salvia
Salvia originate from the Mediterranian, Africa and some species are believed to originate from Argentina and Mexico. They are a genus of tuberous and rhizamatous flowering gardening plants. There are around nine hundred species within the genus. Leaves vary dramatically in size, shape and colour. From small and lance shape to large round and narrow. Colours range from mid green, dark green and green/yellow. Depending on the species leaves are hairy, glossy or leathery. Flowers are two lipped borne in panicles on upright stems. Colours range from white, pink, scarlet or blue. Some species are aromatic. Most species attract bees and other pollinators. Genus: Salvia Family: Labiatae Species: Splendens Common Names: Scarlet sage. Classification: Although it is really a perennial and can withstand some late frost it is normally grown as an half hardy annual. Height: 23cm (9in). Flowering: From June to first frost. Salvia are one of the most common gardening plants there is and with such a huge range to choose from you are sure to find one or two, or more, suitable for your planting schemes. Where: Ideal in any bedding arrangement. Used in large groups in borders and bedding schemes Salvias will look their best. Grow in patio pots, tubs and window boxes for vibrant splashes of colour. Site: They prefer full sun, they thrive in it! Soil: Any free draining soil. Sowing Time: - Indoors January to March.
*USE ONLY CLEAN EQUIPMENT *(BY DOING THIS IT WILL INCREASE YOUR PROPAGATION SUCESS RATE) Full or half size seed tray/s, (plus inserts - if you are using them), or plant pot/s (depending on how many seeds you are sowing). A thermostatically controlled propagator would be ideal, but it is not essential. You can make do without one. Clear seed tray cover, cling film, glass (with ground edges - to prevent cut fingers - size depends on tray or pot you are using) or rigid plastic (with filed edges - to prevent cut fingers - size depending on tray or pot you are using). Plant Label and indelible pencil or pen.
AS WITH ANY TOOLS - CARE SHOULD BE TAKEN WITH THEIR USE - BE SAFE! Potting bench or potting tidy/caddy. Sieve. Tamper. Mist Sprayer.
Any good quality commercially available multi-purpose compost, or seed and cutting compost. A peat free compost is ideal. Now this is the time to decide if you want to sow your seeds in trays, inserts or pots. It is also time to calculate how many trays, inserts or pots you will need to sow the number of seeds you are going to sow. As rule of thumb, you can easily sow up to 10 Salvia seeds in a 75mm (3 inch) pot. Or up to 20 seeds in a half size seed tray. 50 in a full size seed tray and any combinations in between. Sieve enough compost, on to your potting bench, or potting tidy/caddy, to fill all your trays or pots. Don't discard the sieved out lumps and bits. These can be used in the bottom of larger patio pots when planting them up with your own home grown plants. (Save the lumps and bits in an old compost bag until needed). Fill the seed tray/s or pot/s with compost to about 5mm below the rim (this does not need to be exact - about 5mm will do). Lift the tray or pot to a height of about 15cm (6 inches) and gently tap it on the bench. Do this about three times. This will settle the compost into the tray or pot to about the correct level. The compost should now be about 10mm (1/2 inch) from the top of the tray or pot. This does not have to be exact so don't worry if it is a couple of mm higher or lower. It will make no difference to the end result. Take your correct size tamper and gently level the surface of the compost. DON'T push the tamper with any force. All we want to do here is level off the surface of the compost, NOT compact it. *This gives an ideal surface to sow the seed on. *(Doing this correctly will increase your propagation success rate). That's it. You have now successfully filled your first tray or pot with compost. Now Fill the rest of your trays or pots in the same way. This is the fun part, sowing your seeds.
Salvia seeds are large enough to handled individually so you can sow the seeds on the surface of the compost one at a time. Sow them evenly in your pots or trays taking care not to bunch the up together. When you have sown all your seeds all that is needed is to cover the seeds with a very light "dusting" of sieved compost. Just enough to cover the seeds and no more. When you have finished doing this don't forget to label your pots or trays with plant name and date of sowing. Water your trays or pots with great care. With your mist sprayer, set at it's finest spray, filled with tepid water and held at about 100mm (4 inch) from the pot or tray, lightly spray the surface of the compost. Don't get to close, or overdo it here, you will disturb the seeds which is exactly what you don't want to do! The idea is to settle the surface of the compost with the fine mist from your sprayer. This prevents the seeds being disturbed. Now fill a container, large enough to put the tray or pot in, with tepid water *(preferably water that has been standing in a warm place for about twenty-four hours) and definitely NOT rainwater, use good old tap water! Stand the tray or pot in the container of water and leave it until you see the surface just becoming moist. This usually happens fairly quickly so don't be tempted to go off and do something else. *Do not overdo the watering process, you don't want the compost saturated, or your seeds may rot and not germinate. *(By doing this correctly you will greatly increase your chance of success). Cover your trays or pots with glass or clear plastic (or preferably, for ease of use, place in a propagator - unheated will do). Keep your tray or pot in the light, (not direct sunlight) and maintain a temperature of 20C to 25C (68F to 78F). When your seeds have germinated and are large enough to handle transplant them individually into 75mm (3in) pots. Be very careful handling the seedlings. Do not handle them by their stems as this will cause irreversible damage resulting in the seedling collapsing. Handle the seedlings very gently and only by their leaves. Tease the seedlings roots out with great care ensuring not too many roots are damaged. Time and care taken hear will really pay dividends giving your seedlings the best possible chance of growing on successfully. Transplant your seedlings using a good quality potting compost. A sieved peat based or peat alternative compost will be fine. When you have transplanted all your seedlings don't forget to label them with plant name, sowing date and transplanting date. Water your trays or pots with great care. Fill a container, that is large enough to put your seed tray in, with tepid water *(preferably water that has been standing in a warm place for about twenty-four hours) and definitely NOT rainwater, use good old tap water! Stand the tray of seedlings in the container of water and leave it until you see the surface just becoming moist. This usually happens fairly quickly so don't think about going of and doing something else. *Do not overdo the watering process, you don't want the compost saturated, or your seedlings will rot and die. *(By doing this correctly you will greatly increase your chance of success). Keep the transplanted seedlings in good light (not direct sunlight) until they are large enough to be hardened off.
These seedlings are just the right size for transplanting into single pots.
Grown in half size seed trays is a highly recommended way of growing plants such as Salvia from seed and is much preferred to sowing singly in pots. Remember this when you come to sow your Salvia seeds. It will increase your chance of success! Aftercare Plants should be gradually hardened off by placing them outside, in a sheltered position, during the day. A cold frame with the lid open is ideal for this. If it is very cold during the day close the lid, but watch out for excess condensation. If there is excess condensation prop the cold frame lid open slightly until the condensation disappears. Bring them in at night to avoid severe frosts. When they are ready for planting out, make sure it is after the last frosts.
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