I’m Heidi. Most varieties are native to hot, dry climates and can be grown as perennials. Continue digging around the entire plant in a circle to severe any roots from the root ball. Alternately you can take a spade and try to chop off a section and leave a portion of the plant in its place. Salvia faces several common problems caused by pests and fungi. Cut the plants back, then dig them up and divide into sections. Woodier roots will require a saw or clippers (i.e like daylilies). Just lift, divide into clumps, and replant. Planting and care of Salvias Plant salivas en masse for a stunning display of colour in garden beds or use the smaller more compact varieties for pot displays around patios and entertainment areas. A number of plants can be divided by simply teasing apart the roots and sniping the plants apart (i.e. Perennial Salvias are more commonly known as sage, being part of the mint family. Dig in several inches of compost if the soil is a heavy clay or very sandy. They are one of the easiest plants to divide. when you see the middle part dying out or the plant seems to have lost some of its vigor). Continue... Place a trowel underneath the root ball and press the handle down to raise the entire plant from the soil. Perennials like this lungwort can be divided for extra plants or to improve the health of the plant. Propagation from stem cuttings and division will provide more plants that are identical to the parent plant. Deliciously aromatic foliage and a long flowering season. Plus a new plant specimen you should try. Salvia x jamensis 'Señorita Leah’ has a salmon-pink lower lip, a creamy yellow upper lip and is suffused with pink and red. Leave the tuft of the original plant in place. The care of salvias varies tremendously, depending on the type you grow. A node is the area where leaves emerge off a stem. Sage is a moderately drought-tolerant plant and does not need much water to bloom throughout the spring and summer. Peony: Peonies are long-lived and can be left undisturbed for many years. Hybrids may produce seeds, but in many cases they are sterile, or will not produce plants true to the parent plant. Plant ‘Sierra San Antonio’ in full sun, and provide good drainage to ensure its hardiness. Salvia blepharophylla ‘Painted Lady’ Half-hardy herbaceous perennial with black-tinted foliage and … Organic matter lightens heavy soils and helps sandy soils retain water. Wrap the divided sections in wet newspaper to keep the roots moist before planting them. Pour isopropyl alcohol over the cutting area of pruning shears. like Salvia). Woodier roots will require a saw or clippers (i.e like daylilies). When the pods are grayish-brown, remove them from the plant. Scatter in the garden to naturally reseed or save them in an air-tight container to plant later. Maybe one day, with your help and encouragement, we will be dividing plants together in my garden. If you have perennial salvias, you can divide the plants every three years. Woody perennials often form roots when stems rest on the ground or are buried by gradually accumulating mulch. Point your spade in the middle of the tuft you want to divide. • Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea If you’re growing a perennial variety of salvia plant, you’ll need to divide it … Allow salvia blooms to dry on the plant in the fall. The Best Time of Year to Divide Perennials. It flowers profusely all summer, and tolerates periods of drought. A number of very good garden varieties are available: Herbaceous Perennials. Half-hardy herbaceous types can be cut back in autumn but must then spend winter in a frost-free place. Hosta are typically quite strong and thrive on being divided. The bell-shaped end of the pod will open when the seeds are dry. Dividing perennials is one key to their success. Among the well-known salvia species are woodland or violet sage (Salvia nemorosa), scarlet sage (Salvia coccinea) and mealycup sage (Salvia farinacea), hardy in USDA zones 4 through 8, 7 through 11 and 8 through 10, respectively. Compact the soil next to the stem. Place the pods in a warm area in an open container and allow them to dry for a few days. When perennials are divided, there is more space for roots to grow and absorb nutrients and water. And while many perennials can be divided in either early spring or early fall, some are very picky. Dividing Herbaceous Perennial Salvias. Many flowering salvias have flowers in shades of white, pink, red, purple and blue. In most cases, it is easiest to divide a perennial plant by first digging and lifting the entire plant. Phlox, Garden: Divide every 3 … A group of plants I grow a lot in my own garden and in my clients’ garden designs is the perennial Salvias. Hardy perennial salvias can be cut back hard in spring or autumn. Common Salvia Plant Problems publicdomainpictures.net. You will have more plants of the same kind to add to your garden when you divide a perennial. 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." Store the seeds in your refrigerator until you plant them in the early spring. The care of salvias varies tremendously, depending on the type you grow. One of my favorite activities is pulling up a plant and seeing how many plants I can get out of it! This time of year is not the ideal time to do this! When dividing perennials, timing and technique are important. So don’t be afraid, go out and divide and make more plants! Please join me in the adventures of renovating old homes while trying to raise our young modern family. Depending on the plant, dividing is done with one of a couple of methods. ), also known as sages, bring bees, butterflies and hummingbirds to gardens in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 4 through 11, depending on the species. Whenever I do something like this I hope for about a 75% success rate. Loosen the soil on the root ball with your hands so you can see the roots. The white, pink, red, blue, purple or bi-colored blossoms of the salvias (Salvia spp. Dividing perennials can help manage the size of the plant. For smaller, more fragile perennials, the use of a smaller tool is recommended. Space seeds about 12 inches apart. Flowering from May through to the first frost Salvia is a fabulous addition to summer borders, attracting butterflies by the dozen, and its blooms are wonderful for both cutting and drying. Learn about the perfect sun perennial for summer color! Place the glass in an area with filtered light to allow the cutting to grow roots. • Phlox, Garden (Phlox paniculata)—Divide every 3 or 4 years in spring or late summer/early fall. Or simply divide them for … The blooms will fall and seeds pods develop in the place of the blooms. Salvias can easily be propagated by either sowing seeds (for annual types) or by taking cuttings or dividing old clumps (for biennial, perennial and herbaceous types). Water the seeds thoroughly and keep them evenly moist until they germinate. Insert the stem cutting or divided plant and pull soil up around the stem. Gather seeds after the flowers fade. Divisions will always grow into plants that are identical to the parent plant, so this is an extremely reliable means of propagation. The best way to determine how to divide it is to pull it out and carefully wash off the dirt. Hardy perennial salvias can be cut back hard in spring or autumn. Divide very healthy plants for the best results in propagation. Last spring, I bought an eye-popping blue perennial salvia that turned out to be a great attraction for bees and wasps. Half-hardy herbaceous types can be cut back in autumn but must then spend winter in a frost-free place. Dig a hole with a trowel the same width as the roots and the same depth as the roots length. Pull the dried pods open and remove the seeds. Place the stem cutting in a glass and add water to about 2 inches deep. Dig straight down into the soil. Some popular examples include crocosmia, shasta daisies, phlox, and … I’m sure we will be in no time! Plant stem cuttings into the garden after the root system is established in water and divided plants as soon as your separate them. The best way to determine how to divide it is to pull it out and carefully wash off the dirt. It's easier to recover from being dug up and chopped into pieces when air temperatures are cool and the soil is moist. Popular Varieties of Hardy Salvia. If you live in areas where winter is harsh, you can plant perennial salvias as annuals. Slice down several inches deep—at least 6 inches for most plants and more for extremely large, well-rooted plants. 4.
. Loosen the roots from each other to divide the salvia into sections with two to three shoots each and several roots. Hi & Welcome! Salvias are part of the mint family, the Lamiaceae and you can see they’re related both in the look of the leaves and also the shape of the flowers. Lift plants gently with a garden fork, working outwards from the crown’s centre to limit root damage. Depending on the plant, dividing is done with one of a couple of methods. The optimal time to divide specific perennials is denoted by (S) for spring and (F) for early fall. It's a great choice for borders and containers, plus it's native to areas of North America. So is the case with my salvia. Take the seeds out of the refrigerator and let them come to room temperature one day before planting them. Cut off any leaves on the stem from the bottom 2 inches with pruning shears. Propagating Hardy Salvias. Dig straight down into the soil. Ornamental salvias are also a relative of common sage, the culinary herb used for cooking. Start at the drip line. Take them out with a spade (this typically requires lots of heavy lifting), remove them from the hole and divide with a big saw, making sure to leave some leaves and roots on each section. Fall or early spring are the best times for dividing perennials. Use stem cuttings to propagate new plants from species salvias and hybrid cultivars. Salvias can easily be divided if they are growing too large. Divide the root ball into clumps and replant each individual clump. Spring is the best time to divide ornamental grasses. Place a trowel underneath the root ball and press the handle down to raise the entire plant from the soil. Cut a stem about 2 to 8 inches long just below a node with sharp pruning shears. The second-best time to divide your perennials is early fall. A couple of weeks ago I dug out one of my huge ‘purple rain’ salvia to divide (and because I wanted to rearrange some of the plants in the bed). Some plants that are perennials in their native region may be considered annuals in other regions. Early in the spring season, before new growth appears, dig up the roots. Can Chia Pet Seeds Grow on a Wet Paper Towel? In this video, author and instructor Janet Macunovich demonstrates how to divide … like Salvia). She loves writing about careers for busy families as well as family oriented planning, meals and activities for all ages. Native salvia species produce seeds, which are a food source for wildlife. Now that I know more about a lot of my perennials, I have discovered that a number of perennials prefer to be divided (i.e. Paper towels soak up any remaining moisture from the seeds. If they’re hardy for you, divide salvias every 3 to 5 years to keep plants vigorous. Water the transplants thoroughly. 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