Perinial Salvia

[hdchic]

Being new to gardening, last year I bought 2 perinial Salvia plants. They came back stronger this year, and even prettier than when I first planted them! Question is, can they be divided? I would love to have them go all the way along my fence line, but don't want to damage them.

 

[simple life]

I believe you are suppose to only divide every 2-3 years and I think it might be too young right now. I have that same plant all over my yard, I love them. But one year I divided a year old plant and the plant and the division never came back. So thats my experience for what its worth.

 

[Tutter]

Something rang a bell with me that this might not be the correct time to divide it, so I looked it up and found this:

"Salvia is also easy to propagate through stem cuttings or by division of an established plant. Take cuttings from young spring growth, before the plant begins to flower. The best time to divide is in early spring, before new growth begins. The divided clumps may be a bit slow to re-establish new root systems, so be prepared to pamper the newly set plants through the summer."

I can't guarantee this is correct, as I don't grow exactly what you have, but this is what I remember having heard before.

It's beautiful, I hope you can get it around the fence.

 

[patandchickens]

What Tutter said. Wait til next spring.

Take off not-too-large divisions (leave a larger mass to replant in the same place) and don't put them directly into the garden. Instead, pot them up and put them in a sheltered slightly shaded spot where you can take good care of them til they get growing well again. THEN you can plant them. This may not be necessary but is good insurance.

Another way to propagate them, though I am not recommending this because it's probably not reliable if you WANT it to happen , is to move the plant elsewhere, not taking an excessively large rootball with it. Then plant something that doesn't like its roots disturbed in the old spot. Presto, a few months later you will discover a bunch of little blue salvia plants growing up around the one that doesn't like its roots disturbed. Basically it's propagating from root cuttings in situ Man, does that annoy me; it's happened twice, once with Mainacht blue salvia, once with Rose Queen pink salvia. Blue Hill (my favorite) does not, of course, seem to do this <rolling eyes>.

Pat

 

[mom]

Salvia is fairly easy to root. See my directions on rooting roses. I have rooted Salvia and many other things the same way.

 

[hdchic]

Thanx so much! When I first bought it, I put it in pots, and it acted like it was sick, so I put it in the ground and it really took off. I can wait til next year to divide it, now that I know what to do! Thanx again everyone!

 

[beefy]

after seeing yours i went out and got some too. but of course, i think i got the wrong kind now. lol. typical.

heres what i got.
http://www.magnoliagardensnursery.com/productdescrip/Salvia_BlackB.html
its apparently invasiveish.

 

[beefy]

what kind is yours pictured?

 

[SewingDiva]

Bees LOVE Salvia, so you will also attract lots of beneficial pollinators!

~Phyllis