Salvia care at home. Salvia flower: cultivation, flower photo, planting and care of salvia. When to sow seedlings

In this article we will talk about salvia and its varieties, learn how to properly propagate and care for the plant. Let's learn how to get rid of salvia pests and the medicinal properties of this plant.

Did you know? Salvia (Sage) is translated from Latin as “promoting health.” Another name for sage is salvia.

Varieties and types of salvia

Salvia belongs to the Lamiaceae family, which has about 900 species worldwide. This plant is found in temperate regions. Salvia prefers sunny places such as meadows, fields, wastelands and light forests.

In common parlance, the medicinal plant was called sage, and the decorative flowers were called salvia. Plants are divided into heat-loving and cold-resistant plants.

Cold-resistant species include the following flowers:

is an ornamental plant that blooms with blue flowers of different shades in early summer. Based on this species, several more hybrids were created: Schneehugel, Rose Queen, Blauhugel.

is a cold-tolerant plant that is very famous for its varieties of purple and pink flowers, namely Caradonna and Schwellenburg.

– purple, pink or white flowers that bloom in summer. The most famous variety is Haematodes.

- an ornamental plant with lilac flowers. Blooms from July to autumn. A famous variety is Purple Rain.

– ornamental and medicinal plant.

is an ornamental plant that blooms with small light blue flowers from July to mid-October.

– The plant originates from Japan and blooms from August to October with yellow flowers.

Heat-loving salvias include the following species:

– a heat-loving plant, comes from South America. It grows up to 2 m in height and has blue flowers. Flowering begins in late summer and continues until mid-autumn.

– annual, blooms from June until the onset of frost. The color of the plant is orange-red to dark purple.

is a heat-loving biennial native to South America. Flowering begins in late summer. Color: white, pink and red. The most popular types are Lady in Red and Forest Fire.

- an ornamental plant with purple flowers. Flowering in May-June. It is similar to sage and is used in cooking.

– an ornamental plant, blooms from summer to autumn. Color – bright blue. The most famous variety is Victoria.

- a shrub that came from Mexico. Bright red flowers appear in mid-summer until the end of the first frost.

- a tall plant that appears in late summer. Color – scarlet. Salvia is used in desserts or fruit cocktails because they have an unusual fruity aroma. Famous varieties are Scarlet Pineapple and Tangerine Sage.

- a Mexican plant with black flowers that are half hidden in a silvery calyx.

9. Salvia clary (clary sage)- a perennial whose flowering continues in spring and summer. Color: creamy-lilac, pink or blue. Clary sage is used to make essential oils that are used in medicine and perfumery.

is a Mexican heat-loving plant that blooms from summer to mid-autumn. Color – bright blue. Well-known varieties are Cambridge Blue and Blue Angel.

is a Texas plant that blooms from late summer through fall. Color – red. This variety is little known to gardeners.

Growing and care

Growing salvia is not a difficult task. This plant loves well-groomed and moderately moist soil. You should remember when to plant sage. The timing of sowing salvia depends on the variety, but the best time for planting is February-March. Salvia begins to bloom 4-5 months after sowing.

Preparing soil and containers for sowing

First you need to prepare a box for seedlings. The most common one – wooden – will do. The bottom is covered with expanded clay and soil mixture so that about 2 cm remains to the top. After this, the substrate is generously moistened and, covered with glass, left overnight.

Preparing and sowing seeds

You should remember how to plant salvia seeds correctly so that the plant grows into luxurious bushes with beautiful flowers. Salvia seeds are small, and to facilitate sowing they are mixed with sand. The grains are sown on the surface of the ground. Then they should be moistened with warm water from a spray bottle and sprinkled with a thin layer of soil 1-2 mm, after which the soil is moistened again and the top of the box is covered with glass. You should adhere to the optimal temperature – +25°C.

Seedling care

Caring for salvia seedlings is very simple. After the seeds have sprouted, the box is exposed to the sun. Daylight hours for seedlings are 12 hours. The soil should not be over-moistened, but it should not remain dry either. Excessive watering leads to blackleg disease (rotting of the base of the stem). If the disease is noticed, the glass should be removed and the soil should be sprinkled with dry sand.

Fertilizer for salvia is very useful. It should be carried out twice before planting in open ground. When the seedlings have leaves, this means they can be transplanted into separate pots. After transplantation, the salvia is watered and the pot is covered with paper.

Watering, fertilizing and picking

Your next task is to grow seedlings with a good root system. This will help salvia quickly take root in the new soil. Don't forget about picking sage. To do this, seedlings are picked twice. The first time is when three true leaves appear. The sprouts are transplanted into other boxes at a distance of 6 cm from each other. The second time occurs three weeks after the first pick. The sprouts are planted in pots with a diameter of 12 cm.

When 3-4 pairs of leaves appear, you should start pinching the salvia. This will provide you with dense bushes. From April, the sprouts need to begin to be hardened. To do this, the night temperature is lowered to 10°C.

Planting in open ground

When the threat of spring frosts passes, salvias are planted in open ground in a permanent place. Salvias love sunny places and nutritious soil. The distance between plants should be 25-30 cm. Before planting, the planting site should be fertilized with humus. After planting, the plants should be promptly removed from the weeds and fed with mineral fertilizers.

It is not necessary to water the plant regularly, but in the summer heat, salvia may suffer from a lack of moisture. If it begins to wither, wait until evening and water the plant. This will return it to its original appearance.

Plant pruning

Pruning stimulates shoot growth. Salvia takes root easily, so it should be pruned so that the branch can take root. This procedure should be carried out in autumn or spring. You need to cut off woody shoots, leaving a few centimeters for the buds and young greenery. It is necessary to cut at an angle with a clean knife. Perennial salvia needs pruning annually. Also, do not forget about such a procedure as picking salvia, because this is what will provide you with a gorgeous large bush.

Did you know? It used to be believed that if you plant sage in your garden, it will prolong your life.

Most often, they buy already grown salvia with blooming flowers. But seeds produce more interesting varieties than those grown in pots. If your windows face the southeast, southwest or south, feel free to grow this plant yourself. The plant can be propagated in four ways: seeds, cuttings, air layering and dividing the bush.

Seeds

Propagating salvia by seeds does not require special knowledge or effort.

You must not miss the favorable moment to collect seeds, as they quickly crumble. As soon as the lower flowers turn brown, the shoots selected for seeds are cut off and placed in a separate box for ripening.

During the breeding process, you should be careful and attentive. Seedlings can be sown before winter, and in the spring the seedlings can be planted in a permanent place. But, unfortunately, this method does not always give results, since the seeds do not survive the winter for various reasons. It is best to carry out propagation in the spring and at home. To do this, soil is poured into a small box and seeds are sown in it. For initial transplantation, after the appearance of adult leaves, small pots are suitable. In the first days of summer, young salvias can already be planted in the ground. The soil should be sandy and fertile.

Important! Salvia crosses easily, so it is worth planting different varieties in different areas.

Cuttings

Propagating salvia by cuttings is not very difficult. To do this, you need to cut cuttings about 10-15 cm long. It is best to do this in the evening. The cuttings are rooted in a container of water, protected from sunlight. Leaves that wither on the cuttings should be removed.

Roots appear after two weeks. Planting should be done a week after the roots appear. Place immediately in a permanent place. During the first days, it is better to shade the plant from the sun, water and spray the leaves frequently.

Air layering

Propagating salvia by air layering is quite simple. The branch of the plant is pressed to the ground and secured with a metal bracket. New roots will sprout after a few months, and the branch can be cut off from the main bush. Then, together with a lump of earth, using a scoop, it can be transplanted to a new place.

Dividing the bush

This procedure is recommended to be carried out at the end of August or beginning of September. This type of propagation is more suitable for perennial plants. The soil needs to be dug well and prepared with fertilizers. Remember that if you plant plants too densely and close together, the bushes will stretch out in height and there will be few flowers on them. If you plant salvia rarely, the bushes will grow wider. The optimal distance is 45-50 cm between rows and 20-25 cm between bushes.

Medicinal properties of salvia

Dried sage herb is a traditional folk remedy for illnesses. But several types of sage have beneficial properties - medicinal, clary, Ethiopian and Spanish. Other types also have medicinal properties, but they are not as pronounced as those given above.

Did you know? During the plague, salvia was considered the number one remedy for treating and restoring the body.

Salvia leaves have anti-inflammatory, disinfectant and hemostatic properties.

The plant is used as a rinse for the following ailments:

Bleeding and inflammation of the gums;
Stomatitis;
Bronchitis;
Angina;
Catarrh of the upper respiratory tract.

Salvia is also used for profuse sweating, diabetes, pulmonary tuberculosis, atherosclerosis, radiculitis and gynecological diseases.

Foreign doctors recommend using sage for ulcers, gastritis, liver and kidney disease, gastrointestinal inflammation and for the treatment of festering wounds. Leaves and tops of sage stems should be collected during budding.

They are then dried and used in folk medicine or in the manufacture of cosmetics. Sage has a strong odor and bitter taste.

Main pests and diseases of salvia

Diseases and pests of leaves and stems: symptoms and treatment

Most often, salvia leaves and stems are damaged by snails and slugs. The fight against them is very simple. Pests are removed mechanically.

Also others salvia pests spoil the appearance of the leaves and stems of the plant. For example, aphids. This insect feeds on juices rich in carbohydrates and needs the amino acids found in them. At the same time, it releases a large amount of honeydew. This attracts other types of insects. Aphids are one of the most harmful garden pests. An aphid looks something like this:

Aphids settle on leaves and suck the juices from fresh greens. In addition, this insect can carry viral infections - galls. They weaken salvia and lead to the death of the plant.

Among the diseases of salvia, downy mildew can be distinguished. The causative agents are pseudofungi-oomycetes.

Symptoms of the lesion are very similar to those of powdery mildew. But on the leaves, a white coating forms on the underside of the leaf, and yellow or brown spots appear on the top. Leaves dry out or rot.

The disease develops most often on plants that grow in damp areas. In order to neutralize this disease, the plant should be sprayed with copper preparations.

Diseases and pests of flowers: symptoms and treatment

Thrips are small insects that love to feed on crops. They enter apartments through windows. Thrips cause pollen shedding and reduce the flowering period of salvia.

In order to check whether a plant is infected with these insects, just pick a few flowers and shake them over black paper.

In order to get rid of this pest, two or three treatments should be carried out every 10 days. This should be done with systemic insecticides.

Diseases and pests of roots: symptoms and treatment

Most often, salvia roots are susceptible to diseases called black leg and root rot. These diseases are caused by soil-dwelling fungi: Fusarium, Pythium or Phytophthora.

With these ailments, the root collar is affected, and its tissue turns black. The roots gradually turn brown and die. Salvia itself can die within four days. Brown lesions form in the basal part of the stem of an adult salvia. Plants begin to develop worse, but do not die. A pink or brown coating may be noticeable on the affected tissues. The color depends on the type of pathogen. The main source of infection is soil.

To avoid this problem, it is worth changing the soil before each new planting and feeding the seedlings with microelements.

There are also active biological preparations: narcissus, zircon and immunocytophyte. This increases the plant's resistance. When rot appears, spray the soil and plants with chemicals: Previkur, Ridomil and Topsin-M. If you do not want to spoil your plants with chemicals, we recommend watering the plant and soil with a slightly pink solution of potassium permanganate.

Without the striking spike-shaped inflorescences of salvia, it is difficult to imagine flower beds in personal plots and city flower beds. Long and luxuriantly flowering plants that are not demanding on soil and are well known to most gardeners. But few people suspect that the genus to which Salvia splendor belongs includes several hundred species and varieties of garden salvia. Among them is sage.

Plants of the genus Salvia belonging to the Lamiaceae family are found throughout the world from Europe, Eastern Siberia and Asia to the American continent. Most of them are perennials up to 120 cm high, with erect stems covered with oblong leaves and two-lipped flowers collected in spike-shaped inflorescences. Seeds of cultivated and wild plants ripen within a month after the end of flowering and can be used for planting for up to 3 years.

The leaves of many salvia varieties are elongated, whole or, much less commonly, pinnate. The color of flowers is not limited to the bright red we are used to today. This is rather an exception to the rule. Wild species amaze with their rich palette from white to deep purple, and therefore are of increasing interest to gardeners. But according to established tradition, the name “Salvia” is firmly attached to the varieties of sparkling salvia, and plants with blue tassels are often called sage.

Salvia sparkling: photo of flowers Salvia splendens

The most famous of the garden species of salvia is a native of Brazil, which has been used in culture for almost 200 years. At home, bushes or herbaceous plants with rigid, erect, tetrahedral stems can reach 20–80 cm in height and bloom en masse during the summer and autumn.

Before the start of active breeding work, the clusters of Salvia lucidum, photos of the flowers of which today amaze with the richness of colors and splendor of inflorescences, were not so spectacular. Gardeners had at their disposal only varieties with red corollas and calyxes, loosely sitting on the peduncle.

Today, in addition to red flowers, you can increasingly find salvia shiny white, violet-lilac, and even two-colored.

Salvia officinalis

Medicinal salvia - sage, well known to people for thousands of years, is used in medicine, perfumery and cooking. The plant's homeland is the Mediterranean states and the Asia Minor region. In favorable conditions, the perennial subshrub reaches half a meter in height, and in Russia it can only be grown through seedlings as an annual crop.

Sage is easily distinguished by its oblong silvery leaves and purple flowers collected in sparse vertical inflorescences.

Salvia medicinal and garden varieties with variegated leaves, bloom in midsummer.

Red Salvia (Salvia coccinea)

From the photo of the flowers, red salvia is very similar to both medicinal sage and its more spectacular relative, salvia brilliantis. The subshrub from Brazil is cultivated as an annual in European countries and Russia, but even in this case the plant grows to 50–70 cm.

This species has straight, pubescent stems with ovate leaves and carmine-red flowers, collected on sparse spike-shaped inflorescences of 5–8 pieces. The corollas, no more than 3 cm long, bloom in mid-summer, and the plant remains decorative until the coldest weather. If we compare red salvia with brilliant varieties, the former loses in brightness, although it has been used by flower growers for a hundred years longer.

Today, interest in moisture-loving salvia, which prefers sun and warmth, is constantly growing. The plant reproduces well by seeds and can be planted both in open ground and in greenhouses.

Salvia microphylla

This variety of salvia - sage, growing wild, is still found in southern Europe, France and Mediterranean countries. Here it is a perennial evergreen plant, growing up to 100–120 cm. Salvia blooms from June to the end of October.

But small clusters of carmine flowers are not the only characteristic feature of the species. The greens and stems of the evergreen subshrub contain many aromatic essential oils used by perfumers and doctors.

Salvia farinacea

A picky plant that blooms from August until the end of autumn appeared in Russian flower beds from Central America. Salvia mealy has slightly branched straight stems up to 90 cm high. The inflorescences reach 20 cm in length and impressively rise above the neat pyramidal bushes.

The calyxes, corollas and the upper part of the peduncle are painted in blue or purple tones, which persist even when the plants dry.

The leaves are elongated, ovate and, unlike many types and varieties of salvia for the garden, do not have a characteristic edge.

Salvia viridis

The value of this native of southern Europe and Asia is not in its bright inflorescences or essential oils, but in the variegated, brightly colored leaves-bracts on the upper part of 40- or 60-centimeter stems. The oblong leaves and shoots are pubescent.

The inflorescences reach 30 cm and contain up to 6 medium-sized flowers of a pinkish or light lilac hue. Salvia or sage begins to bloom in June, and the appearance of the plant is maintained throughout the growing season. The only feature that makes it difficult to use variegated forms in culture is the lodging of the stems if supports are not installed in time.

Salvia verticillata

The whorled variety of sage grows wild throughout Russia, Western Europe and some areas of Asia. You can recognize the few varieties of salvia by their purple flowers, collected in dense whorls located on high peduncles. The stems of this species branch only at the base and grow to a height of 50 cm. The leaves, like the shoots, are heavily pubescent and attached to the stems on long petioles.

Whorled salvia begins to bloom in July, and until September you can see its elegant inflorescences in forest glades and garden plots.

Clary sage (Salvia sclarea)

Powerful meter-tall plants are grown in annual or biennial crops. On straight stems covered with oblong leaves, serrated along the edges. This type of salvia produces abundant green mass. The leaves sometimes reach a length of 30 cm, but as they move towards the inflorescence they become smaller.

What makes the plant decorative is not the inconspicuous flowers, but the leaves-bracts. Today there are varieties of salvia with white, pink or purple corollas. Blooming from June to September, the sage species is well known as a valuable medicinal and essential oil plant.

Salvia nemorosa

Growing in the Russian forest-steppe zone, the sage species has powerful stems up to 30–60 cm high and dense, candle-like inflorescences reaching 40 cm in length. Both the corollas and large bracts are purple or azure in color.

If hairs are noticeable on the stems, then the pointed long leaves of Salvia oakberry are completely smooth with teeth along the edges. The decorative effect of the plant lasts from mid-summer to mid-September.

Salvia (Salvia pratensis)

The half-meter-tall plant is distinguished by many straight, branching stems and flower stalks strewn with purple corollas. Meadow sage is similar to oak salvia, but the latter is much more powerful, and its shoots are not so branched. Each whorl contains from 4 to 6 flowers; occasionally small leaves can be seen on the stems, which become much larger towards the basal rosette.

Meadow sage blooms in two waves. The first, like many species and varieties of salvia for the garden, begins in June, and the second flowering revitalizes the area in September.

Salvia flowers - video

The zenith of summer has arrived and every plant is trying to make a statement. Flowering is a continuation of the species. Bloom, saturate the seeds with vitality and go into the shadows, giving way to a new generation. opens its panicle of tubular flowers at the height of summer, when pollinating insects with long proboscis are most active. With its victorious bloom, it fascinates and delights. How to grow salvia and create a composition?

Origin and cultivation of salvia

Salvia and sage are one family of Lamiaceae. The name of the flower is translated as a sign of its usefulness - to be healthy. Many people know about the benefits of the sage plant. It has been used for medicinal purposes since Ancient Egypt. Salvia is usually called decorative forms that have common ancestors with sage. In addition, in Europe, sage is called salvia.

The plant is cultivated in many forms and is a wild plant throughout America and Europe. The numerous genus is represented by more than 900 different varieties. Among the salvias there is even a hallucinogenic variety. The plant loves bright places and light soils.

Planting and caring for salvia

Urban landscaping cannot do without salvia for many reasons:

Salvia blooms continuously throughout the warm period until frost.
This beautiful ornamental plant does not grow and holds the created composition well.
Gas pollution from transport does not affect the decorative appearance of the plant.
By choosing different shades of inflorescences you can create any composition.

But gardeners love the plant no less, who begin to sow salvia at home when winter is just in full swing. In addition to the victorious scarlet color, salvia panicles amaze with a variety of tones. You can make a multi-level planting, selecting salvia according to the height of the bushes. But the main step in obtaining long-term flowering will be growing salvia seedlings.

How and when to sow salvia for seedlings

The plant from seeds blooms in the fourth month, and therefore is grown as an annual crop only after sowing in February or early March. Salvia seeds can be bought at a specialty store, or you can get them yourself. They ripen after the flower falls after 50 days. Seed germination lasts up to 5 years.

It is still better to purchase varietal seeds in specialized stores

Before sowing seeds, it is necessary to prepare the ground for seedlings. It should be light and nutritious. Two weeks before sowing salvia for seedlings, the soil should be treated with a composition that enhances biological processes in the dormant soil. Sift the earth, moisten it and add a teaspoon of EM-1 Baikal to a bucket of earth. The warm soil will become fertile in two weeks, and at the same time thread-like seedlings of weeds will emerge, the seeds of which will inevitably hatch in the living soil.

Place the box with the prepared soil in a tray, level it and sow small salvia seeds mixed with sand for a more even distribution. In order to press the seeds to the ground, you need to moisten the ground with a fine spray and cover the surface to retain moisture. Planting and caring for salvia during seed germination are decisive for the further production of healthy seedlings.

Shoots will appear in 10-14 days. It is necessary to monitor the condition of the soil at this time, preventing the coma from drying out. Watering must be done through a tray. The soil will be saturated with moisture through the drainage holes; then drain the water from the pan so that there is no excess moisture.

During the germination period, prevent plants from being pulled into a string and lodging.

Seedlings in the cotyledon stage can stretch out if they are in a shaded place or if night temperatures are high. Then you should add soil to each sprout, preventing it from falling. Watering should be done without wetting the leaf blade. When growing salvia seedlings from seeds, this period is considered the most crucial. Lighting and reduced temperature will allow you to get strong seedlings at the first stage of planting

Picking salvia from seeds must be done after the appearance of two or more true leaves, while deepening the sprout to the cotyledon leaves. The first pick can be in a common container at a distance of 5 cm between plants. The second thinning of the plants is carried out a month later in separate cups, with a good capacity of the earthen coma, since they will have to develop for another month and a half.

Whether it is necessary to fertilize salvia when growing seedlings will be determined by the condition of the plants. If the bush is not developing well, you can feed the flowers in a low concentration. But with each plant transplantation, fertile soil is used and there must be enough nutrition.

When planting and caring for salvia, you need to make the plant bushy. After 3-4 pairs of true leaves appear, the top should be pinched to allow axillary shoots to begin to develop. At the same time, you need to arrange containers with plants so that there is no shading. From the end of April, the temperature at night is lowered to 10 degrees, hardening the salvia before planting in the ground.

So, in order to grow salvia seedlings from seeds, the following conditions must be met:

prepare fertile land and quality seeds;
observe temperature and lighting conditions during each growth period;
do not allow the clod of earth to dry out or over-wet;
while pinching the plant.

Planting salvia seedlings in the ground

Planting and caring for salvia in the open ground involves choosing the right place for or planting. The place should be well lit, the soil should be light and fertile, with good moisture holding capacity. For vigorous flowering, you can add phosphorus-potassium fertilizers in instant form. When planting, add guest ash, a spoonful of superphosphate and a liter of well-rotted organic matter to the hole. Carefully roll the bush into the ground and deepen it slightly. Water with warm water and cover from the sun for several days until the plant takes root or plant in cloudy weather.

Plants are placed at intervals of 20-30 cm, depending on the height of the bush and its tendency to branch. Water the plant moderately; if the earth clod is dry, watering watering should be carried out only in the evening. Flowering of the plant occurs 100-120 days after germination and does not stop until frost. Flowering will be abundant if foliar feeding based on the drug EM-1 Baikal is used for prevention and to increase immunity.

Plant pests and diseases.

Salvia is not affected by fungal diseases. Therefore, you will only have to fight the insects that have colonized the plant. Pests include whiteflies and thrips. Therefore, salvia plantings should be kept away from vegetables, since the whitefly will subsequently settle on them. In addition, sage can be colonized by aphids and spider mites. The decorative quality of plants suffers. Therefore, strong preparations are used, which are best not used on vegetables during the fruiting period.

Snails and slugs love to feed on the tender foliage of salvia. If they are present in the garden, then it will be beneficial not only for the flowers to catch them. The classic method of bark and slate traps placed under bushes will help. But even the neighbor’s shellfish can crawl into containers with beer and fermented fruit juice.

Salvia for landscape design - video

1781 07/27/2019 5 min.

The salvia flower has been famous for its medicinal qualities since ancient times. The charming plant has found wide application not only in the treatment of many diseases, but also in the design of flower beds and flower beds in any area. A special and systematic approach is required in growing salvia from seeds. Compliance with the basic rules and recommendations will help you grow a strong and fully developed plant.

What do the seeds look like?

Salvia has a very small seed form. Some agricultural companies deliver them for sale in granular form. This type of seed is considered much more convenient for sowing. The composition of the granules contains many useful substances.

Seed collection

Many gardeners collect the seeds of the plant themselves. From the cut seed pods, the seeds are laid out on a dry surface in a warm, ventilated room. Wait until completely dry, turning over periodically. When completely dry, the seeds should be threshed and excess debris removed.

Seeds should not be stored in a room with high air humidity, or in a plastic bag or plastic container. It is necessary to use a container in which they will not rest.

How and when to plant seeds

Planting salvia involves a series of step-by-step actions, which include thorough preparation of seeds, soil and planting time. One-year and two-year salvia are grown only from seeds. In this case, two planting methods are used: seedlings and direct sowing in the ground. Due to the long growing season, the plant can be sown in open ground before winter, or in early spring.

When planting openly in the ground, unfavorable conditions may arise that may delay seed germination. It is also possible for hatched sprouts to die from frost. Experienced gardeners practically do not use this planting method.

The best option is to plant salvia seedlings. Seeds begin to be sown in early February. The latest date is considered to be mid-March. Late planting is more suitable for a hybrid type of plant.

Video of growing Salvia flowers from seeds:

The granule shell promotes slower seed germination. This must be taken into account when calculating the sowing period.

Soil preparation

For salvia, fertile, light soil is best. It is also possible to purchase ready-made soil mixture. To prepare the soil yourself, you will need in equal proportions: garden soil, washed sand and peat. The prepared mixture must be heated in the oven to destroy harmful spores and weed seeds.

Salvia has weak branches on clayey and poorly fertilized soil. At the same time, the brightness of its color is lost and a scanty peduncle is formed.

Bubbling seeds

Before planting, the seeds must undergo stimulation with oxygen air. For this purpose, use an aquarium compressor and a narrow glass jar. The sprayer is lowered to the bottom and water is poured. The bubbling process lasts throughout the day, with constant air flow.

Here's a video of how seed bubbling occurs:

Before bubbling, seeds should be disinfected. The simplest and most common method is soaking in a 1% solution of potassium permanganate.

Planting seeds

The process of sowing seeds occurs in the following stages:

the planting container is filled with expanded clay or drainage in one layer;
covered with prepared substrate, leaving an outer edge of up to 2 cm;
the ground is moistened abundantly with water from a fine sprayer;
seeds are scattered over the soil surface;
With a light touch of the hand, the seeds are pressed into the soil;
sprinkle a 2-3 mm layer of earth on top;
moisten the soil with a sprayer;
cover the planting container with film or glass;
place in a dark place.

But how Primrose is planted with seeds, and how beautiful these flowers look, information and photos will help you understand

How many grow from seeds

The first salvia shoots appear 15–30 days after planting. Before the flower is planted in open ground, the seedlings go through all stages of development, from picking to planting on the site.

Picking seedlings

When the first two true leaves appear, they are picked and transplanted into a larger container. The gap between sprouts is determined to be 4-5 cm. Plants are deepened into the soil up to the cotyledon leaves. For further better survival of the salvia root system in open ground, it is necessary to carry out a second picking. It is performed three weeks after the first. But you can read how to prune Geraniums for lush flowering

Planting in open ground

Germination of seedlings before planting in open ground occurs in the last days of May - early June. A sunny area with fertilized and permeable soil is suitable for planting salvia. The plant is also intended to be grown on light sandy soil.

Some varieties of salvia grow well in semi-dark areas with average soil moisture.

Planting is carried out as follows:

a shallow hole up to 20-25 cm is dug;
a small amount of humus mixed with soil is added;
the plant sinks to the bottom of the hole, with simultaneous straightening of the roots;
sprinkled with soil and compacted;
watered with warm water.

Advice! For better growth and placement of salvia in a flowerbed with other flowers, you should take into account the overall composition, as well as the shading of low-growing plants by tall ones.

Care

High-quality plant care involves not only its appearance, appropriate development, but also future stable flowering. Important components of proper salvia care help it grow properly.

But what Monarda lemon looks like is described in great detail in this

Lighting and temperature conditions

For seedlings, the temperature is constantly maintained at 20-25 degrees. When all shoots appear, the container is moved to a bright place. This is a prerequisite for the full development of young seedlings, since a lack of light provokes weak and overly elongated sprouts. An adult plant requires good sunlight, at a relative temperature. But how this happens, and how effective it is, is described in great detail in this article.

In February, during short daylight hours, seedlings require additional lighting in the morning and evening. The duration of light illumination should be approximately 12 hours.

Video of caring for Salvia flowers:

Watering and loosening

Watering seedlings in the initial period of growth should be moderate and constant. The sprouts are watered from a sprayer, evenly distributed over the surface of the soil. It is also possible to use a tray with water. With this method, the liquid is gradually absorbed into the substrate. Watering adult flowers is carried out when the soil is dry, preferably in the evening. Periodically loosening the soil around the plants provides oxygen and inhibits the development of weeds. But how effective pumps for watering a garden from a Karcher barrel are is described in great detail in this

An excess of water in the soil leads to blackening and rotting of the bases of the sprouts. During the initial stage of waterlogging of the soil and darkening of the seedlings, the surface of the soil should be sprinkled with crushed wood ash.

Top dressing

The use of universal mineral fertilizers occurs from 2 to 4 times during the summer period of plant development. The first application of fertilizer is necessary immediately after planting seedlings in open ground. Then fertilizing is required when the first buds appear. Subsequent feedings are carried out at regular intervals. Which is the best, and how to choose it, is described in this article.

It is necessary to neglect excessive fertilizing with fertilizers with a high nitrogen content. An excess of this substance promotes the active growth of green mass and stops the formation of flower stalks.

Salvia, or Sage ( Salvia) are perennial ornamental flowering, essential oil and medicinal plants of the Lamiaceae family. Representatives of this large genus of plants (according to modern classification there are up to 700-900 species and subspecies) are distributed in all parts of the Old and New Worlds.

Salvia has a characteristic tetrahedral stem and tubular, two-lipped flowers of bright red color, pleasing the eye with magnificent blooms from June until autumn frosts. Currently, breeders have developed varieties of salvia with a height of 25-80 cm (depending on the variety) with flowers of other colors: white, burgundy, pink. Representatives of this large genus contain useful essential oils, many of which are used in medicine.

In culture, salvia is grown as a summer plant. If the name “salvia” is assigned to decorative varieties, then “sage” is assigned to medicinal and wild varieties. The most popular species grown in culture are:

Salvia sparkling, or Salvia brilliantus (Salvia splendens), which is used to decorate flower beds, rock gardens and in potted compositions. It harmonizes perfectly with lobelia, cineraria, and marigolds;
Salvia officinalis (Salvia officinalis) are used in medicine as raw materials for the production of tinctures and extracts.

Tinctures are made from dry sage leaves that help fight diseases such as sore throat, gastritis, bronchitis, kidney disease, and gum disease. Sage has the unique ability to stop bleeding and soothe toothache. It can alleviate fungal skin diseases and psoriasis.

To use them for medicinal purposes, sage leaves should be harvested in the fall or spring before flowering.

Growing Salvia

Growing garden salvia and caring for it is not difficult, the main thing is to sow the seeds on time and carefully transplant the grown seedlings into open ground. Since the plant blooms only after 2-3 months, the seeds should be sown no later than February.

Sowing salvia seeds

Expanded clay is poured onto the bottom of the planting box, then a light soil substrate, which it is advisable to purchase in a specialized store. The mixture is poured so that at least 2 cm remains to the top side of the box. Then the substrate is generously moistened and, covered with glass or film, left overnight. Salvia seeds are tiny, so it is advisable to mix them with coarse sand before sowing. Then the seeds are scattered on the substrate and lightly pressed with your hand. Then it is moistened with a spray bottle, the box is covered with film or glass and kept at an optimal temperature of 20..25ºС.

As soon as the seeds germinate, the seedlings must be moved to a sunny windowsill and provided with additional lighting (daylight hours for young plants should be no less than 12 hours). When watering, the soil should not be flooded, but it should not be dry. In young plants, excessive watering often causes rotting of the base of the shoots. If this happens, you must immediately remove the film or glass, reduce watering, and sprinkle the surface of the substrate with sifted ash or sand. It is better to transplant grown seedlings into new planting containers.

Picking salvia seedlings

After two true leaves appear, the seedlings are planted in individual containers and covered with paper for 2-3 days. The soil is suitable for sowing seeds. In order for the bush to grow beautiful and lush, after the appearance of 3 pairs of leaves, the tops of the shoots must be pinched.

Planting salvia in a permanent place

The seedlings are transplanted to a permanent place after warm weather sets in, when the threat of spring frosts has passed. Plants are placed at intervals of 20-30 cm. The planting area should be sunny and the soil should be lightly nutritious. If the soil is heavy, it is diluted with humus.

Further care

The plant does not need systematic watering, although during dry summer periods it will still have to be watered, otherwise it will wither. If this happens, you should wait until the evening and give the salvia a drink. After watering, it will quickly recover and regain its former blooming appearance. Further care will consist of loosening, protection from weeds and fertilizing with mineral fertilizers.