Salvia 'Amistad'

Loxley

Last years cuttings seem to have come through winter alive, despite being left unprotected in their 9cm pots. Would it be a good idea to bring them into growth on a warm windowsill to give them a head start before hardening them off in May? I remember the ones in the ground last year were rather slow to get going.

Janie B

I took cuttings too last Autumn, and out of 9 only three are growing really strongly (the others aren't dead, but look very weak). How did yours do? Mine are now still in their 9cm pots in the shed, and being put out in the sun on days like today...

Janie B

... also out of the 6 fairly large bushes I have in the bed, all but one have started strong new growth...

Hostafan1

I'd not bring plants indoors now. If they've survived outdoors all winter, you'll flush new growth, then , as you say, harden them back off. I'd leave them to their own devices. It's only mid April. No rush needed.

gutties

I got Salvia Amistad delivered to me last week (plugs).  I potted them up and put them outside, thinking they would be OK.  We barely got to freezing this week, but they now don't look healthy.  I'm hoping that it's just the foliage that haven't liked the cold, but the actual root system will be OK to go again.

I guess it wasn't the smartest thing I've ever done!

Lyn

I wouldn’t have left new plug plants out, but I definitely wouldn’t bring anything in that has already been living out, mine are only just showing signs of life from the base so I will cut off the top growth in about a weeks time. 

Loxley

The cuttings I took are just showing a couple of small leaf buds. I forgot all about them tbh, and just left them down the bottom of the garden! Luckily we've had a relatively mild winter. I've repotted them and will leave them out as recommended, thanks! The parent plant, out in the border, has shoots just below soil level. It's come through 2 winters now.

Rubytoo

Janie B said:

... also out of the 6 fairly large bushes I have in the bed, all but one have started strong new growth...

So they are fairly hardy Janie B?
What is your soil like in Lincolnshire? You have colder harsher conditions than us down South.
I am not sure how hardy Amistad is, despite having it for a full season and half now.
Because our soil is heavy clay I worry they will die off in the ground in winter if it gets too wet.

I had two growing in pots left one out last year and year before, one "in"  (blow away).
Beast from East did for the outside one, which is not surprising. But the other survived and I took haphazard cuttings last autumn.

Left the last big one in a pot outside within a larger pot packed with leaves for protection. (This winter).
I have cut back the stems some are old and dead but some are green, and the live ones have leaked sap, is that normal?

I would say our cuttings are weak and leggy too, though they look okay, as some have  new leaves sprouting low down. Ours have not been in good light.
I guess it is time for potting on individually and cutting back would be best for them?
Then hopefully with better light getting hardened off outside gradually they should improve.

Lyn

Mine have leggy bits on them, they are shooting from the base, then I cut the leggy bit off. The ones left out in the garde are cut right down to base.

Rubytoo

Thanks @Lyn, but do your mature ones leak?
Excuse the phrasing.

Lyn

I don’t know what that is, can you explain a bit more Ruby.