Bought one at the market last year as it looked so cheerful, it romped away and surprisingly survived the winter. Would love to keep it though it has outgrown the spot I put it in. Should I prune? Can I move it? Any advice appreciated. I'm in the West of Scotland.
Posts
Hi Esspee. I have one in my garden - Lancashire - and I cut it back just to tidy it up each year, round about now. Not sure if this is right but it doesn't seem to stop the flowering. I'm not too sure about moving one though.
Thanks LB, so you just trim it a little?
Yes, just a tidy up. Shortening all of last season's growth by about a third. I cut out down to the base any stems that cross in the middle.
I cut mine down to a few inches every Spring - and they always reward me with masses of flowers. They are so easy to take cuttings from, which I overwinter in my plant house I love this plant!
I have these and other shrubby salvias which needed to be kept in teh greenhouse over winter. Even so, their top growth would all die back but once the weather warmed up I'd get new shoots from the crown and would then cut right back to those.
I now have them outside but in a sheltered spot and they are just starting to shoot near the base. I shall leave the tops on for a while to take any frosts that may still come and then, as before, cut them right back down to the healthy new growth.
In other words, as long as you can keep th enew buds sheltered from frosts till mid May, you can cut yours back as hard as you need to keep them to size. Feed with a mix for roses or tomatoes to encourage flowers rather than foliage.
"We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw
I take cuttings from mine as find they go a bit leggy after a few years. Have to be careful with mould growing on the cuttings; they see to be susceptible to it in the greenhouse.
ive found that they can sometimes turn all red rather than red and white. Still lovely though.
Thanks everyone. If I had thought it might survive I would have taken cuttings in the autumn. Curiously I have lost some hebes due to frost but Hot Lips lives on. Will now chop it back and try some cuttings outside in gritty compost. Perhaps I shall try moving it once I know the cuttings have rooted. Love the smell when you brush by. Any other Salvias you would recommend?