Rules for planting and caring for salvia, description of 25 varieties and species

The salvia (sage) plant is widely distributed in tropical and temperate climates around the world. Some of the varieties are widely used in folk medicine. The Salvia genus has a total of about nine hundred representatives living in different parts of the planet. Medicinal varieties of this plant are usually called sage, and decorative varieties are called salvia.

Description and features

The genus Salvia has both annual and perennial representatives. The stems are straight, reaching a height of up to 1.2 meters. The leaves are most often whole and dark green. The flowers are bright, depending on the variety, they can be red, blue, light blue, white, pink.

Growing

Depending on the specific variety, the plant can be grown in seedlings or without seedlings by cuttings.

Seedling method

Growing by planting seeds is the main method, which is suitable for both annual and perennial crop varieties.

Deadlines

It is optimal to first grow seedlings in containers, and then transplant them into the ground. Seeds should be sown in containers in February or early March.

Soil preparation

This crop requires light, fertile soil. Soil acidity should be between 6-6.5 pH. You can buy a ready-made mixture in a specialized store or prepare it from peat, sand and garden soil in equal proportions.

How to plant

Seeds are most often sold in the form of granules. A drainage layer is poured into the seedling pots, and prepared soil is placed on top. The substrate should be moistened and planting material should be poured evenly on top, then sprinkled with a two-millimeter layer of soil on top.

Watering

After planting, the crops must be moistened. Seedlings should be watered regularly, in moderation, avoiding excess moisture.

Picking

Seedlings need to be planted so that the roots are strong and the plant takes root in the soil.After the first leaves form, they are picked up and transplanted into a larger container. The second picking should be done two weeks after the first.

Hardening

In the spring, during warm weather, the plants are transplanted into open ground. But before this, the seedlings should be hardened off. For two weeks before transplanting, the seedlings in containers are taken out into the fresh air, gradually increasing the time the seedlings stay outside.

Seedless

The seedless growing method is not suitable for all varieties of salvia. This method is suitable for warm regions. Salvia seeds are planted in open ground in early spring or late autumn. This is due to the long growing season.

Site selection

The landing site should be sunny and protected from gusty winds.

Soil requirements

Light fertile soil is suitable for growing the plant. Water in the soil should not accumulate and stagnate, since excess moisture can cause rotting of the roots and stems of salvia.

Planting scheme

Before planting, add ash, superphosphate and organic fertilizer to the hole. Plants should be planted at a distance of 20-30 centimeters from each other.

Care

Salvia, like any plant, needs proper care after planting.

Watering

The culture is unpretentious in terms of watering and easily tolerates drying out. However, in the early stages, before flower stalks appear, flowers should be watered regularly in dry weather.

Loosening and weeding

Salvia prefers loose soil and does not withstand stagnant water. Therefore, the soil should be weeded regularly.

Top dressing

At the beginning of cultivation, the soil should be fed with growth stimulants. Complex minerals should be added during the growing season.

Trimming

To stimulate shoot growth, pruning must be done in autumn or spring. The plant should be pruned in such a way that the branch can take root, since the plant takes root easily and firmly in the soil.

Preparing for winter

Before wintering, the bushes must be carefully trimmed and covered with compost and dry leaves.

Diseases and pests

Salvia is slightly susceptible to disease. Basically, it is damaged by insect pests: mites, slugs, aphids.

Slugs

Salvia foliage often becomes a target for snails and slugs. Traps made of tree bark and slate help against them.

Ticks

Acaricides help against sage mites. If there are a large number of ticks on the site, it is worth treating the soil with crushed sulfur.

Whiteflies

Whiteflies often infect vegetable crops, after which they rush to salvia. Therefore, sage should not be grown near vegetables.

Aphid

To combat aphids, a solution of wood ash in the proportion of one hundred grams of ash per five liters of water helps. The solution should be brought to a boil, let it cool and add grated soap, then spray the bottom of the leaves with it.

Kinds

There are a large number of varieties of culture, differing in appearance and properties.

Sparkling

Along with medicinal sage, it is the most common variety. It is valued due to its bright appearance and unpretentiousness in terms of care and cultivation.

Bright red

An annual variety with bright red flowers. Capable of reaching one and a half meters in height.

Mealy

It has a small height - up to half a meter and blue flowers. A perennial plant, but grown in Russia as an annual.

Whorled

Whorled sage is a perennial plant with a thick brown rhizome and several erect stems. The inflorescence is simple or with a pair of branches, containing up to forty flowers.

Dandelion leaf

It has a straight and poorly branched stem. The leaves are pinnate, the inflorescences are whorled, the flowers are light, with a pink tint.

Dubravnaya

The branches reach a length of 1.2 meters. The leaves are large, the flowers are bright red, violet, white or purple.

Sticky

The bushes can reach a height of 90 centimeters. The shoots are straight, glandular. The flowers are pale yellow.

Curvy

Compact variety, up to 60 centimeters tall. It has spike-shaped inflorescences, pink or blue-violet flowers.

short

Grows in height up to 50 centimeters. It has several different varieties, differing from each other in appearance and flowering speed.

Muscat

Subshrub up to 120 centimeters high. The stem is straight, the inflorescences are paniculate-branched.

Lyre-shaped

It has purple foliage and very compact sizes - up to 25 centimeters in height.

Popular varieties

Let's look at some of the most popular sage varieties.

Purple Rain

Characterized by flowers with a dark purple corolla and purple cups.

Lady in Red

A low-growing variety up to 40 centimeters high and with red flowers.

Sherry Blossom

The height is the same as Lady in Red, the flowers are pink.

Anschuld

Characterized by flowers of a delicate whitish-silver color.

Strata

This variety is a small bush covered with small blue flowers.

Victoria

It has bright blue inflorescences, a pleasant aroma and is characterized by a long flowering period.

White Swan

White flowers with pink or purple bracts.

Oxford Blue

It grows up to 70 centimeters in height, the flowers are blue-violet.

Pink Sunday

A variety with bright pink bracts.

Plumosa

Height - up to 60 centimeters, flowers lilac-purple.

Mainakht

It has blue-violet flowers and a long flowering period, height up to 60 centimeters.

Amethyst

The plant is of medium size, with a large number of shoots, the inflorescences are lilac-pink.

Snow hill

A small, long-flowering bush with snow-white flowers.

Rose Queen

A perennial hybrid of oak sage, it has compact sizes and pink flowers.

Blue Queen

An herbaceous perennial with straight stems and bright, blue-violet bracts.