Salvia Flowers 2005

[TooStonedToType]

I've had it flower a few times.  This salvia is about 4 years old. Don't do anything special.  These are treated as indoor houseplants.  Watered when dry.  They flower from the light cycle.  When the days get short, in winter, they flower naturally.  These are cutting from the plant grown from seed.  The seeds came from Daniel Siebert, from a "palatable" strain.

[Jupe]

I 'm an advocate of not pinching back the tops. I think pinching discourages flowering, at least outside, where my plants are.  In the northern hemisphere, Salvia starts to flower as the daylength drops down to 9 hrs/day.  The flower buds start to form around 10 1/2 hrs/day,  at least on the main stalk.  Other branches off main stalk often won't flower at all , and continue growing through winter, just really slowly.  Jupe

[Bongo]

Jupe
What kind of min temp range are you talking about there in winter?
I guess it must be at least 10c for the plants to survive?

[Jupe]

ooops sorry Bongo, missed your question :roll:   nights here usually don't go below 40 degrees F...we have frost periods,  and light freezes,  water in a shallow pan will freeze for 1-2 hours, then melt after sunrise.  since the plants roots are in the ground, they are not exposed to that coldness.  The soft parts of the plant supposedly can freeze to ground, and then re-sprout, but I have never had that trouble for about 3 yrs..

[Bongo]

Mmm, that is interesting Jupe.
I was under the impression that the stems will actually die off with even the slightest hint at frost let alone having the ground freeze.
Here the winter temperatures can get down to as low as -2 Centigrade.
So, I have always dug up any plants outside and brought them in for the winter.
Anyone know if given the above circumstances it would be possible to just leave the plants outside during the winter and perhaps lay straw around the roots to protect them?

[TroutMask]

They will not survive a hard freeze (where the ground freezes.) Nor would they survive prolonged light freeze(s). As Jupe said, nights there usually don't go below 40 degrees F.

-TM

[strider]

Bongo there are so many variables it is impossible to say what would happen . Salvia is considered an "annual" plant in any area that gets frost. Now that is not to say that you may get away with mulching in an attempt to keep the roots from freezing . Salvia does not have a tuber or bulb, but just plain ordinary roots so your chance of success are limited.
If you could plant directly against your house foundation outside where the heat from inside your house keeps the wall warm, that's another story. I have had success with a number of Annuals down to -15c using that method. All the foliage dies off but the plants below the soil remain alive. When Spring arrives and the soil continues to warm up the plants become active and new growth has sprouted.
Another route would be to put heated cables in the soil around the plant

 

[Bongo]

Thanks for the tips people.
Mmm, so a Southern facing wall of the house may make it possible for them to survive the winter. The only trouble with that is, the summer heat can be 40C in the shade here. So that is also not feasible. Cables in the ground would cost an arm and leg to run here with the price of electricity utilities. I would have to turn off my wife’s prized heated toilet seat. Ha…I always hated that anyway.

[Jupe]

[quote="Bongo"
. I would have to turn off my wife’s prized heated toilet seat. Ha…I always hated that anyway.[/quote]

  haha I heard you heisted it for your computer area, and keep it under your seat!!.

 a simple option for winter last minute saves, tarp up plants, put 40-100 watt bulb underneith with them.  Even a blanket or two with a low wattage landscape light will do the trick.

 In orchard applications, fans are used to mix the air, cold air settles in the lower areas, ravines and flat spots, and the fans mix it up with warmer, upper air.  (20 ft off the ground can be 10 degrees warmer.)

[Bongo]

Actually Jupe, with that heated toilet seat and the built in washing devices, I could probably just setup a hydroponics outfit right in the WC.
I am not sure how my wife would react to having to relieve herself in the field though?
Ha.
Now, I have gone and given the secret of my avatar away.  :lol:

[Bongo]

Toostoned, any sign of those seeds sprouting?

[TooStonedToType]

I haven't planted them yet.  I thought I would wait a month or two.