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Salvias- plant now or wait?

lizziec1988lizziec1988 Posts: 74
in Plants
i would like to plant some hot lip salvias in a space currently occupied by a perennial I inherited with the garden that I’m not a huge fan of. Would you remove the other plant and plant the salvia now, or put a marker in the soil and plant next year? 

Posts

  • yorkshireroseyorkshirerose Posts: 574
    Remove the plant you don't like and plant your Salvia now. Make sure you remove all the roots of the other plant or it may start sprouting again. Improve the planting hole with some fresh compost, and maybe a bit of sharp grit if your soil is 'heavy' Salvias like good drainage and a sunny position. Keep the new plant well watered until it is established.
    A gardener's work is never at an end  - (John Evelyn 1620-1706)
  • Joyce GoldenlilyJoyce Goldenlily Posts: 2,933
    Give your Hotlips some protection if frost is forecast and next Spring give it a light haircut in Spring. I have had one in my garden for several years now and it is approx 2 1/2 ft tall and the same across. This year it produced pure white flowers first, followed by red and white flowers. It has now reverted back mainly to all white flowers. It is growing in full sun in very well drained soil which it needs. I cut it back by 1/3rd in the Spring as I leave top growth on my perennial plants as protection against frost damage.
  • MrsGardenMrsGarden Posts: 3,951
    Hot Lips is my favourite plant. It's pretty hardy for a salvia, if stressed it may look dead in spring but mine came back just as I had given up on it. Takes well to pruning most of the year. I think it's the temperature that changes the flower colour. Mine starts all red (spring cool) then the gorgeous red and white (most of the time), then white (when it gets really hot). Cuttings are reliable so you'll never entirely loose it. Good drainage, plenty of sun, even thrives in shade for me, it should be happy to be moved anytime but might sulk for a while. With mine I'd leave it until a bit cooler weather to move it and when  going to  rain but it'll probably be ok anyway. "Textbooks  might say different, but this is my experience in Yorkshire".  I love mine where I walk past it and touch the leaves for a fantastic fragrance. 
  • LoxleyLoxley Posts: 5,698
    I'd plant it now too and also take cuttings "just in case" and because... why not! 
    "What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour". 
  • AnniDAnniD Posts: 12,585
    I moved one last week, had to be done unfortunately. I cut it back a bit before l moved it, but it did droop alarmingly at first. Plenty of water and it's perked up again. I have taken cuttings as insurance though  !
  • lizziec1988lizziec1988 Posts: 74
    I haven’t got one to move unfortunately so need to find some to buy (hopefully a few garden centres might have some kicking about!) but need to get a loosestrife our and some irises that we divided 3 yrs ago and have still not flowered (they’ve had their chance!) and love the salvias so thought that would give me lots of colour in My very sunny spot for it. Thank you for the advice will get on hunting for some to buy! 
  • bullfinchbullfinch Posts: 692
    Mmm I love salvias, every time I spot one I don't have I can't resist buying it. Very sad tho, that when I came home from holiday last week my new mirage pink had been munched_probably slugs or snails I'm guessing, and because it was such a baby I hadn't taken any cuttings. There's the tiniest bit of life left, so maybe it will survive .
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