Plant of the Month: Salvia

Salvias are perfect for the summer garden! Salvia covers well over 900 species of plants, and they come in a vast range of forms and colours. Their nectar-rich flowers are a magnet for bees, butterflies and other pollinating insects. These are a must when you’re planting to create a pollinator friendly garden.

Growing salvias is easy. Plant them in moist but well-drained soil in full sun in a sheltered spot. If you have a heavy soil, add gravel in the planting hole to aid drainage. Shrubby and hardy, herbaceous salvias can be overwintered in the garden if they’re given good drainage and as much sun as possible.
You will need to prune these plants twice: first in spring and then in July. For the spring trim, make the cut quite low down and remove any dead from the winter. Make sure shoots are visible from below where you make the cut. The second trim in July can be done with sheers or secateurs. Cut just below where the inflorescence is, repeat across the plant and it will be back in flower in 5 weeks time.

Only salvias grown in pots should receive extra feed; if you feed them in the ground you will get a lot of growth and less blooms. For pots, use a high potash feed like tomato feed.