Anyone Overwinter Black and Blue Salvia?

10 years ago

Don't know if I'm the last to find this out but you can dig up and store the more tender salvias easily. The one I had from last year was Black and Blue, love it but HATE buying annuals! Found a very old post on one of the forums here suggesting that the plants be dug before the first heavy freeze, most of the soil removed and roots wrapped in damp paper towels. Put the whole thing in a plastic shopping bag and loosely tie the top. Hang it on something on an exterior wall of the garage or somewhere it gets cool but not freezing, check on them once in a while over winter to make sure the paper towels don't dry out completely. Bring them out around Mother's Day, cut off any dead foliage and pot them up (or put them in the ground if you don't think we're going to have more snow, HAH!!!) until it's truly spring weather and then plunk them in the ground.

Worked great for me last winter, plan to wintersow some different types this winter and try it with a greater variety (thinking Sapphire Blue, pretty!). Am also planning to try it with Verbena Bonariensis to try to get a head start on my tall verbena next summer.....Please don't laugh at me if I'm sharing something you all knew for ages!

Comments (3)

treebarb Z5 Denver
10 years ago
Liz,

I save at least a few geranium plants each year. I don't have an attached garage or any stucture outside that doesn't get below freezeing temps so I just overwinter them indoors with the housplants.

Plants have gotten pretty expensive, so it's good to share tips on how to make them last more than a couple of seasons.

Salvias are one of my favorite plants. I think I bought at least one salvia this year that won't take a zone 5 winter. Now I need to find the plant tag so I can remember which one it was!

Thanks for the tip!

Barb
lizbest1
Original Author
10 years ago
Hi Barb,

I tried to overwinter tall verbena by potting it and bringing it inside but wasn't successful, I don't think we have enough natural light. Plus the one big window I have that isn't shaded too much is blocked by our Christmas tree each year! I wish we had a sunroom....

Liz
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popmama (Colorado, USDA z5)
10 years ago
I overwinter most of my geraniums, some succulents, and a few other plants by placing them in my basement window wells. I purchased the clear plexiglass window well covers. They act almost like little greenhouses. Granted, they do get cold, but somehow these plants seem to make it.

I've never tried salvia, but it might work. Give it a good haircut, put it in the window well, water sparingly.