I Planted Seed the Other Day

I was prepared to be very patient....but they are sprouting... Salvia azura, do they normally sprout quickly? I think it has only been, about a week.

Good luck! I'm envious.... did you harvest the seed from your own plants? I was going to try that this year but didn't get quite "tuit". Have fun!

Sanna

No, they are seeds that I got from Joseph, on ebay.
I know about that not getting round tuit...

melvatoo,
Mine sprouted and are still sprouting, some of the seeds were a few years old too. Quite a few are up and I think I put them in about a week ago also. I did several types, so I hope I can keep them alive.

Just make sure they are Salvia seeds. It takes at least 5 - 7 days for the quickest sages to germinate, and the seed leaf shapes are distinctive. Even with the correct shape, it might be an easy sage, like coccinea.

I guess I should look online first, but does anyone have a good source for salvia seed? I collected some Agastache seed this fall and have planted some (eagerly waiting-waiting-waiting), but didn't get any salvia. Any good vendors? Okay, now I'll go search online. :o)

Sanna

There is Joseph (Gerris) he has some on ebay...and the seller, again on ebay, dogwoodcritternet has a number of plants that are not very much...I have bought a lot from him and would reccomend him...
and this person has some
http://stores.ebay.com/Calseeds
this person has some too
http://stores.ebay.com/SmartSeeds
and our Joseph, he doesn't seem to have any listed right now, but I am sure that will change
http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZgwgerris2
and Ron (dogwoodcritternet)
http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQfgtpZ1QQfrppZ25QQsassZdogwooderitternetQQssPageNameZMERCQ5fVICQ5fRCRXQ5fPr4Q5fPcNQ5fQ5fSI
and then there is Robin
http://www.robinssalvias.com/

This message was edited Feb 3, 2008 10:44 PM

I would recommend Seedhunt, by Ginny Hunt. She knows her sages, and keeps those that might cross separated,
http://seedhunt.com/salvia.htm

You might also try Silverhill Seed if you are adventurous
http://www.silverhillseeds.co.za/

They collect seed from South African wildflowers, including Salvias and Plectranthus.

Then there is Plants of the Southwest (Sally & Tim Walker) of Tucson, Arizona
http://www.plantsofthesouthwest.com/

And Alplains
http://www.alplains.com/

And Southwestern Native Seeds
http://www.southwesternnativeseeds.com/

Be careful about the Agastaches. These are very promiscuous and cross like crazy. Also, seed off of F1 and later hybrids can generate plants anywhere between either parent.

I sent some of the species and my hybrid introductions to Betsy Clebsch, and I saw the effects of this. They ran rampant and developed into huge bushes full of flowers as they self-sowed and interbred. Ginny Hunt got her mixes from these plants.

Ah-hah! Thanks so much for the "fruitful" information!! :o)

Sanna

did you sow them outdoors? i have the seeds and am plannint to do outdoors but wonder if i have to grow them indoors first

No, it turned cold, so they came inside

if i wait till no frost can i just toss out the seed and lightly cover it?

I think so..what kind of Salvia, can you be so lackadisical about? I put mine in pots so I can coddle them.

In looking closer at the salvia seedlings, wonder of wonders they are marked as to when the seeds were planted..it had been about 10 days for them to germinate. I moved them today so they each have a small pot...

melvatoo--you asked why iwas so lacksadasical about the seeds--i got several in the mail but they are super tiny and i wanted to fill a somewhat large area--so i thought that they must be just sown on top of the soil --how could you plant all those hundreds of little bitty seeds and then transplant them all--maybe it is agastache i am thinking of

I just wondered...but I do understand the tiny ones are hard to handle......

Salvia Hispanica germinates in 2 days here as do a lot of salvias they germinate within 5 days, maybe the humidity really does aid quick germination.

Lady in Red germinated in 2 days for me. I was shocked. : )

Hey Melva, I seeded azurea grandiflora , farinacea 'Victoria Blue and both germinated very quickly. I'm still waiting on transylvanica. I could have sworn I ordered salvia argentea seeds but can't find them anywhere :( will probably wait till next year for those. Now, If I can just figure out how to propagate Salvia guaranitica...i'll be a very happy girl.

Linda, If you have Coccinea seeds you can be very lax with them, they should be called "toss and grow". lol

thank you lulu

Your welcome, Linda.

I wonder if it has something to do with the eclipse tonight? A lot of the seeds I've been sitting around tapping my fingers waiting on have sprouted today...including S. Transylvanica....weeee:0)

Lynea,
I think on the Transylvanica, it helps to prick your finger and well..you know...lol!

This message was edited Feb 20, 2008 9:48 PM

OOoooo, I read your post, looked out the window, saw the full moon and got goose bumps. lol

Hi, salvia fans--

I've caught the salvia bug too and now I'm trying to start some seeds--but what is the secret to that? Does someone have a simple and straightforward website that discusses how to start Salvia seed?

My S. praeclara and S. penstemoides have germinated already but I have no sign of my S. subrotunda .

Am I not doing something I need to be doing?

I have had S. subrotunda on a heat mat (for a week) in a covered container just like the others were... surely they don't need a cold treatment--aren't they supposed to be from Brazil?

And thanks for your list of seed suppliers, Rich. A really interesting selection, but I had just ordered the seed list below from 'Specialty Perennials' -- a few of the more mundane salvias, I guess, but I tried to pick the ones the hummingbirds liked and also some grow-able in the Ohio River Valley.

I guess all of the southwestern salvia lovers have the advantage on those of us with short and sultry summers-- oh, well...thought I would give these a try just for the fun of it:

Salvia coccinea 'Coral Nymph'
Salvia coccinea 'Hummingbird Lady in Red'
Salvia farinacea 'Evolution'
Salvia x superba 'Merleau'
Salvia splendens 'Sahara'
Salvia splendens 'Blue Ribbon'
Salvia lyrata 'Purple Knockout'
Salvia nemorosa ssp. tesquicola
Salvia patens 'BlueBand Mix'
Salvia przewalskii

I love lurking on the Salvia forum and learning all about them! (and I hope a few of mine grow, too!)

Thanks for any tips or hints. t.

Salvia subrotunda should just come up without any treatment at all. How long have you had them down on medium?

Joseph

I put them in the Miracle Planting mix on 2/22. It's still early, but the other kinds have started germinating...that's why I wondered...

Give your seeds at least 14 days to germinate. Also, I hope your media temps are at least 70 degrees.

I think subrotunda is a cool climate plant that acts as an annual. It does not seem to like the hot humid climates of North Carolina, at least as far as seed production is concerned. When it gets hot, the whole plant wimps out.

Thanks, rich. I think they will germinate just fine. I have them on a heat mat so they should be warm enough...

As for not liking hot humid climates, it may have some trouble in Cincinnati, but maybe I can give it to one of my sisters up north... (-:

I grow the subtrotunda in the tropics and this plant is definately perennial here, it doesnt set many seeds in summer but come autumn there is no stopping it.It flowers all year round here.I remembered that it took over 3 weeks to germinate the seed.

Annette

thanks annette .

Welcome to the world of savias, Tabasco! There are so many species, you'll never get tired of the varieties. Just about everyone I know has salvias and none of us have the same ones.lol

I picked up three more guaraniticas at a nursery. The sales help looked at me and inquired if I knew how much they spread. All I could do was laugh and tell her I've been trying like mad to get them spread. She was very helpful and said all theirs were propagated with cuttings and now was the time to it. Their green houses seemed much hotter than mine, so I hope it will work without a heating mat.

You are so lucky to be able to grow Salvias tall and wide! My salvias often times succumb to the damp moist air and the heavy rains we experience in spring and summer. Or the drought that comes after!

But I keep trying. And I've never really had the space for them before, but this year we are making a wide sunny garden just for the butterflies and hummingbird plants which the Salvias should love.

i had viscosa, verticillata, yunnanensis, and japonica to germinate fairly quick. but one that is something like rhinosina that is still just sitting there.

and cocoa....i wish you had told me you wanted guaraniticas. mine have spread and i have bunches that i could give you. lol.

Mama, will you still save and trade me some for the October RU? I am head over heels in love with them and want to plant many, many more.lol

yes i will cocoa. are you not coming to waxahachie in the spring? i will have some of these newer ones for you too melva.

No, I have a family get together that weekend. It was really nice to meet Dawn at Melva's, the two of you together has got to be a scream. Hopefully we'll all meet up somewhere this Summer.

Melva, just saw the news! You out making snowmen?lol

dawn is the quiet one, the nice one, the one who can cook, looks better and is mostly smarter. but i have more time in the garden. hahaha and that means i got more plants. evil laughing.

Well I know the plant part is a fact! Makes it hard to figure out what to trade ya...you already have everything!!!!

I did get a silver and gold mum (for the foliage) do you have that one yet?

no i don't. hahaha but i have come close to buying one many times. save me one. did you see all the mums we are getting in that co-op?