Salvia sparkling - captivating guest from Brazil

Salvia glistening (or shiny), refers to decorative perennial sages. This plant was imported to Europe from Brazil and cultivated as a decorative annual, beginning in 1822. Still fortified gardeners in nobleman's estates cultivated these brilliant, captivating-spectacular scarlet flowers with red double bracts and opposite leaves. Today, in addition to traditional scarlet varieties, for example, such as Salvia sparkling "Scarlet" or "Carabinier", new hybrid varieties with pink, purple, orange, salmon and even white inflorescences are brought out. Of course, they will add charm to the flower garden, and bring a fresh note to your favorite garden. In this article, we will tell you what to do if you are planning to grow this plant for the first time.

1. At first, do not try to grow a flower from seeds or cuttings, but get a healthy seedling without signs of wilting or disease. Salvia glittering looks best in groups of 12 or more plants, when buying seedlings, proceed from this. The flower bush should be stocky and well leafy. It is preferable that there are no floral ovaries or buds on it, as they will take the necessary energy necessary for the development of the root system.
2. For landing, choose a place most of the day under direct sunlight, a slight shadow is allowed for several hours. The soil should be well drained and not dry out at the same time, for which in the autumn, put in place a future planting well-blown compost. There are no special requirements to the soil for ornamental salvia, but it does not like excesses: soils with too acidic or alkaline reaction are not suitable for it. Also, do not overfeed the soil, otherwise the salvia will build up the green mass to the detriment of flowering. This plant loves sufficient moisture, so it is not suitable for growing in arid climatic conditions.
3. Planting seedlings is carried out after the threat of frost passes. The distance between the seedlings is about 20-30 cm.
4. The soil around the salvia must always be mute moisturized, it is best to prevent the mulching from drying up the upper soil layer.
5. The glistening salvia begins in June, with the timely pruning of faded flowers, the plant will bloom until November.
6. The flower should be fed every 4-6 weeks, or make a planted prolonged fertilizer for flowering.

The ideal temperature for salvia is 8 to 10 degrees at night and 22 to 26 degrees during the day. At lower or higher values, the plant is inhibited. Pests that can attack a weakened flower: thrips, spider mite, aphids, whitefly, also in case of improper cultivation, diseases are possible: downy mildew, rust and others.

If you want to grow salvia on your own, then at first it's better not to buy new hybrid varieties that are capricious, but old and proven bright red varieties. For example, indispensable for beginners mentioned above salvia sparkling "Carabinier" or loved by many varieties "Scarlet".

Seeds can be sown in the ground to a permanent place in the winter, propagated in spring by cuttings or through grown seedlings, and plant self-seeding is also possible.

For seedlings, plant seeds in the school at the end of February, when they proklyutsya and reach a few millimeters, cut into pots with a diameter of 10 cm. Cultivate plants with the maximum amount of sunlight, when the threat of frost passes (usually early-mid-June), planted in open ground. Alternatively, it is possible to grow in containers. In this case, the plant can be stored until the next spring in a cool, but not cold room, and multiply by next year cuttings.