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Aug 22, 2015 5:37 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Judy
NW MO (Zone 6a)
Annuals Hummingbirder Region: Missouri Native Plants and Wildflowers Organic Gardener Plant Lover: Loves 'em all!
Lover of wildlife (Raccoon badge) Salvias Seed Starter Frogs and Toads Foliage Fan Birds
I just recently found this site through this forum and have enjoyed reading the posts and replies. Have learned so much already. I really only started flower gardening myself a couple years ago. Got my first Salvia (Black and Blue) last summer and was hooked from the start. First Agastaches just this year and again hooked right away. When I saw this plant at local nursery, that it was perennial with larger blooms and gets up to 4 feet by 4 feet, I just had to try it. Bought 2, each one from different local nursery. Not planted early but the first one is finally flowering and oh my.., the color and blooms are exquisite. But... It has taken so long because both of them have sprawled out terribly and have had to prune off branches beaten into the mud. After the one stalk bloomed (it was already leaning) I staked it. But would rather not have to do that (don't mind with things like honeysuckle but stakes just aren't pretty). Maybe it is just that we have had such frequent heavy rains- I am hoping so because I sure would like to keep these in my gardens. Anyone have any suggestions?


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Aug 22, 2015 5:45 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Judy
NW MO (Zone 6a)
Annuals Hummingbirder Region: Missouri Native Plants and Wildflowers Organic Gardener Plant Lover: Loves 'em all!
Lover of wildlife (Raccoon badge) Salvias Seed Starter Frogs and Toads Foliage Fan Birds
Thought maybe it would help if I posted a picture of the whole plant. The second stalk that I also just staked is starting to bud and wanted to support it before it started leaning too much. I love the leaves on this plant too.


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Aug 22, 2015 11:34 PM CST
Name: Marilyn
Kentucky (Zone 6a)
Laughter is the Best Medicine!
Region: United States of America Rabbit Keeper Hummingbirder Salvias Charter ATP Member Birds
Echinacea Butterflies Tender Perennials Bee Lover Container Gardener Million Pollinator Garden Challenge
@jg0613

Welcome to ATP and welcome to the Agastache and Salvias forum! Welcome! Welcome!

I'm growing this Salvia this year also and I love it! I have it in a 24 inch container along with Salvia 'Scarlet Spires'. It grows and intermingles with the other plants I have growing in containers next to it.Here is the info at Flowers By The Sea (where I got mine). http://www.fbts.com/salvia-dar... Hopefully, @FBTS will chime in and comment to help you out better.

I use Y Stakes a lot in my yard and I use one or two with this one. You can get them at Gardeners Supply.

http://www.gardeners.com/buy/y...

Here is some pics I took of mine.


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I have used tomato cages in my containers to "corral" the plants, as well as, give the Hummingbirds another place to perch. I use the Y Stakes to "corral" the plants and for a perch for Hummingbirds. The pic below is where I used the tomato cage around a Porterweed plant.

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Welcome to the Agastache and Salvias Forum!

Hummingbirds are beautiful flying jewels in the garden!


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Aug 23, 2015 10:06 AM CST
Thread OP
Name: Judy
NW MO (Zone 6a)
Annuals Hummingbirder Region: Missouri Native Plants and Wildflowers Organic Gardener Plant Lover: Loves 'em all!
Lover of wildlife (Raccoon badge) Salvias Seed Starter Frogs and Toads Foliage Fan Birds
Marilyn, Thank you so much for the nice welcome and for the great information!! I had not heard of the y stakes, they sound great and in your pics they disappear nicely into the plant. I would not mind that as much- that and I would not have to tie them as I do with a straight stake. Also will help when my gardens are better filled in. Since I have only been doing this for a couple years wanted to take time to see how different ones do and add some each year. We use containers in front and back patios also. My husband has gardened longer than I but Salvias and Agastaches are new for him too.FBTS sounds like a great place to get salvias (and other plants). Looks like you and I are in the same USDA zone. I have read many of your posts and they are most helpful. Your pictures are great too! Here we have clay soil but I have added soil amendment to help drainage for the plants that need it (such as this one) but I did read somewhere that adding coarse sand as an amendment helps drainage and compaction of clay soil so I may try that. my Windwalker Royal Red salvias are in the ground, full sun. The one in pics is between 2 honeysuckles on a border in front of my chain link fence. The other is in a center bed we made last year using edging- that bed has all my Agastaches besides the one Salvia.
Other Salvias we have that we love and have had great success with are: Black and Blue, Amistad (purple is my favorite color and Amistad is a wonderful Salvia), and Wendy's wish. Agastaches we started with this year that are doing best and most satisfied with are A. Rupestris Sunset and A auranitica Apricot Sprite.
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Aug 23, 2015 10:13 AM CST
Name: Debra
Garland, TX (NE Dallas suburb) (Zone 8a)
Rescue dogs: Angels with paws needi
Dragonflies Dog Lover Bookworm I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Garden Photography Bee Lover
Plays in the sandbox Butterflies Region: Texas Garden Sages I sent a postcard to Randy! Charter ATP Member
Judy, research types before adding sand or you may end up with concrete. Don't ask me how I know, just take my word for it. Big Grin Whistling Hilarious!
It’s okay to not know all the answers.
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Aug 23, 2015 11:40 AM CST
Name: Marilyn
Kentucky (Zone 6a)
Laughter is the Best Medicine!
Region: United States of America Rabbit Keeper Hummingbirder Salvias Charter ATP Member Birds
Echinacea Butterflies Tender Perennials Bee Lover Container Gardener Million Pollinator Garden Challenge
@jg0613 (Judy)

Thanks for your nice words.

Flowers By The Sea is a great place to get Salvias. A large assortment to pick from, that it is like being in a "candy store". That's where I get 99.99 to 100 percent of all my Salvias every year and I've been buying from Kermit (FBTS) for years. I've always been happy with his plants. They're grown with care and packed wonderfully! By the time I get them here in KY, the plants don't even "know" they've been in a box for a few days.

We have clay soil here too and I admen it with compost; all-purpose sand (probably coarse sand) that I get at our local Lowe's inside the store in the masonry isle and gypsum. http://cmtmi.com/gypsum.asphtt...
http://encap.net/lawn-mineral-...
http://www.acehardware.com/pro...
With clay soil, always add compost and coarse sand together. Never use play (fine) sand that it is used for children's sand boxes, because then you're soil will turn into concrete.

Black and Blue, Amistad, and Wendy's Wish are all great Salvias and wonderful for attracting Hummingbirds. Salvias Scarlet Spires and Mulberry Jam are some of my favorites that I get every year and the Hummers love them too. http://www.fbts.com/salvia-sca... http://www.fbts.com/salvia-x-m... FBTS carries the B and B, Amistad and WW also.

Some other great Salvias are the coccinea varieties: Lady in Red, Coral Nymph, Forest Fire, Snow Nymph, Summer Jewel Red and Summer Jewel Pink. http://www.fbts.com/_search.ph...

Agastaches are great for the Hummers too and I have some that are in the ground, as well as, in containers. I love A. Rupestris Sunset and A auranitica Apricot Sprite and I have those two in a container together with A. Glowing Embers http://www.highcountrygardens.... and A. Kudos Yellow http://www.fbts.com/agastache-...

In another container I've planted A. Red Happiness http://www.highcountrygardens.... with A Black Adder Anise Hyssop (Agastache 'Black Adder') which is a great bee plant. I've A. Red Happiness in the ground also. I planted A. Ava http://www.highcountrygardens.... http://www.fbts.com/agastache-... in a container tub this year.

Every year I've a container tub of A. Black Adder 2 to 3 plants and they come back each year. I also mail order every Spring A. Summer Breeze http://www.selectseeds.com/cgi... They flowers are gorgeous of course, so do the Hummers. This year I've 2 plants of SB in a container.
Welcome to the Agastache and Salvias Forum!

Hummingbirds are beautiful flying jewels in the garden!


Last edited by Marilyn Aug 23, 2015 12:05 PM Icon for preview
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Aug 23, 2015 4:10 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Judy
NW MO (Zone 6a)
Annuals Hummingbirder Region: Missouri Native Plants and Wildflowers Organic Gardener Plant Lover: Loves 'em all!
Lover of wildlife (Raccoon badge) Salvias Seed Starter Frogs and Toads Foliage Fan Birds
Debra, Thank you for the warning! Definitely do not want concrete in the garden!! The clay soil without amendment is about as hard as concrete.
Marilyn, the source I read did say coarse sand and your latest reply gives me even more details and help. We have a Lowe's store here. I don't do composting, have been using garden soil/potting mix mixture to amend. Thank you for the suggestions.
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Aug 23, 2015 6:30 PM CST
Name: Marilyn
Kentucky (Zone 6a)
Laughter is the Best Medicine!
Region: United States of America Rabbit Keeper Hummingbirder Salvias Charter ATP Member Birds
Echinacea Butterflies Tender Perennials Bee Lover Container Gardener Million Pollinator Garden Challenge
Judy

I don't do composting either. I just buy store bought compost wherever I can find it.
Welcome to the Agastache and Salvias Forum!

Hummingbirds are beautiful flying jewels in the garden!


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Aug 23, 2015 9:32 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Judy
NW MO (Zone 6a)
Annuals Hummingbirder Region: Missouri Native Plants and Wildflowers Organic Gardener Plant Lover: Loves 'em all!
Lover of wildlife (Raccoon badge) Salvias Seed Starter Frogs and Toads Foliage Fan Birds
Marilyn, I have not run across compost at stores- is it labeled as "compost"? That is why I have used mixtures of garden soil/potting mix. But I would gladly buy compost if I could get that. Might even be less expensive
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Aug 24, 2015 4:30 AM CST
Name: Judy
Simpsonville SC (Zone 7b)
Peonies Plant and/or Seed Trader I helped beta test the first seed swap Celebrating Gardening: 2015 Garden Ideas: Level 1
I will chime in here to agree that Amistad is an amazing salvia! Plus it naturalizes and survives hard freezes. I've lived in SC for 10 years and it seemed like I had a zone 8a microclimate but now after the last two winters I'd say we're more like 7b. So many of my salvias did not survive last winter. Amistad survived and grew into a 5 foot tall shrub covered with bright purple blooms!!
Also the coccinea salvias seem to reseed very well even if the roots do not make it thru winter. I have learned to collect the seeds from the coral variety that I grew from seed the last two years.


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Aug 24, 2015 4:45 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Judy
NW MO (Zone 6a)
Annuals Hummingbirder Region: Missouri Native Plants and Wildflowers Organic Gardener Plant Lover: Loves 'em all!
Lover of wildlife (Raccoon badge) Salvias Seed Starter Frogs and Toads Foliage Fan Birds
Thank you Judy from SC!! I have 3 Amistad growing now, just started this May, 2 in ground and 1 in container and all have done wonderfully and are huge. Since I am zone 6a not sure they will overwinter but am going to at least try- treat them as a perennial and if none or some don't come back they are definitely worth buying as annual because they get so big and flower so long and so much in one season.
I do have a few S coccinea ""Sunmer Jewel Red" and they are nice, the hummers love them, and they do reseed well. i appreciate your input anytime.
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Aug 24, 2015 5:09 PM CST
Name: Marilyn
Kentucky (Zone 6a)
Laughter is the Best Medicine!
Region: United States of America Rabbit Keeper Hummingbirder Salvias Charter ATP Member Birds
Echinacea Butterflies Tender Perennials Bee Lover Container Gardener Million Pollinator Garden Challenge
@jg0613

What I've been using....

Vermont Compost brand of Compost Plus that I get at Gardeners Supply (mail order). I use it a lot in my previous years containers and fall 2013-2014, I also started using it in my flower beds.

http://www.gardeners.com/buy/o...

Energy Buttons that I get at Gardeners Supply also.

http://www.gardeners.com/buy/o...

John & Bob's Soil Optimizer that I get at Spray-N-Grow (mail order).

https://spray-n-growgardening....
https://spray-n-growgardening....
http://www.johnandbobs.com/pro...

I had a big bunch of raked leaves from my dad (when they had 5 acres) that I kept in a large box in the garage that I forgotten about for many years and I used them fall 2013 (they were very dry, very easy to crunch into very small pieces & nice and crumbly). Since then, I try to save all my leaves in my yard and the ones that blow into it and keep them in the box.
Welcome to the Agastache and Salvias Forum!

Hummingbirds are beautiful flying jewels in the garden!


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Aug 24, 2015 5:12 PM CST
Name: Marilyn
Kentucky (Zone 6a)
Laughter is the Best Medicine!
Region: United States of America Rabbit Keeper Hummingbirder Salvias Charter ATP Member Birds
Echinacea Butterflies Tender Perennials Bee Lover Container Gardener Million Pollinator Garden Challenge
Judy

I had to post the above now, since I didn't want to lose any info, as I'm still working on the info. I'll add more later.
Welcome to the Agastache and Salvias Forum!

Hummingbirds are beautiful flying jewels in the garden!


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Aug 24, 2015 11:35 PM CST
Name: Marilyn
Kentucky (Zone 6a)
Laughter is the Best Medicine!
Region: United States of America Rabbit Keeper Hummingbirder Salvias Charter ATP Member Birds
Echinacea Butterflies Tender Perennials Bee Lover Container Gardener Million Pollinator Garden Challenge
@jg0613

Here is the Salvias database if you haven't found it already.

The Salvias Database
Welcome to the Agastache and Salvias Forum!

Hummingbirds are beautiful flying jewels in the garden!


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Aug 25, 2015 3:45 AM CST
Name: Judy
Simpsonville SC (Zone 7b)
Peonies Plant and/or Seed Trader I helped beta test the first seed swap Celebrating Gardening: 2015 Garden Ideas: Level 1
Hey there are two "Judy's" here!
I hate losing plants to winter, So something Im going to try: take cuttings of the salvias that won't overwinter and try to grow indoors for winter. The one I have in mind for this treatment is pineapple sage. It's my first time growing it and I'm pretty sure unless we have a mild winter it wont make it. So I have a spot picked out for it in the house. I've done this with coleus, works great.
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Aug 25, 2015 8:36 AM CST
Thread OP
Name: Judy
NW MO (Zone 6a)
Annuals Hummingbirder Region: Missouri Native Plants and Wildflowers Organic Gardener Plant Lover: Loves 'em all!
Lover of wildlife (Raccoon badge) Salvias Seed Starter Frogs and Toads Foliage Fan Birds
Yes Judy from SC! I too want to try cuttings. I have done some research and it sounds pretty easy, especially with Salvias. The pineapple sages (S elegans) are gorgeous. I planted one this year and it is huge but it has not bloomed at all yet but I believe it is a late bloomer. There is another variety I may try instead that I saw on a small online place that I just recently found and ordered some plants from- the plants I got from there are very healthy and all doing great. This other variety is exactly the same as the regular S elegans except it doesn't get quite as large, but it blooms earlier and longer! It is called S elegans Honey Melon.You will have to share with us in the forum how your cuttings work out- I sure would be interested to know.
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Aug 27, 2015 5:03 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Judy
NW MO (Zone 6a)
Annuals Hummingbirder Region: Missouri Native Plants and Wildflowers Organic Gardener Plant Lover: Loves 'em all!
Lover of wildlife (Raccoon badge) Salvias Seed Starter Frogs and Toads Foliage Fan Birds
Update: I do think maybe the frequent heavy rains were a factor in the severe sprawling out I had with this plant. And I think I was watering it too much as well. The pics show how the new stalks are going UPWARD not just straight out close to the ground! I staked the other largest branch but it was not leaning nearly as badly as the other one did. The last pic is the second plant which was bought and planted later than the other. It is in the bed with my Agastaches. I staked the 2 tallest branches again as a precaution- they were not leaning as badly. Lesson learned- do not overwater!! I cannot control the rain but I can control my hose!! I am happy because this is such a beautiful plant!! Thanks everyone!
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Aug 27, 2015 11:30 PM CST
Name: Marilyn
Kentucky (Zone 6a)
Laughter is the Best Medicine!
Region: United States of America Rabbit Keeper Hummingbirder Salvias Charter ATP Member Birds
Echinacea Butterflies Tender Perennials Bee Lover Container Gardener Million Pollinator Garden Challenge
What beautiful and colorful Agastache varieties do you have that are showing in the third pic?
Welcome to the Agastache and Salvias Forum!

Hummingbirds are beautiful flying jewels in the garden!


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Aug 28, 2015 1:43 AM CST
Thread OP
Name: Judy
NW MO (Zone 6a)
Annuals Hummingbirder Region: Missouri Native Plants and Wildflowers Organic Gardener Plant Lover: Loves 'em all!
Lover of wildlife (Raccoon badge) Salvias Seed Starter Frogs and Toads Foliage Fan Birds
Left upper corner is A. Heatwave. The orange is the A. Aurantiaca Apricot Sprite. The Lavender in back is A. Blue Boa. Almost did not get the Blue Boa as I just didn't like the color at the local nursery- but at home in my garden I LOVE the color. The flower spikes on Blue Boa are very thick and large. It gets much taller but is another that I didn't get planted early. I have also noticed that the talker it gets, the longer the flower spikes get. But they started blooming when still quite small and short.Since all my Agastaches are new this year, am hoping they all come back after winter. These pics I added with this reply post are close ups I took of the blooms of each of the 3 Agastaches mentioned
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Aug 28, 2015 11:42 PM CST
Name: Marilyn
Kentucky (Zone 6a)
Laughter is the Best Medicine!
Region: United States of America Rabbit Keeper Hummingbirder Salvias Charter ATP Member Birds
Echinacea Butterflies Tender Perennials Bee Lover Container Gardener Million Pollinator Garden Challenge
Love all those colors together. Bright and colorful. Lovey dubby

Hope they overwinter for you Judy. If they don't, then get more. That's what I do.
Welcome to the Agastache and Salvias Forum!

Hummingbirds are beautiful flying jewels in the garden!


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