Subject: Re: Salvia from Seed: Can I? Should I?

From: [email-masked] (Joann M. Hnat)
Date: 4 Apr 1995 15:19:37 -0400

CRMc ([email-masked]) wrote:
: Salvia (both blue and red) from last year produced tons of seeds -- I 
: saved lots of 'em to plant this year.  I'm planning to try to direct 
: seed a flower bed with them (as opposed to starting the salvia inside). 
:  Am I wasting my time, or has someone else had success with this?

: While I'm at it, what about the same direct seeding technique for:
: --marigolds
: --asters
: --impatiens
: --zinnia
: --cosmos

You don't say where you live, so I'm not sure that my advice will help 
you much (I live in zone 6, eastern Massachusetts), but my experience is 
that salvia and impatiens grow too slowly to direct-seed here, marigolds, 
zinnia, and cosmos do fine, and I don't know about asters (although I'm 
growing some inside this year for transplants).

  .. Joann

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From: [email-masked] (CRMc)
Date: 5 Apr 1995 21:25:11 GMT

>I wrote:

Joann wrote:
>
>You don't say where you live...
>

Good point!!!  I live in the deep South, hence a long (hot!) growing 
season.  Based on this additional information, what is the thinking on 
this subject among our veteran gardeners?

[email-masked]

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From: [email-masked] (CRMc)
Date: 5 Apr 1995 21:25:11 GMT

[email-masked]

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From: [email-masked] (CRMc)
Date: 5 Apr 1995 21:25:11 GMT

[email-masked]

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From: [email-masked] (Bob Beer)
Date: 11 Apr 1995 03:32:16 GMT

>this subject among our veteran gardeners?

In Seattle (USDA zone 8):

Only one really good way to find out, and that is to try it.  I grow some 
Salvias from seed every year, like S. patens, and this I start indoors.  
I suppose it could be done direct seeded but our springs are cold and wet 
and as it is a mexican species that wants some heat, it would probably be 
kind of slow to get started.  On the other hand, some of the sages 
regularly seed themselves around the garden, like S. transylvanica, S. 
uliginosa (swamp sage) and S. sclarea (clary sage).  The first two are 
perennials; S. transylvanica produces a decent plant the first year from 
seed that flowers well, though subsequent years are better.  S. uliginosa 
usually takes a year to get started flowering, and S. sclarea usually 
just puts on size the first year and flowers the second.  After that it's 
anyone's guess.  There are several other Salvia species that volunteer 
here but with some that I really want to get off to a good start, I still 
like to start indoors to be sure.

bob