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Gardening

Salvia "Hot Lips"

(3 Posts)
Gagagran Sun 19-Nov-17 10:25:14

I bought a cutting at a plant fair and it has been wonderful in my garden this year. It is now about 1 metre high and 2 metres wide and is still blooming prolifically. We are on the south coast so don't get a lot of frost.

Can anyone advise me whether /when we should cut it back? I have had various suggestions from "leave it alone and let it just carry on" to "cut it back to 6inches from the ground now".

I love it and don't want to lose it by doing the wrong thing!

merlotgran Sun 19-Nov-17 10:32:52

Leave it alone for the winter because this year's growth will protect it from any frosts you may have. You can then cut it back in the spring when you can easily see the new healthy growth.

I love salvias and have loads of different varieties. We get some fierce frosts in East Anglia but up to now they have all survived outside although I regularly take cuttings which I over winter in the greenhouse just in case.

Fennel Sun 19-Nov-17 11:54:14

Merlotgran is right - that's the advice we were given from our garden centre. We have a small hedge of salvia grahamii, which is similar to hotlips, but no white. Still has lots of flowers.
I 'm thinking of taking cuttings when we leave France to try in our tiny garden in Southend.