Dave,
I have had some bloom when they are very short...lots of sun and perhaps some extra food would help. Email me if you want to try some from my harvest this year--I'll start collecting seeds in the next couple of weeks.
emily

Thanks Emily for your offer! I will keep watching. Afterall, I still have 2 more months if the weather is normal this year. If it doesn't look like there will be flowers this year, I will ask you again.

Part of the reason for being so late is because I am new to gardening, so it took me a while to prepare the bed and amend the soil.

Also, it didn't occur to me that I could save some of the seeds for next year. I started ALL the seeds that you sent me. I think all or almost all of them germinated. I hardened some outdoor and kept some indoor. Then from the outdoor ones, I transplanted some and after they took, I transplanted the rest. Then I forgot about the indoor ones. Those died because I forgot to water them.

But the overall impression that I have is they are relatively easy. I think almost all the transplants survive.

I will fertilize them tomorrow. It has about 9 hours of sunshine per day. Next year I can find a place with full sun. It was slow in the beginning, but the last week or two they are growing pretty fast.

Thanks again.

My Yvonne's Salvias continue to grow. They are about 2 ft tall now.

And today I found a few of these on some of them. Does it look like a flower bud? If so, I might get some flowers this year. :-)

And then we will be racing against the weather for setting seeds.

Davemichigan,
Those are definitely flower buds. You should see flowers in a week or so, I think. Seeds may take until October to mature, but I think you'll make it before frost.

Dave;
I would suggest cuttings so if the plant does not bloom
you will not have to worry about seed. The added benefit
would be next year you have a head start on the growing season and don't have to be bothered about getting seed
again.I would also agree with some of the comments about
putting it in more sun.And yes those are flower buds!
If you are waiting on seed some frost blanks would be a good idea too.
Art

Art, thanks for the suggestion!

That actually reminds me that I have a few plants for seedling that I transplanted outside very late. These are very small plants. I can probably dig the whole thing out and bring them inside to overwinter.

Open Sesame!
Open Sesame!

Well, it didn't work. Guess I will have to be more patient.

Yes, I have flowers for sure! :-)

The plants are about 2.5 ft. Not bad considering I just transplanted them on July 4 weekend (started earlier indoor).

Now I am just waiting for them to set seeds.

This is not bad, is it? :-)

I have some flowers, and there are many more buds there as you can also see in the picture.

Again, this was started in July. I am sure if I start early next year (either indoor or winter sow), I will get them even taller.

Thanks again, Emily.

I will take better pictures later and send a note to Yvonne and you.

I believe I've got some seeds from my salvia! This morning I took some of the dried-up flowers, pull them apart and found these inside them. I think these are the seeds, right?

My question now is are these ready? There are probably more flowers and seeds like these, but when should I harvest?

TIA!

Unless they turn dark, they will not become ripe. If you have to collect seeds early, wait until they start darkening. At that point, the necessary enzymes are in place. Best germination occurs when the seeds are fully colored, though.

The need to collect ripened seed means checking once or twice a day, since there is a short window for collecting them. Left too long, they will fall out of their own accord.

Dave,
Rich is right, the seeds need to be dark brown/black before they are considered "ready!" The individual blooms will most likely be dried too--papery reddish-brown. They also tend to ripen from the bottom of the stalk first.

Emily