How I successfully overwintered Black and Blue salvia last year

15 years ago

As we are getting near frost time, I wanted pass on my trick for overwintering Black and Blue last year. I left the plants in the ground until light frost had killed back the top. I cut of the top at about three inches and then dug up the base/roots (presumably with tubers) with a ball of dirt around them. The dirt was moist, but not wet. These were first year plants, so they were pretty compact. I used 1 gallon ziplock bags to store them. I first threw in a handful of hardwood (not pine! available at a petstore) chips. I'm not sure if this is necessary, but I was storing dahlias at the same time and decided to try it. I put the whole plant, dirt and all, in the bag and clipped the ziplock in two places, leaving it mostly unzipped. I then stored them in a unheated, completely dark closet on the side of the house. It stayed between 38-50 degrees for the winter.

In the spring I pulled out the bags. They will look horrible. Most of the old tops and any new parts that try to grow during the winter will be black and rotted. But underneath and from old tops, new tops (white) will start to grow. I transplanted them into a pot (out in light) and they quickly sent up shoots. You might be able to put them directly into the garden, but I didn't. The plants grew great and both bloomed earlier and were bigger than last year.

I really liked this method because it took up so little storage space compared to pots.

Bellatrix

Featured Answer

mblan13

8 years ago

I just chop it down after frost wipes it out, water well, then put a trash bag full of leaves on it. The black bags hold heat while the leaves insulate and it keeps the roots/tubers from getting too cold, wet and rotten. I remove the bags in late winter-early spring, when we stop getting those stretches of 4-5 days below freezing. They take a while to come up in the spring though...perhaps I'll try leaving the bags on a bit longer.

Comments (12)

wardda
15 years ago
That is a good idea. Have you tried just leaving your plants in the ground. If your soil is dry enough in winter your plants are likely to return on their own. Black & Blue has been hardy in my Zone 7a/6b yard for a decade or more. It took me awhile to realize that.
mskee
15 years ago
Bellatrix,
Thanks for posting this--my Black and Blue is a potted plant--I wonder if I should wait for frost to kill the foliage, or bring the root ball in sooner?
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nckvilledudes
15 years ago
I have friends in Michigan who also successfully overwinter their salvia guaranitica by just digging up a clump of the tubers and dropping them into a pot after the top had gotten frosted back and put the pot in their unheated garage. Occasionally over the winter they would spring the mass with a little water if it appeared to be getting a bit too dry. Each spring, the clump is replanted in the garden and it comes back with no issues.
hummersteve
15 years ago
Thanks for posting this, sounds like a plausible thing to try.
sarahbn
15 years ago
bella trix I remember when I first joined garden web in 2002 there was someone on the hummingbird forum who lived in Connecticut and dug up the tubers and put them in his garage. I never wanted to be bothered I don't have enough room anyway. But after seven years of hoping it would overwinter it finally did this year enough that I could give it to all my friends. Like Ward said it's been a relatively dry year here.
monica33flowers
15 years ago
Yeah! Thanks so much for the info. I'm going to be able to save my B&B for spring. I really had a hard time finding my 1 and only plant this year. Thanks Again!
prairiemoon2 z6b MA
15 years ago
I don't anticipate holding anything over the winter in the foreseeable future, [g], and I did want to mention that I found a B&B at Lowe's in the spring for about $7. for a good size plant. Gorgeous stand of it, Bella. Is that a Southern exposure?

pm2
Karen Anders
8 years ago
I have grown MANY varieties of Salvia, but my absolute all time favorite is Black & Blue!!! I planted five one gallon size plants in front of my bay window...WEST exposure...they grew to over three feet tall, even after regular trimming... mine preferred steer fertilizer AND Elenor's Vf-11 liquid which I sprayed on leaves with a simple spray bottle...THE BEST I have found!!! About $17 for a gallon at Home Depot. Mine like to stay put in the ground, but need two or three inches of mulch. Portland/Vancouver area...PLUS I have NEVER seen SO MANY hummingbirds in my life!!! Two hummers often fly together and they're nesting in my large arborvitae. Another plant which I LOVE is pineapple sage. I bought one tiny four inch pot size plant and it grew to be OVER three feet tall by three feet wide!!! Bright pink almost red tubular flowers...Hummers also enjoy these!
hummersteve
8 years ago
Im here at the crossroads of america and black and blue does ok for me and will overwinter with coverage but I find that salvia guaranitica blue ensign is the hardiest in my garden. Even in the 30 yr winter we had 2 or 3 yrs ago it was the only thing that returned as I got lazy and did not cover that winter. Appears different plants for different area, we go with what does best where we live.
duane456
8 years ago
I also live in the Portland area. I don't do anything to my black blues and come back every year. They seem very hardy here.
duane456
8 years ago
Here's a pic