I'd use a sterile medium, like vermiculite, perlite, or peat moss and a cleaned builder's sand. Definitely not dirt or water. Roots need air to develop properly. Some plants are easy to root, and anything will work but not most salvias.

The best time to root salvias is during rapid growth with robust stems that have not started to form bark. Right now, I am getting a lot of fast rooting cuttings with daytime temperatures in the 70s. Bottom heat helps a lot. Be sure to have a node of the stem below the surface, since this is necessary for branching underground later. You will want that later if the stem breaks off at the ground line. The interruption in the vascular system at the node also can block rot to a degree.

For holes in leaves caused by chewing insects, spinosid has replaced rotenone. The most frequent product containing it is Captain Jack's Bug Brew

Thanks Richard I will try Captain Jacks and see if I can some cuttings to root now