Potting on autumn cuttings
Move your plantlets into their own pots, says Ruth
Last autumn I took cuttings from our glorious purple Salvia ‘Amistad’, and was given a cutting of Salvia ‘Krystal Pink’ by a friend. They have grown well through winter on our cool, north-facing windowsill and this week they were ready to pot on into small individual containers of peat-free multipurpose compost.
Water your cuttings well the day before repotting them, as the moisture makes it easier to slip them from their container. Ideally, slide them all out together and then carefully separate the individual plantlets, gently untangling their roots and making sure they are all healthy.
Once they are potted up, pinch out the plant tips as this will encourage the formation of more new shoots, creating a bushier plant with more flowers.
If the weather is warm enough, move your cuttings into a greenhouse or mini greenhouse to help them acclimatise to life outside, and be prepared to protect them from late frosts by laying some insulating fleece over them on the coldest nights. Remove it next morning so it doesn’t trap condensation, which can cause leaves to rot.
Your salvias can be planted out in late spring when the weather frosts have finished and night time temperatures are reliably warm. Protect young plants with a mulch of woollen slug deterrent pellets.