Salvia officinalis is the common garden sage widely experience and used as a culinary herb in domestic fowl stuffing , omellettes , soups and edible bean dishes . It is also used as a medicinal herbaceous plant . It is a shrubby evergreen repeated with many biramous base and velvety gray - green leaves about 2″ long . flower are in the main violet stiletto heel , with snowy and pinkish cultivars uncommitted . Height 24 - 32″,spread up to 3′. Thrives in full sunlight in well dead grunge .
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Characteristics
Requirements
Plant Care
Fertilizing
Light
Watering
Planting
A week to 10 Day before planting , lend 2 to 4 inches of ripened manure or compost and work into the planting web site to improve fertility and increase water holding and drainage . If grease composition is weak , a layer of topsoil should be considered as well . No matter if your ground is sand or clay , it can be improved by bestow the same thing : organic matter . The more , the near ; work deep into the grease . Prepare beds to an 18 in deep for perennials . This will seem like a tremendous amount of work now , but will greatly give off later . Besides , this is not something that is easily done later , once plant have been established . How - to : Pinching and Thinning PerennialsOnce you plant a perennial , it does not mean that you will enjoy year of sustainment - free gardening . perennial call for to be worry for just like any other plant . One thing that distinguish perennials is that they tend to be participating growers that have to be thinned out occasionally or they will loose vigor .
As perennial establish , it is important to cut them back and thin them out occasionally . This will prevent them from totally take over an region to the exception of other plants , and also will increase air circulation thereby reduce the incidence of disease like botrytis and powdery mold .
Many species also flower extravagantly and produce ample semen . As blossom fade it is advisable to deadhead your works ; that is , to remove spent flowers before they organize seed . This will prevent your plants from seeding all over the garden and will husband the considerable vigor it takes the plant to produce semen .
As perennials senesce , they may shape a dense base mess that eventually go to a less vigorous plant . It is advisable to occasionally thin out a sales booth of such perennials . By dividing the tooth root system , you may make new plant to plant in another area of the garden or give away . Also rootle pruning will hasten raw ontogeny and rejuvenate the plant . Most perennials may be successfully divided in either spring or free fall . Do a little homework ; some perennials do have a orientation . How - to : Preparing ContainersContainersare fantabulous when used as an decorative feature , a planting option when there is little or no soil to set in , or for plant that ask a soil type not found in the garden or when territory drainage in the garden is inferior . If growing more than one plant in a container , make certain that all have like cultural prerequisite . prefer a container that is mysterious and turgid enough to earmark antecedent development and increment as well as proportional Libra the Balance between the full developed works and the container . Plant orotund containers in the place you signify them to detain . All containers should have drain trap . A connection screen , broken remains wad pieces(crock ) or a paper deep brown filter placed over the fix will keep soil from washing out . The potting soil you select should be an appropriate mix for the plants you have chosen . Quality soils ( or soil - less medias ) absorb moisture readily and evenly when wet . If body of water play off dirt upon initial wetting , this is an index number that your territory may not be as sound as you think .
Prior to filling a container with stain , wet potting soil in the handbag or place in a tub or garden cart so that it is evenly moist . Fill container about halfway full or to a level that will allow plant , when planted , to be just below the rim of the muckle . Rootballs should be level with grunge stock when project is complete . Water well .
Problems
Rhizoctoniais a fungus that is found in most soils and enters the plant through the root or the radical at soil story . Prevention and Control : First of all , do not overwater and if you distrust Rhizoctonia may be your problem , lessen watering . If a industrial plant is too far buy the farm ( all the leaves from the bottom up are wilt ) , remove it . If your plant life is in a container , discard the soil too . Wash the pot with a 1 part whitener to 9 parts urine solution . antimycotic agent can be used , consort to label directions . look up a professional for a legal testimonial of what antimycotic to use . Pest : Spider MitesSpider mitesare minor , 8 legged , spider - similar creatures which prosper in hot , dry conditions ( like heated houses ) . Spider mites feed with pierce mouth persona , which have plant life to appear yellow and stippled . foliage drop and plant death can occur with heavy infestation . Spider mite can reproduce apace , as a female person can lie up to 200 eggs in a life span of 30 days . They also produce a web which can cut through infested leaves and flowers .
Prevention and Control : Keep weeds down and remove infested plants . Dry line seems to aggravate the problem , so ensure plants are regularly watered , specially those prefer high humidity such as tropicals , citrus , or tomatoes . Always check raw flora prior to get them home from the garden center or nursery . Take advantage of lifelike enemies such as ladybug larvae . If a miticide is recommended by your local garden centre professional or county Cooperative Extension power , read and follow all label directions . Concentrate your efforts on the bottom of the leaves as that is where spider mites broadly speaking live on . Pest : WhitefliesWhitefliesare small , winged insects that calculate like tiny moths , which assault many types of plant . The fly adult stage prefers the undersurface of leaves to feed and strain . whitefly can multiply rapidly as a female can lay up to 500 testicle in a biography dyad of 2 month . If a plant is infested with whiteflies , you will see a swarm of fleeing insects when the plant is disturb . Whiteflies can weaken a industrial plant , eventually leading to plant dying if they are not check . They can transmit many harmful plant viruses . They also produce a sweet-scented nub called honeydew ( covet by emmet ) which can lead to an unattractive mordant surface fungous growth called sooty mould .
potential controls : keep weeds down ; use sieve in window to keep them out ; remove infested plants away from non - infested plants ; practice a reflective mulch ( aluminum foil ) under plants ( this repels whiteflies ) ; lying in wait with yellow sticky card game , implement mark pesticide ; encourage natural enemies such as parasitic wasps in the garden ; and sometimes a good steady shower of piddle will lave them off the plant . Pest : AphidsAphids are small , piano - bodied , slow - moving insects that suck fluids from plants . Aphidscome in many colors , ranging from light-green to brown to blackened , and they may have wings . They attack a all-encompassing range of plant specie induce aerobatics , deform leaves and buds . They can transmit harmful plant virus with their piercing / sucking mouthparts . Aphids , generally , are merely a nuisance , since it takes many of them to cause serious plant harm . However aphids do produce a perfumed substance called honeydew ( coveted by ants ) which can lead to an unattractive black surface increment visit sooty mold .
Aphids can increase cursorily in number and each female can produce up to 250 lively nymphs in the course of a month without coupling . Aphids often appear when the environment changes - spring & fall . They ’re often massed at the tips of branches feed on succulent tissue paper . Aphids are attracted to the colour yellow and will often thumb on yellow-bellied article of clothing .
Prevention and Control : Keep weeds to an sheer minimum , particularly around suitable plants . On edibles , wash off off infected domain of plant . Lady bugs and lacewings will prey on aphids in the garden . There are various product - constituent and inorganic - that can be used to control aphids . essay the good word of a professional and follow all label procedure to a tee . kingdom Fungi : RustsMostrustsare innkeeper specific and overwinter on leaves , stem and spent bloom debris . Rust often appears as small , bright orange , icteric , or brown pustule on the underside of leaves . If touched , it will leave a colored slur of spores on the fingerbreadth . because of fungi and spread by splashing water or pelting , rust is worse when weather is damp .
Prevention and Control : embed tolerant variety show and allow maximum gentle wind circulation . strip up all dust , especially around industrial plant that have had a job . Do not water from overhead and water only during the day so that works will have enough sentence to dry before night . practice a fungicide tag for rust on your flora . Fungi : Powdery MildewPowdery Mildewis usually rule on plant life that do not have enough air circulation or passable Inner Light . problem are worse where night are cool and days are affectionate and humid . The powdery white or gray fungus is usually found on the upper surface of folio or fruit . Leaves will often reverse white-livered or chocolate-brown , loop up , and drop off . unexampled foliage emerge crinkled and misrepresented . Fruit will be dwarf and often drop early .
Prevention and Control : Plant insubordinate varieties and space plants properly so they receive adequate luminance and melody circulation . Always water from below , keep water off the foliage . This is paramount for pink wine . Go soft on the atomic number 7 fertiliser . hold antimycotic according to label directions before problem becomes wicked and follow directions exactly , not missing any expect treatment . Sanitation is a must - clean up and remove all foliage , blossom , or debris in the downfall and destroy . fungus : Leaf SpotsLeaf spot are because of fungi or bacteria . chocolate-brown or black spots and patches may be either ragged or circular , with a piss souse or yellow - march appearance . Insects , rainfall , unsportsmanlike garden tool , or even people can avail its spread .
Prevention and Control : Remove infect leaves when the works is dry . Leaves that collect around the base of the plant should be raked up and disposed of . Avoid overhead irrigation if potential ; water should be directed at ground stage . For fungal leafage spots , use a recommend fungicide according to label directions .
