Growing Red Hot Sally II Salvia Garden Seeds

Most North American home gardens do not have the warm, tropic conditions to sow salvia seeds directly. However, for earliest annual blooms, start salvia Red Hot Sally II seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before final frost. Red Hot Sally II salvia will germinate in 14-21 days with full lighting and, once germinated, transplant seedlings to indoor container or "harden off" if transplanting outside to a suitable environment. For outdoor sowing, plant 3-4 salvia Red Hot Sally II seeds ¼ inch deep and 10 inches apart in average, evenly moist, and well-drained soil in full sun to partial shade. Salvia will grow as a perennial in warm, humid gardens and will show signs of wilting in cooler and drier climates. Salvia plants have no serious pests or diseases. Red Hot Sally II salvia seeds mature in as quickly as 63-77 days as tidy 10-12 inch tall uniform uprights with a 8-10 inch spread bursting with stunning, vivid red floret stalks.

Salvia splendens, commonly referred to as Scarlet Sage, is native to Brazil and thrives in high year-round humidity, growing naturally at elevations between 6,500 and 10,000 feet. Wild and natural salvia plants usually reach up to 48 inches tall, while the world's most popular and commercial varieties used as decorative bedding plants at many shopping malls usually only reach as high as 12-16 inches.