Every year, I plant something different in my containers in the front of my house, trying to find that perfect plant. Maybe it’s because I don’t keep notes and can’t remember what I planted, but we won’t get into that.

I want something that can handle some shade and lots of wind, and feed the pollinators. Last year, I tried an annual blue salvia. The plants needed a few extra care steps, but the care did not outweigh the bumble bee traffic on the plants. As a result, I am getting prepared to start my own salvia seeds for this growing season.

Salvia is in the mint family. There are different species of salvia from annual to perennial and native to non-native. Depending on the species, flower colors can range from blue, purple, pink and red to yellow and white. The species I am growing in my containers is Salvia farinacea. It is considered an annual in our area. Common cultivars are Victoria Blue or Blue Bedder.

The individual flowers of a salvia plant are arranged on eight to 10-inch spikes that rise above the gray-green leaves. The individual flowers on the spikes open at different intervals, resulting in flowers that bloom for weeks.

The flower spikes do not need frequent removal, also called dead-heading, to maintain blooms. However, the removal of old spikes does help promote the growth of new flowers. Plants can also be cut back in the middle of the summer to encourage new growth for the fall.

Salvia can tolerate hot and dry conditions and prefer full sun. They make a great flower for mass plantings in garden beds. If you want to plant salvia in containers, be aware of the mature size of the plant and ensure you have a large enough container to support the plant.

The containers I used last summer were a little bit too small. As a result, I had to water thoroughly every day, or I would come home to wilted plants in the heat of the summer.

Side note: watering containers thoroughly means filling the top of the container with water, repeating until water runs out the bottom of the container and repeating the process a couple more times until the growing media is saturated with water. Just sprinkling the surface with water will not provide enough water for plants to grow. Use your hand to monitor the potting media. There is enough water if the soil feels moist a couple of inches down.

Don’t forget the bees. Salvias will attract many different species of pollinators. The containers on my step were bumble bee magnets. I enjoyed sitting and watching them work as they harvested nectar and pollen. What flowers are you starting this year? Happy gardening.