When I went outside this morning, I discovered a piece of one of my Black and Blue Salvias had been snapped off - perhaps by an animal.

My question is this: if I place the stem in water, will it root? I hate to lose this long, blooming stem. Other than being snapped off, it is healthy. I have it in water until I hear from those of you with much more experience than I have.

Thanks for your help which I'm sure is coming.

Charlotte Passinger-Ehrhart
Middletown, PA
South Central PA
USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 6

Charlotte
This time of year I take broken stems and stick them right down in the soil. Usually close to a gutter downspout or a low area where it stays pretty moist and shaded. Th4e broken stems will root sooner this way. I have two that I am doing right now myself.


Penny
Niagara Falls, NY
USDA zone 6a/6b
Heat zone 4
Sunset zone 39

Do you use any rooting hormone powder?

Charlotte Passinger-Ehrhart
Middletown, PA
South Central PA
USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 6

You don't need it. As long as they are kept wet for a week or two they should root and probably put out some flowers by early fall. This is the best time of year to root a few pots to bring in for the winter. Most of us usually wait until fall to take our cuttings, but success can be spotty in the then, and healthy established plants handle the rigors of winter storage much better than new cuttings.

Hi, butting in here... im glad she asked this. So does this mean if I put cuttings in water that they
will root? We are gone 8-10 hrs a day and dont have gutters, so cant be sure they will be moist
all the time. I have 2 nice healthy pots of BB Salvias.. any idea when they begin to bloom? I cant
wait!! Thanks.

Aleahh
SW Lower Michigan.
Baroda.

Zone 5

You might try filling a gallon milk/water jug with water, place it by your cutting, then make a small hole in the jug so the water leaks out slowly. I use the tip of a utility knife to make a small slit.

Linda
ne AL
zone 7b

Wouldn't it be best to cut those flowers off? (Or is that just woody plants I'm thinking about?) Less stress on the plant due to less to "support" with limited roots?

Maryjane
W Ga
Zone 8a

I don't think B&B will root in water.