Growing Award-Winning Salvia

Mike Huggett

American Takii is thrilled to introduce Salvia Summer Jewel White as its newest All-America Selections-winning variety. The Summer Jewel Series, which includes other AAS winners, Red and Pink, has been designed for quick and easy production. Consumers will benefit from Summer Jewel’s performance in the landscape. The Summer Jewel series brings great attributes that include faster finishing times, durable garden performance and environmental benefits—like attracting pollinators such as hummingbirds and bees.

The Summer Jewel series also represents Takii’s efforts to breed products that require less inputs, such as growth regulators and time in production, all while maintaining excellent vigor for the consumer. Summer Jewel can be placed into most gardens in full sun or partial shade and, once established, will continue to grow and flower until first frost. Summer Jewel will withstand almost all conditions and shows particularly good performance in dry, arid settings. Summer Jewel can reach garden heights of 30 in.

Crop time
Under normal greenhouse conditions, 288 plug timing will be 5 to 6 weeks from sow with an additional 4 to 5 weeks finishing time in packs and 4-in. pots.

Plug stage
Germination is 6 to 7 days in a dibbled tray. Cover seed with vermiculite approximately ¼ in. deep. Maintain temperatures of 72 to 74F (22 to 23C) for most of the plug life. Plugs can be cooled to 68 to 70F (20 to 21C) through stages 3 and 4.

EC (Pour-through method): 0.5 to 0.8 during germination, slightly higher for stages 3 and 4.

Day length extension to 15 hours during plug life can benefit Summer Jewel and will hasten flowering significantly.

Plug finish time
5 to 6 weeks. Plugs can be cooled to 68 to 70F (20 to 21C) through stages 3 and 4.

Transplant and finishing
One plant per container (pack and 4-in.) into a well-drained media and maintain a moderate moisture level during the early stages of root development. Saliva can withstand dry conditions for short periods during the young plant stage. However, if allowed to wilt, tip burn and leaf drop may occur. A Cal-Mag feed can be used for general fertilization during finish phase (100 to 200 ppm). Finishing temperatures can range between 68 to 72F (20 to 22C).
PGRs

Summer Jewel will respond very well to B-Nine at rates of 2,500 ppm. Ensure that leaf temperature and ambient greenhouse temperature are cool before applying any PGRs, as leaf curl and tip burn can occur.

Uses
Packs, small and large containers and landscape—Summer Jewel will perform in almost all conditions in partial shade to full sun. GT

Mike Huggett is Eastern Flower Sales Manager for American Takii in Salinas, California.