Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Cedar Sages Take a Bow (Sadly)

My garden's three Cedar Sages (Salvia roemeriana) came back strong this year, rising up from the ground and then throwing out stalks of brilliant red flowers beside the backyard path.


Then came last week's rains.  And the Cedar Sages took an unfortunate bow.


I believe the same thing happened last year.  Does this happen to your Cedar Sages?


There must be a trick to keeping them upright.  I guess I need to be more proactive.  Perhaps some type of bloom stakes or grow-through supports?  Maybe etiquette lessons on proper posture?


And what to do post-collapse?  Enjoy the brilliant, though vertically challenged, flowers?  Snip them off and transfer them to a vase?  I assume snipping will encourage additional blooms.


I guess I'll look at this as an opportunity to bring some fresh cut flowers inside the house...

2 comments:

  1. ooooooh no......did all the flower stalks do this?...too wet I say...they drank too much and now their stems are wet and bend under the weight of the flowers...give them a trim I say and hope for more flowers...

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  2. I'm afraid it's probably the shade. Cedar sages (like many others) get leggier in the shade than in sun and over-reach themselves and tend to fall over. I view them as the same type of beauty as a fallen caryatid.

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