How to Look After Salvia ‘Hot Lips’ and Similar Varieties

The 5 varieties mentioned in today’s video:
Salvia greggii 'Amethyst Lips',
Salvia 'Dyson's Joy',
Salvia microphylla 'Blue Monrovia',
Salvia x jamensis 'Pink Lips',
Salvia 'Hot Lips'
Visit John's garden at Ratoath Garden Centre in Co. Meath, Ireland.
ratoathgardence...
Come and visit us, stroll around our gardens and be inspired.
/ ratoathgardencentre

[@davidgray3321]

This gentleman has great Irish charm, you would make millions if you could bottle it and sell it, and he is a great gardener, best wishes from across that water in the U.K.

[@marymary5494]

I’m thinking of starting a petition to get John his own gardening TV show. 😉

[@davidgray3321]

@@marymary5494 good idea , are you a friend of his ? Where are you based? I am in the U.K., independent gardener trained with the national trust in 2015/16 late career change since 60 this year, John knows his onions as we say here.

[@martiee6882]

I could not have gone through my whole life with out this video. You made my day. When you said it was like a farmer delivering a sheep. Have a wonderful day. You are my favorite to watch!

[@nancybennett9265]

That gentle touch you have!

[@nspector]

Hahahaha

[@georgcorfu]

He is unique, ahahahaha!

[@marianlawrie8614]

Lol

[@paulsalmo7070]

Hot lips has been a very successful plant here in Cornwall and what John has shown, as he said should not be done in August but in May. What I’ve found also is that by August a lot of flowers have turned pure white, especially in a warm summer so I then prune lightly by about 40cms and then the subsequent flowers will then be red and white. The first flowers early in the year are all red with the white slowly appearing as the year warms. Being a sage you can also make a very tasty salad dressing by chopping some new leaves in olive oil and drizzling this over lettuce to give a very Mediterranean flavour.

[@arriesone1]

That’s interesting re the salad, I’ll try it when new leaves come. Maybe too late to prune now (sept 4) for a new flush would you say? (I didn’t know it had to be pruned each year!). Mine in the soil.

[@paulsalmo7070]

arriesone1 it depends where you live and what type of autumn we get. Mine will flower until at least Christmas. If your flowers are white, then I’d suggest a light trim now but they certainly need a good prune in late spring otherwise they become woody at the base with all the growth above.

[@arriesone1]

Paul Meredith Thanks for that Paul. (I’m not far from you, in the Channel Islands so similar weather)

[@1mollymom]

Ah, so their turning white is a natural progression?! I thought maybe it needed food or fertilizer. Good to know, thanks!

[@marymccormack4245]

I’m glad I found this video. I have just purchased the ‘Hot Lips’ and would never have imagined I could treat it so severely!! Thank you John.

[@cockatielnation5425]

Garden brutality! I love that John shows us that you don't have to be fussy with plants. I want to see this plant again 1st September!

[@riverunner9978]

Me also!

[@ferretocious]

This kind of look like me cutting my hair during COVID-19.

[@jandomekphotography6829]

“Farmer delivering a sheep or something,” cracked me up. You sheared that Hot Lips like it was indeed a sheep. LOL. I liked your suggestion about the shape of pots.

[@sleddy01]

That poor sheep. Good thing this man is not a farmer.

[@vickiesorenson2383]

Black and blue salvia is wonderful as it’s got black calyxes which really makes these cobalt blue flowers pop. Check it out John .

[@nataliedodson1637]

Another fantastic funny video, I don't know if John realises how naturally funny he is. I've learnt lots as usual. I've subscribed as I love these videos, I always learn a lot.. Thanks for the video x

[@tamzinhodgkins4592]

Googled Salvia hot lips and this popped up. What a gem of a find, cheered me right up, brilliant! Subscribed!

[@jcking6785]

Good grief, Mr. Lord! I’m not so certain that you really like your plants. It may not be necessary to baby your plants but that was BRUTAL!!!!!!!

[@christinayip6795]

Mr Lord, you are so ruthless with that Salvia! It's liberating and refreshing ! Thoroughly enjoyed the video... You have to be cruel to be kind 😂😂😂

[@dada1952]

Here in California Salvia is a godsend for our hot and dry summers. Flower continually, provide the hummingbirds with nectar, volunteer occasionally in the garden and can take both very hot dry conditions and a fairly hard frost. I give them a good hacking every couple months through out the year to control the size.

[@olsonlr]

I tried direct sowing seeds for those salvia this year and they're beautiful in the soil here in Georgia

[@jankitteringham8483]

Good video! I prune my Hot Lips in May. It grows so quickly so I take a huge amount off. It's planted in the garden and fills the top part. The roots are easy to pull out, it's a big job! 😊

[@janedmunds4218]

Always cheers me, the opening song and Teddy’s furry face, and then all the great information follows. Thanks

[@LizSwinney]

I live in No. CALIFORNIA and have a hot lips sitting ready to either go to the bin or repot. After seeing this video it gave me the courage to repot! Thank you.

[@Nhoj31neirbo47]

I always get the most quizzical looks in response to my explaining how to root prune a potted plant. Now I can simply refer folks to this succinct video.

[@bc4685]

Your videos give me so much confidence in gardening!!

[@pauladigby1651]

Thank you John, a good lesson.

[@margaretsims4344]

Wow such a lot of roots. Those straight pots are hard work. Thanks for the tip!

[@ingridchen7501]

That might be my favourite how to gardening video ever! I now know what to do but I can wait a couple of months too...

[@patriciashanks5870]

You make gardening look so easy lol

[@jayanthilameer756]

Shocked to see how brutally he treated that Salvia. I would be scared to do that. Refreshing!

[@kushkagirl]

As an American, I'm loving your wonderful accent!

[@balanceiskey9646]

thankyou for the info, and I loved the garden center there, seeing all those varities of hydrangea right behind you, I bet it would be nothing but a pleasent experience walking through there 😍

[@harrietcoombes5015]

My favourite gardner youtuber! Thanks for making your videos. I learn a lot and am always well entertained. Thanks for doing what you do. :)

[@richardeidemiller6739]

Hummingbirds love these hot lips especially I have them every year and it never fails to bring in the hummingbirds

[@sidilicious11]

I went through my first year with a few salvias and you are right about them bringing in hummers. Now I want more for next year. I’m hooked!

[@MsAponte69]

he said its like a farmer delivering a sheep or something....LOLOLOLOL!!!

[@jaxson6133]

Brilliant work 👍 I did the same to mine in June as it was sat to high and the roots where showing, now it sits deeper but left 2 inch on top for bark mulch. Only because I watched this, many thanks

[@AR-fy2qo]

Great and genuine. World is lacking to the point stuff.

[@Brockthedog315]

Savage gardenry at its finest. Simply great. And learn the style. It really works!

[@maureennewman896]

John I love your videos and your no nonsense approach to dividing and shovel pruning, lol, but you could save yourself a lot of cleanup if you just used a tarp under the pot when you are hacking and chopping and flinging soil all around! :-)

[@laurenb6451]

Prolly somebody comes and cleans it all up in a jiffy, no big problem.

[@mabelgoddard5813]

Love your videos!! I like salvias too!👏👏🌺👩‍🌾

[@zhangruyi3153]

My neighbour's hot lips has gone wild. It has taken over her garden. So this is what she has to do to control that beast. I would love to see John Lord's hot lips in September. Thank you for such an excellent video.

[@riverunner9978]

Oh yes I have just the planter and salvia ! I’m gonna do exactly like John ! ☀️🐝🌱

[@LittleJordanFarm]

Thank you..enjoying your videos alot...Blessings

[@kknichols8067]

Ditto on square pots being awful. I ended up taking an ax to my last one just to get the plant out.

[@MsAponte69]

😂

[@kdm3695]

Clean up in Aisle 6!

[@taesnosefreckle7503]

M distracted by d deep blue hydrangeas💜💜💜💜💜

[@graydoubleb4913]

that garden is beautiful!

[@LadybirDloves]

So I came here all excited, after searching for "splitting Salvia". Seeing this is "Hot Lips" which is EXACTLY the type I need to split, I was VERY happy.This video wasn't splitting but pruning and repotting and I wanna know how to split it 😩

[@michaelhooker3473]

When you have pulled it out (preferably more gently than Mr Lord did if it's possible), just split it by gently pulling the root ball into three or four pieces, then replant separately. You can apologise to it first if it makes you feel better. If it has woody stems all connected at one point you may need to tear them apart. Plant all the pieces separately or dispose of the ones you don't want. I have watched my father do this with all sorts of plants. Obviously you need to plant in nutritious soil and water well. A bit of bonemeal fertilizer in the compost would probably help things along, but that's generally true.

[@LadybirDloves]

@@michaelhooker3473 About a week after this, I did just that, bar the bonemeal. Split in 2, tearing the wood with hope and 1 went into ground and 1 into pot. Both...thriving. Thankfully 😀

[@maryodriscoll5378]

John, just bought a salvia n put it into a pot that’s not suitable, thanks for your advice,great video.

[@lavenderwhite5215]

Love your videos John. Such positive energy & passion. & I love the new glossy Green pot you put hot lips in. Sorry, couldn't help giggle as you were trying to get the shrub out of the Black pot 😂, reminds me of myself last year 🌿🌸

[@josephinebehan9431]

Loved this 😊

[@namAlexander]

nice got that one and another same type well a few .. info i just needed

[@saraw8503]

How many times have I wrestled a pot bound plant from a pot? That is why I stopped buying those that are narrow at lip and rounded at center.

[@natashalion8028]

I bought that Salvia Hot Lips in May and it has practically doubled in size this summer. South facing. So pretty up against the lavender.

[@TheBergmaster]

My kind of gardening!

[@cashk100]

👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿 Thanks for sharing.

[@chasevogt2090]

Master at work

[@jancheema6776]

Thank you for sharing. Nj-usa

[@lynnkiefer8373]

I hope too John!

[@HBomb1983]

What an absolute legend!!! 😂🤩🙌🏻 this hot lips will be absolutely dandy. They just bounce right back like the terminator ......... ❤️

[@pamelaspooner7183]

This is Salvia greggi and as he says, does well here in Texas where it’s also know as Autumn Sage. It has stopped blooming the past month or so…we are having 100+ almost every day but they will come back in bloom, in September as he said. One thing I have found (and if you look closely) is that the Hot Lips strain does not produce bi-color blooms every bloom but are mostly either white or the other color with some bicolor. Bit disappointing.

[@cherylw7170]

What was the plant to the left in the pot with grassy leaves and almost allium like flowers? I was admiring it.

[@jamierbb]

Big Money to you, Salvia dude!

[@lilioprea935]

Does it go well in low temperature, if planted in the garden ? Like -10 to 20C?

[@stevenvitali7404]

They can be affected if temperatures drop below -5

[@kushkagirl]

I'm amazed that root ball didn't fall apart--like dragging a badger out of his hole! After that, um "rugged" pruning, I want to see what this plant looks like in a year...

[@grahamthomas6283]

Lesson learned you don't have to throw old soil AWAY just feed it all well SAVE your MONEY thanks for your time 🐞🐦👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@Mark-mq2fv]

Mine is the pink variety rather than the deeper red. But I assume the process is no different. Mine is quite leggy and misshapen. Can I trim it in October? I don't want to end up with too large a plant with woody stems. Thanks

[@mrj335]

Hi thanks for the information. We have two Salvia and they are very spindly. Should we cut them right back. july 19!! Thanks

[@sheilanickson6076]

Did it actually flower well in December John. I ve got a salvia on it's last legs 😢

[@sidandsharonlewis2662]

Can you speak to transforming those cuttings into new plants?

[@Gigi-fv9ky]

Do you not recommend adding a little fertilizer to the pot? Definitely looming forward to a follow up on Sep 1. I have a few salvias of this type in the ground and I have not cut them back and they aren't performing as well this year.

[@nspector]

I don't think John uses fertilizer. Ever. Uses plants that don't need it, that are good with the soil he has. Guessing even in pots, which some of us treat a little differently than plants in the ground. But maybe not necessary if you pick plants that are adaptable?

[@lully381]

Mine are all beginning to go over now should I not cut them back for the winter then?

[@ChuckKnightTaylor]

Does anyone know what the white flowered plants (great vertical presence) in the beginning of each of John's videos is? Thanks!!!!

[@pamelaspooner7183]

May be Astilbe. He has a number of them and he talks about them in several videos so watch some older ones.

[@jstapo8591]

Man just kicked the shit out of that plant!!!

[@sal8454]

I can hear that salvia screaming from here

[@carolsloanes4938]

Waste not want not John, could some of that trimmed off stuff be used as cuttings?

[@cachaccabarra8374]

Yes, they grow easily roots if you put them in a glass with water. Just always exchange the water , so they won't start rotting.

[@DJ-tz9gi]

Never done this before fellow Gardeners. I am a novice and wanted to know...am I allowed to ask questions?

[@1mollymom]

Sure! Whether or not you get an answer may be hit or miss though.

[@niffumdam]

That was a question right? :-D

[@deborahwade2641]

My hot lips are in the ground. Can I just cut them back in April or May? I'm in middle Georgia USA thankyou 😊

[@johnlordssecretgarden]

Late spring early summer is a good time to cut them back

[@deborahwade2641]

Thankyou very much.​@@johnlordssecretgarden

[@DJ-tz9gi]

Dude! You are brutal with your babies. I thought mine didn’t bloom this year because I cut them back and maybe treated them roughly. Clearly that is not the reason!☺️. This is Year 2 and I just don’t see the blooms I saw in the 1st year of my in ground planting of them.

[@spclkay1219]

Omg I cringed at how much watering he did!!! 😲😟😖

[@jancheema6776]

A farmer delivering a sheep... 🍭🌿🌻

[@katharinedavis4947]

That poor plant ! I wouldn't do that , I'd wait until late autumn and I dont see why it needed to be chopped back ? , ! ! . K

[@katharinedavis4947]

I've never been good at being cruel to plants , like pruning roses ! K

[@AleksandraDeegan]

"I hope" lol

[@clairekinney4133]

Hey John sadly l wasnt born with green fingers, been known to kill most plants, Could l cut my hot lips back now please as its looking rather brown how often should you you water hot lips plants in the summer, and what shrubs could you recommend that can be planted now have good height and width with pretty flowers that can take a hit with a football and are impossible to die 😂 😂

[@zaonyrichardson6858]

Hope you aren't as rough with the Missus, John! - Lol and Bless you.

[@kushkagirl]

large blue flowers=campanulas

[@joydeeproy1580]

Some gardeners are crazy

[@murielkerr-bell8007]

woho

[@jetv1471]

😂😂😂 birthing process 😂😂❤

[@junebutt9101]

It's a girl 🤪

[@annettebowersox1976]

Why, why, why!!!!!!

[@HotMessCarnivore42]

Goodness I could listen to you all day. Thank you for sharing your knowledge. I would love some of these if they'll be able to stand minimal water. Looking for drought tolerant plants.

[@drewblackwell4400]

They are drought tolerant as they come from Mexico and Texas. Salvias are a great choice if you get plenty of sun and not much rainfall.