When you recieve your new plant you will want to let it settle in to it’s new surroundings. Salvia plants are easy to grow indoors and very adaptive given the right amount of time. After you take your plant out of the crate you’ll want to remove the packaging give it a good watering and then place it in a window with indirect sun. Remember your plant has been in a dark box for three days so it doesnt want to be drowned with light right off the bat. Imagine how you would feel in that situation.
(If your plant dropped any leaves in the box in transit it is safe to dry these and use them. They wont be full strength, but that doesnt mean they will be useless.)
You’ll want to take it easy with her for a week or so, this way she is familiar with her location. Next you’ll want to get some good fertilizer, some vermiculite, a bigger pot, some dirt maybe, and probably a good stick to provide support for your plants growth. You’ll want to wait until you’ve noticed enough of a size difference to make it worth your while to relocate it.
While your plant is in the smaller container and sitting in your window, it’s recommended that you rotate her a bit so that she gets equal sun on all sides. This will promote healthy growing at this stage.
When you are repotting your plant do try and place the root as low as you can in the soil without getting the leaves in it. These plants can get quite large so it will need all the space it can get. Make sure you support your growing plant with a stick so it stands up straight.
After your plant has been planted in this big planter you can give it one great watering once a week. It will tell you if it’s thirsty again by wilting, which it will snap out of when you water it some. They also like a good misting in the meantime. Too much watering will cause root rot.
It’s also a good idea to pick any leaves that are looking discolored, or drying at the edges. The reason for this is that the leaves don’t last forever. So an old leaf that is looking past its best will not get any better. In fact it will eventually wither and die and/or drop off after maybe turning pale and yellow first, so you may as well use it before it gets to this stage. This way at least the leaves under it are getting proper sunlight.
After a few weeks or so of growth you could try taking one or two for drying and smoking whenever you wanted, obviously avoiding the very youngest and newly sprouting leaves as the more mature ones will offer the stronger experiences.
You will need to wait a few months, before you have enough leaves on the plant for regular use. You’d have a fair sized plant after a couple of months growth, say, up to 3 feet. At this time you can safely consider your leaves mature, and consider collecting a clipping or two to replant. If your plant has made it this far, your doing a great job!
