Pineapple sage is very robust, but needs a little support in winter indoors and outdoors to get through the cold season well.
In summer, the pineapple sage (Salvia rutilans) is a talking point in the herb garden. The plant grows luxuriantly, shows pretty, showy flowers and smells wonderfully of pineapple. So there is nothing wrong with cultivating outdoors as long as the temperatures allow it, because the plants from Central America are not hardy. Therefore, the pineapple sage must not be forgotten when the temperatures drop. Here's how to help spice plants through the winter.
Prepare pineapple sage for winter storage
The plants find ideal conditions outdoors, which is why they do not have to limit their growth. The plants are quite robust and well adapted to our climate. Cool and rather wet summers don't bother the plants either. It only becomes problematic when the thermometer begins to fall in autumn and approaches freezing. Then you have to make the pineapple sage fit for the winter quarters. The best way to do this is as follows:
- Pick up the plant from the ground.
- Then place the pineapple sage in a suitable planter.
- Water the plant.
- Place the planter in winter quarters.
Overwinter pineapple sage as a container plant
Pineapple sage is preferably cultivated in a tub, because the plant can spend the summer on the balcony, terrace or even in the bed. You remain flexible and can ensure optimal site conditions at any time. For example, by protecting the plant from excessive sunlight or strong wind and rain. There is also no need to plant and transplant before winter. You just have to bring the planter inside on cold nights.
What does the ideal winter quarters look like?
Since the pineapple sage does not shed its leaves, it should be offered a bright winter quarters. The ambient temperature allows for a fairly wide range. The plants can be overwintered at temperatures between 5 and 15 degrees. A location inStaircase or in the conservatory is just as suitable as winter quarters in the bedroom or in another, little heated room.
How to care for the plants in winter quarters?
Pineapple sage requires little care in the winter quarters. Watering is far more economical than in summer. However, the root ball must not dry out. The plants do not receive fertilizer during the winter months. You can largely leave the plants to themselves. However, you should not move them during the winter months.
Overwintering pineapple sage outdoors - is that possible?
The question cannot be answered in general. However, the mild winters of recent years give reason for hope. Of course it also plays a role whether the plants are planted in a bed in the Rhine Valley, on the island of Sylt or in the Allgäu. In general, overwintering outdoors involves risk, which is why you also have to expect to lose the plants.
How to protect outdoor plants?
Plants that are to be overwintered outdoors must first be completely cut back. This affects the plant outdoors as well as the pineapple sage in the bucket. You must now protect the root ball well from frost. This works best if you pack it thickly with leaves, brushwood or straw. This cover should remain on the plant throughout the winter. Since late frosts can also endanger the pineapple sage, you should only remove the winter protection in mid-May, after the ice saints.
Critical times begin for the container plant in winter. You should therefore avoid spending the winter outdoors as much as possible. If there is no other way, you must first look for a sheltered location, as close as possible to a wall or house wall. The plant pot should not stand directly on the ground. Otherwise there is a risk that the plant pot will freeze completely. Then the roots would also be affected and the plant could no longer be saved. The following measures offer the best possible protection:
- Place the planter on a block of wood or a thick section of Styrofoam.
- Cut back the plant completely.
- Cover the root ball with leaves and straw.
- Put sticks on top.
- Pack the entire planter tightly with garden fleece.
What happens to the plants after winter?
The plants should only leave their winter quarters when no more frosts are to be expected. Then, in mid-May, it's time to remove the cover and inspect the plants. Withsome luck has already expelled the pineapple sage. This speaks for a successful hibernation. You should now slowly get used to the plants in the new location and not immediately place them in full sun. However, since the plants generally appear to be quite robust, they will usually get used to the new conditions without any problems and will sprout vigorously with the first warm rays of sunshine. Now you have to water more often again. From now on you can give the first doses of fertilizer again. Reading tip: Caring for pineapple sage - this is how you water, fertilize and cut it properly.