How to Take Salvia Cuttings in July

July 11, 2025 Alan Lodge

Your step-by-step guide to propagating this garden favourite

Salvias are brilliant plants—colourful, long-flowering, and great for pollinators. If you’ve got a favourite Salvia in your garden, summer is a perfect time to take softwood cuttings and grow more for free. This simple propagation method works especially well in July when plants are actively growing. Here's how to do it, step by step.

🧰 What You’ll Need: Tools and Materials

Before you start, gather your tools to make the process quick and clean:

Sharp secateurs or a clean pair of snips – These will help you make a clean cut without crushing the stem.

9cm pots – These small pots are ideal for individual cuttings and help roots establish quickly.

Multi-purpose or seed compost – Mix with a little perlite or vermiculite for better drainage.

Rooting hormone (optional) – This can increase success rates but isn’t essential.

A clear plastic bag or propagator lid – To create a humid environment that encourages rooting.

Labels and pencil – If you're taking several varieties, it’s handy to label them straight away.

✂️ Where and How to Take a Salvia Cutting

You’re looking for non-flowering stems that are green and flexible—these are called softwood or semi-ripe cuttings. Here's how:

Choose a healthy shoot: Pick a stem around 10cm long that hasn’t flowered yet. Make sure it's free from pests or disease.

Cut just below a leaf node: This is the point where leaves emerge—it’s also where rooting is most likely to occur. Use a sharp blade or snips.

Strip the lower leaves: Remove the bottom pair of leaves so you have a clean stem to insert into the compost.

Pinch out the tip: Removing the growing tip helps the plant put energy into root formation instead of growing upwards.

Optional – Dip in rooting powder: It can help, especially if you're taking a lot at once.

Potting Your Cuttings

Take your prepared cutting and:

Fill a 9cm pot with your compost mix and water it lightly.

Make a hole using a pencil or dibber.

Insert the cutting so the stripped section is below the surface.

Firm the compost gently around it.

Cover with a plastic bag or propagator lid to keep humidity high.

Place your pot somewhere bright but out of direct sunlight—a greenhouse bench, cold frame, or sheltered windowsill is perfect.

🌱 Caring for Salvia Cuttings After Planting

The key now is to maintain the right conditions:

Keep the compost moist, but not waterlogged. Mist the leaves if they start to droop.

Avoid full sun, as young cuttings can overheat and wilt.

Ventilate daily if you’re using a bag or propagator—this prevents mould.

After 2–3 weeks, give the cutting a gentle tug. If you feel resistance, roots have formed!

Once rooted, harden off your new plants by gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions before potting them into bigger containers or into the garden.