I planted Wendy's wish in a large container this spring. Looked great for a while, then as the weather hit hotter it struggled, becoming leggy. I cut it way back and it is slowly recovering. Obviously I didn't give it what it needed in the container. So I am redoing a part of the garden this fall and can move it then or wait until next spring. Which would be better?

What is Wendy's Wish?

If you have Salvia 'Wendy's Wish', I think it would probably grow outside in the winter with some protection from occasional hard freezes that get really cold. @LynneHTx is or has grown it in an area not too far from your location, so maybe she will see this and give information. Check it in the ATP plant database to confirm if what you have is the same plant. Not sure about the leggy part. Maybe that was natural after blooming? It just may be a plant that needs occasional grooming to stay neat.

OOOOH! Pretty salvia!! I hope you can get it to grow. LOVE the color!

LynneHTx is in zone 9b teacup754 is in zone 8. ATP says it's hardy in zone 8 but Monrovia shows only to zone 9. I would consider dividing it and planting half in the garden and keeping some in the pot as a backup. Either way I think I would wait until spring.

I would have thought LynneHTx would be in zone 9a. How would it be a warmer zone than Nederland? A coastal effect? College Station is given as zone 8b, so LynneHTx is the closest geographic ATP member that is actually growing the plant if it is the same. Specific experience with a plant can often give really valuable information.

I have Wendy's Wish in my front garden. The heat here has been brutal and it is suffering. However, when the monsoon type rains were pounding it, it grew waist high. I bought a 4" pot in spring and it has become a waist high, barrel of a plant. I find the stems are sort of "fleshy," which makes me think it won't last where it is without some protection. I will cut it back severely before the first freeze, and hope for the best.

To answer your question, I personally would leave it in the pot and move it into the ground in spring. Once it gets established, you will have a better idea of whether it will need extra protection over our brief winters. If you decide to move it this year, at least wait until the temps settle into the 80s, at least.

needrain said:I would have thought LynneHTx would be in zone 9a. How would it be a warmer zone than Nederland? A coastal effect? College Station is given as zone 8b, so LynneHTx is the closest geographic ATP member that is actually growing the plant if it is the same. Specific experience with a plant can often give really valuable information.

I was referring to teacup, the OP who is in zone 8. You referred them to LynneHTx in zone 9 so it might not perform the same.

The horrific century temps we got for weeks on end gave "Drought Tolerant" plants a whole new understanding. IOW, I don't have any!

The plant really looked great when the rains were plentiful and the blooms were spectacular. Then the rains stopped and the temps rose and I think it may have gotten too dry once or twice. So the stems at the bottom were bare and theblooms faded. In its location I need something that will look OK even if not blooming so I need to move it. In a similar container three feet away I have a duranta that has done great for a few years now. Maybe next spring I'll put in a yellow bells after I move Wendy's wish ( salvia). I just always heard that in s pot you should consider it a zone lower than your regular one so worried that it would be too cold unless we have a very mild winter.The pot is too heavy for me to move.

I have been meaning to add my comments after someone mentioned my name above. So, I went looking for my Wendy's wish. It's planted with some Henry Duelberg salvia and some white and red salvias. I cant tell which is the Wendy's wish or if it made it thru the 100’s in August. In other words, it's not blooming. So, I tend to think it's not overly happy with those high temperatures. I'll keep my eyes open for those dark blooms. It lives in my parking strip between the sidewalk and street in part sun. I don't water out there so everything must fend for itself. Will be curious if it made it.

Just an update on my Wendy's Wish. With the crazy fall weather the plant just sprang into bloom during December. Even when it started getting colder it seems like it got better and better, full of blooms. We just got our first couple of nights close to freezing and I need to see how it fared. But I sure enjoyed it the last few months so I'm glad I didn't move it as I am sure it would have been set back some. I've got a place all picked out to put it in the ground this spring.

Beautiful weather this weekend. Do you think it is too early to move Wendy's Wish?

In Austin, we've already been warned that we can expect a couple more freezes before Easter. I'd only move your plant if you can cover it, in case of a surprise freeze.