Re: Salvia arizonica - water?

I'd second the opinion that this species is more adapted to receiving summer precipitation in habitat, and while it has Arizona in its name, this shouldn't imply that it is a desert conditions loving plant.  I've visited Betsy Clebsch's garden, and without some water in summer, only the most drought tolerant plants survive, she has an extended dry season typical of our local conditions with virtually no rain from early May to late October, and is high enough on the ridge of the coast range to get a fair amount of heat each day in summer after the fog burns off.  Her summer highs are probably in the 70 to 80F range for a good part of summer, cooling down to 55F or so at night.  Recommending once a week irrigation under her garden's conditions sounds like its water needs are fairly moderate, and I would bet that the amount of water would vary considerably for a full sun spot compared to a partially shaded one.  Not a whole lot of fog drip from redwoods or
 Douglas Fir in her own garden, as it is mostly Coast Live Oaks near her house, and fairly exposed conditions to sun and wind in the much of her garden.

I don't grow this species myself, nor have I seen it planted out locally, so can't vouch for it under my Berkeley conditions, but from the habitat local that Nan sites from Betsy's book, it sounds like it prefers some summer irrigation, and is likely to seek out wetter locations in habitat for best growth.

The additional info that it is growing in poor gravelly soil sounds like you have identified the factor making it do poorly with no supplemental water...

--- On Sun, 7/6/08, Diane Whitehead <voltaire@islandnet.com> wrote:

> From: Diane Whitehead <voltaire@islandnet.com>
> Subject: Re: Salvia arizonica - water?
> To: "medit-plants" <medit-plants@ucdavis.edu>
> Date: Sunday, July 6, 2008, 11:55 AM
> I'm lucky it has survived so far.  Poor soil (near a
> gravel pit) and  
> no watering at all.
> 
> OK.  I'll empty the rinse water on it as soon as I wash
> the dishes,  
> and mulch it.
> 
> 
> Diane
> 
> 
> On 6-Jul-08, at 11:41 AM, N Sterman wrote:
> 
> >   Clebsch recommends well drained soil enriched with
> humus, a thick  
> > layer of mulch and water every 7 - 10 days in hot
> weather.
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