Getting it to bloom

Why won't my Salvia splendens 'Sizzler Burgundy' bloom? (and how to make it flower)

Also called Sizzler Burgundy Salvia, Burgundy Scarlet Sage (Salvia splendens 'Sizzler Burgundy').

More about salvia splendens 'sizzler burgundy'

About Salvia splendens 'Sizzler Burgundy'

Salvia splendens 'Sizzler Burgundy' · also called Sizzler Burgundy Salvia, Burgundy Scarlet Sage · flowering

'Sizzler Burgundy' is a compact bedding salvia from the dwarf, early-flowering Sizzler series, bearing dense spikes of deep wine-red tubular flowers above fresh green foliage. A tender perennial grown as a summer annual, it blooms from early summer to frost in full sun to part shade, drawing bees and hummingbirds to its rich burgundy plumes.

Plant type: flowering

Watch for — Leggy, sparse plants: From too little light or no pinching. Grow in full sun and pinch young plants to promote branching and more flower spikes.

The reasons salvia splendens 'sizzler burgundy' isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming salvia splendens 'sizzler burgundy' traces back to one of these, roughly in order of how common they are:

Too little sun — most of these need full sun (or very bright light) to flower well; shade gives leaves, not blooms.
Too much nitrogen feed, driving lush foliage at the expense of flowers (very common with general or lawn feeds).
The plant has not been deadheaded, so it stops flowering once it sets seed.
Irregular watering — drought or waterlogging at the budding stage makes buds abort.
It is still too young or was checked by a transplant and is rebuilding before flowering.

Feeding salvia splendens 'sizzler burgundy' a high-nitrogen general feed and growing it in too little sun — you get a big leafy plant and almost no flowers.

The fix — how to get salvia splendens 'sizzler burgundy' to flower

Maximise sun. Give salvia splendens 'sizzler burgundy' the sunniest spot you have — for most bedding and fruiting plants, more direct light directly means more flowers.
Switch the feed. Move off high-nitrogen feeds and use a higher-potassium "bloom" or tomato-type feed as it comes into flower.
Deadhead regularly. Remove spent flowers often to keep it producing more rather than stopping to set seed.
Water consistently. Keep moisture even through budding and flowering — drought-then-flood swings make buds drop.

Light and feeding do most of the heavy lifting here. Dial in the spot with the light guide for salvia splendens 'sizzler burgundy' and get the feeding right with the salvia splendens 'sizzler burgundy' fertilising schedule — the wrong feed (too much nitrogen) is one of the most common silent reasons a healthy plant makes leaves instead of flowers.

Bloom season and what to expect

Salvia splendens 'Sizzler Burgundy' flowers across its growing season (mostly summer) and, kept fed and deadheaded, can bloom for many weeks or right up to frost.

Post-bloom care so it flowers again

Deadhead, keep feeding lightly, and many will rebloom; collect seed from the best plants at the end of the season if you want to grow them again.

For everything else this plant needs day to day, see the full salvia splendens 'sizzler burgundy' care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Salvia splendens 'Sizzler Burgundy' blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my salvia splendens 'sizzler burgundy' flower?

Salvia splendens 'Sizzler Burgundy' blooms on the season's growth given enough sun, warmth and the right feed — there is no cold or photoperiod trick, just good growing conditions and a bloom-leaning feed. The most common reason it is not happening: Too little sun — most of these need full sun (or very bright light) to flower well; shade gives leaves, not blooms.

How do I make salvia splendens 'sizzler burgundy' bloom?

Give salvia splendens 'sizzler burgundy' the sunniest spot you have — for most bedding and fruiting plants, more direct light directly means more flowers. Move off high-nitrogen feeds and use a higher-potassium "bloom" or tomato-type feed as it comes into flower.

When does salvia splendens 'sizzler burgundy' normally bloom?