WateringTimesWatering plan, $19
Salvia microphylla x greggii ssp. & cvs., WUCOLS IV

How often to water hybrid sage in California

In July in the Central Valley, established hybrid sage in loam needs a deep watering about every 14 days: about 1.5 gallons each time for a plant 2 feet across, about 0.8 gallons a week. This hybrid sage is a cross between Salvia greggii and Salvia microphylla, sold in many named forms. Plants grow 2 to 3 feet tall and up to 4 feet wide with small, shiny leaves. Flower color varies by form, and bloom runs through much of the year, peaking from early summer until the first fall frost. It needs full sun and well-drained soil.

PerennialRated for 6 of 6 zones

How often to water hybrid sage, month by month

Your city
Plant width
2 ft
Your soil

Type your city above and the days between waterings and the gallons appear here, worked out from your city's climate table. Or read the figures by climate zone further down.

Every month, on your water days. The personal plan prints this for hybrid sage and the rest of your yard, on the days your water supplier allows.Get the plan for $19

How this is worked out: established roots fill the top 1 foot of soil, and you water again when that soil has dried halfway. Loam soil holds about 1.5 inches of water per foot. Water the whole area the plant covers, and skip a watering after a good soaking rain.

Which soil do you have?

Dig down a few inches, take a handful of moist soil and squeeze it.

  • Sandy: gritty, falls apart when you open your hand, will not form a ball.
  • Loam: forms a soft ball that crumbles when you poke it.
  • Clay: forms a firm, sticky ball and squeezes out into a ribbon between thumb and finger.

Still not sure? Pick loam. Most garden beds sit between sand and clay.

How to measure plant width

A shrub with its width marked from one side to the other and the circle under it shaded blue

Measure across the plant, from the tips of the leaves on one side to the tips on the other.

Water the whole area the plant covers, shown in blue. The gallons here cover that area.

A wider plant means more gallons each watering, not more waterings. While it is young, measure again each spring.

How to tell it needs water

  • When a trowel turns up dry soil well below the surface beside the clump in summer, hybrid sage can take a deep drink
  • Fewer new flowers in a long hot spell can follow dry soil
  • Woody stems with sparse leaves in spring point to needed pruning, not water
  • Leaves yellowing in soggy soil point to overwatering

How to water it

  • Water occasionally to regularly, letting the soil dry between soakings
  • Plant in full sun in well-drained soil
  • Tip prune lightly through summer to encourage rebloom
  • Trim dry stems and shape plants in early spring
  • Expect more water needs in desert heat

Through the seasons

Water new plants regularly until established. After that, occasional deep watering keeps them blooming through summer in most zones, with more in desert heat. Bloom peaks from early summer until fall frost, and an early spring trim keeps plants compact. Hybrid sage gets a low water rating from WUCOLS along the north-central coast and the south coast, and in the Central Valley and South Inland. The two desert zones raise that to a moderate water rating.

In pots

Hybrid sage grows well in a large pot on a hot, sunny patio, flowering for months. Use a gritty, well-drained mix in a pot with a large hole. Water when the top couple of inches are dry, until it drains through. In summer, check every couple of days. Empty the saucer. Tip prune to keep flowers coming. In winter, water only when the mix dries, and trim it back in early spring.

1 Your climate zone six WUCOLS zones, each from its own reference city
1.07gal per sq ft in JulyLow water use in the Central Valley zone
A year
6.84 gal per sq ft
Reference
Sacramento climate table
Counts
Plant need, before sprinkler losses
0.761.52.33.00.16JAN0.26FEB0.43MAR0.61APR0.83MAY0.99JUN1.07JUL0.95AUG0.72SEP0.47OCT0.22NOV0.14DEC0.761.52.33.00.16JFM0.61AMJ1.07JAS0.47OND
Gallons per square foot per month, Central Valley. Peak 1.07 in Jul, 6.84 a year.

Monthly water need by climate zone

Hybrid Sage: gallons per square foot per month, by WUCOLS climate zone

MonthN. CoastC. ValleyS. CoastS. InlandHi DesertLo Desert
Jan0.150.160.310.310.740.78
Feb0.210.260.320.350.930.93
Mar0.350.430.460.521.461.52
Apr0.470.610.560.641.891.95
May0.580.830.640.782.392.45
Jun0.640.990.690.922.852.79
Jul0.641.070.7913.042.85
Aug0.60.950.740.932.792.6
Sep0.50.720.60.742.142.08
Oct0.350.470.460.531.461.49
Nov0.190.220.330.360.930.96
Dec0.120.140.260.270.650.68
Year4.86.846.27.3721.2721.08

How this is worked out: the WUCOLS water rating for each zone times that zone’s climate for the month. A dash means WUCOLS does not rate the plant there. The figures are what the plant uses, before sprinkler losses.

Plants with the same water needs 16

Rated low water in the Central Valley, like hybrid sage. Plants that drink alike can share one valve and one schedule.

AgapanthusAgapanthus orientalislow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyGeraniumsPelargonium x hortorum and cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulySalviaSalvia greggii ssp., cvs. & hybridslow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyIrisesIris germanicalow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulySucculentsEcheveria spp. & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyRussian SagePerovskia spp. & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyYarrowAchillea millefolium (non-native hybrids)low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyMountain AlyssumAlyssum montanumlow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulySilver SageSalvia argentealow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyPurple MulleinVerbascum phoeniceumlow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulySilvery YarrowAchillea clavennaelow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyFern Leaf YarrowAchillea filipendulinalow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyCalifornia Native YarrowAchillea millefolium (CA native cultivars)low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyWoolly YarrowAchillea tomentosalow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyPerennial HollyhockAlcea rosea cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyMountain Lady's MantleAlchemilla alpinalow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in July
Minutes for your sprinklers

Turn this into minutes on your water days

Every city page has a calculator that takes hybrid sage, your sprinkler type and the month, and gives the minutes per water day for that supplier's schedule. Or put it in a zone of the personal watering plan and get all twelve months printed.

Questions people ask

How often should I water hybrid sage in summer?

In July, established hybrid sage in loam needs a deep watering about every 14 days in the Central Valley, about every 18 days on the south coast and about every 14 days in the South Inland zone. Sandy soil holds less water, so waterings come closer together. Clay stretches them. Check the soil before each watering and skip one after a soaking rain.

How much water does hybrid sage need per day?

In July in the Central Valley, established hybrid sage needs about 0.1 gallons a day for a plant 2 feet across and about 0.4 gallons a day for a plant 4 feet across. Give it in deep waterings spread days apart rather than a little every day, so the whole root zone gets wet.

Does watering for hybrid sage change across California?

Yes. WUCOLS rates hybrid sage separately for each of the six California climate zones: low water in the North-Central Coastal zone, low water in the Central Valley zone, low water in the South Coastal zone, low water in the South Inland zone, moderate water in the High and Intermediate Desert zone, moderate water in the Low Desert zone. The monthly table above shows how the same rating translates into different gallon amounts as reference evapotranspiration changes.

What is hybrid sage?

It is a garden hybrid between two shrubby sages. Many named forms exist. They share similar care.

How do I keep hybrid sage blooming?

Light tip pruning through summer encourages repeat bloom. Occasional deep water helps. Full sun is essential.

When should I cut back hybrid sage?

Trim dry stems and shape plants in early spring. New growth flowers well. Light tip pruning in summer keeps it blooming.

How cold hardy is hybrid sage?

The form 'Sierra de San Antonio' is cold hardy to at least 20 degrees F. Frost ends the fall bloom. Plants regrow in spring.

Does hybrid sage need much water?

It is low water in most zones but needs moderate water in the deserts. Water deeply and occasionally. Avoid soggy soil.

More plant watering guides

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Sources