Sage (Salvia officinalis) is a hardy perennial (in zones 5 to 9) that is aromatic and slightly bitter in taste. Sage is easy to grow, it only has three main requirements – lots of sun, good drainage and good air circulation. Look great in your garden with beautiful purple, pink, blue, or white flowers in summer. When picked and dried, it can be used as a filling for poultry, rabbit, pork and grilled fish, and can also be used for sausages or meatloaf. If you want to learn how to grow sage at home, start with Step 1 below.
Step
Part 1 of 3: Planting Sage
Step 1. Purchase sage seeds or sage plant
You can start growing sage in a number of ways. If you've never grown sage before, you can plant fresh sage seeds (which are fickle) or buy a small plant from a plant vendor and plant it in your garden or in ceramic pots.
- Should you decide to plant seeds, you should plant them in late spring (in the ground or in a container) about 0.3 cm deep and spaced 60 to 75 cm between plants. Sage takes 10 to 21 days to germinate.
- However, if you already have sage plants, you can use cuttings or layers to grow new plants.
Step 2. Prepare the soil
Sage grows well in rich, well-draining, nitrogen-rich loam soil. Sage is suitable for soils that have a pH or acidity of 6.0 to 6.5.
- If you are using clay soil, try mixing it with sand and other organic matter. This will lighten the soil and help with drainage.
- Sage grows best among other perennial herbaceous plants that do well in sandy soils such as thyme, oregano, marjoram and parsley.
Step 3. Start planting
After preparing the soil, you can start growing sage in pots or directly in the ground. You can grow sage from seeds or seeds.
- If you want to transplant your sage into the ground, be sure to plant it at the same height as it was in the pot.
- If you want to grow sage from seed, start planting at the end of the rainy season, either in containers or polybags about 0.5 cm deep and 60-75 cm apart. Sage seeds take about 10-21 days to germinate.
Step 4. Do not over-water
When the sage is still small, you should spray a little water to keep the soil moist.
- But when it's grown, you should only water the sage when the soil around it is dry to the touch.
- In fact, in certain climates, you don't need to water the sage at all – the sage will get the water it needs when it rains.
- Sage is a hardy little plant that can withstand very dry conditions.
Step 5. Provide sufficient sunlight
Ideally, sage plants grow in full sun, but sage can also live in a little shade in hotter areas.
- If the sage is too shady, the growth will be long and unhealthy. So if you grow sage indoors with little sunlight, you can use fluorescent light. Standard fluorescent lamps should be placed 5-10 cm above the plant.
- However, plant-specific lamps such as high output fluorescent, compact fluorescent, or high intensity discharge (metal halide or high pressure sodium) will work better, and when used they should be placed 5-10 cm above the plant.
Part 2 of 3: Raising Sage Plants
Step 1. Prune the sage in early spring
Prune the older, more woody stems in early spring, after the danger of winter frost has passed but the new growth stage has not really begun. Prune each stalk by about a third.
Step 2. Prevent mold
Mold is one of the problems faced by sage growers. You can avoid this by keeping a close eye on the plant during hot, humid weather and by thinning the plant regularly to increase air circulation.
- You can also try mixing the soil around the plant with gravel, to help the water evaporate more quickly.
- If mold starts to appear on the plant, try spraying it with horticultural oil or sulfur spray.
Step 3. Pest control
Sage is usually not a pest target, but is occasionally plagued by spider mites, thrips, and Spittlebugs. If you find any pests, try using an organic pesticide (such as pyrethrum) or insecticidal soap to keep the pests from spreading.
Step 4. Replace the plant every three to five years
After three to five years, the sage plant will become woody and straggly and will need to be replaced. You can start over with new plants or seeds or seeds, or use old plants for cutting or layering.
- For plant coating, bend an existing sprig of sage toward the ground. Use wire to secure the stalk to the ground, about 10 cm from the end. After four weeks, the roots will begin to grow. You will be able to cut the stalks and transplant the newly formed sage plant to another location.
- For cutting, cut 7.5 cm from the branches of the old sage plant. Cut the bottom leaves off the stem, or use scissors to trim them. Dip the ends in root hormone, then place them in sterile sand. Wait 4 to 6 weeks for the roots to form, then, transplant them into a pot, then move them back into the garden.
Part 3 of 3: Harvest Sage
Step 1. Harvest the sage
Harvest only a small amount of sage during the first year, picking only as many leaves as you need.
- The following year, you can pick sage all year round by cutting off the entire stalk from the plant. Sage is considered to be at its best just before the flowers bloom, usually midsummer.
- Make the last full harvest approximately two months before the first major winter of the year. This gives the newly sprouted leaves enough time to ripen before winter sets in.
Step 2. Dry the sage
Sage is one of those spices whose taste intensifies when dried. However, sage needs to be dried faster to avoid a musty taste.
- To dry sage, tie off the stalks, hanging upside down, leaf sections below and stems above, in a well-ventilated location away from direct sunlight.
- Once dry, store the leaves (flakes or whole) in an airtight container.
Step 3. Use sage
Apart from being an aromatic spice for cooking, sage is also used in potpourri fragrances and soaps.
Tips
- Sage grows to a height of 60-90 cm and a width of about 60 cm.
- Sage attracts bees and helps repel cabbage butterflies.
- Potential pests of sage are snails, spittle bugs (insects such as grasshoppers), whiteflies, spider mites, and mealybugs (a type of tick).
- Withering conditions, powdery mildew, and root rot are all bad conditions or diseases that sage commonly experiences.
