Growing sage at home is a great way to add evergreen foliage to your garden and have a fragrant herb to use in cooking.
However, they can be a bit tricky to work with, so you’ll need to learn how to grow and care for them correctly to have the greatest success.
This guide will teach you how to grow sage, whatever your skill level: everything you need to know about proper sunlight, water, soil, fertilizer, pruning, harvesting, and more.
An overview of easy sage care
Information about Sage
Sage (Saliva officinalis), also known as common sage, is a perennial herb native to the Mediterranean and belongs to the Lamiaceae family (mint family), which also includes lavender and oregano.
This hardy plant has fragrant, oblong, velvety leaves and produces blue, purple, pink or white flowers from late spring through summer, depending on the variety.
Gardeners love to grow this plant for its beautiful, fragrant foliage and vibrant flowers, but many varieties also have culinary uses.
Various types
There are hundreds of species of sage, but they all share similar care instructions. Different varieties have different edibility, leaf and flower color, size, and heat tolerance. Here are some popular varieties:
“Bicolor Icterina” – This type is known for its fragrant variegated yellow-green leaves and purplish-blue flowers.
“Curly” – This blue-flowering, cold-hardy plant has distinctive curled edges along its oval leaves.
“Purple Sage” – It is also known as “purple sage” due to its uniquely colored leaves and stems.
‘Tricolor’ – This variety has spectacular foliage that is pink-purple and green with pale yellow or white mottling on the edges.
Durability
If you live in growing zones 4-10, you can find hardy sage varieties that will survive winter and come back to your garden year after year.
However, if you live in a colder climate or an area with hot, humid summers, it’s best to repot it annually.
How does sage grow?
Sage is a bushy plant with branched stems that start out soft and green, producing fragrant leaves that become woody as they mature.
Depending on the climate, flower spikes with colorful clusters of flowers grow at the ends of the stems from late spring through summer.
How to Grow Sage
Before we tell you how to care for sage, you need to know when and where to grow it. Use these tips to help you choose the best spot in your garden.
Where to Grow Sage
With enough sun and well-drained soil, sage can be grown in the ground, in raised beds, or in pots.
Protect your plants from strong winds and allow enough space for air to circulate as they grow. Choose containers that are at least 12 inches wide and have drainage holes to prevent overwatering.
When to plant
The best time to plant sage is one to two weeks before the last spring frost, when the ground is tillable and the soil temperature is above 60°F (15.5°C).
In areas with mild winters, you can plant them in mid-fall once the heat of summer has subsided.
How to Care for and Grow Sage Plants
Now that you know where and when to get started, it’s time to learn how to grow sage. Use these tips to create the ideal environment for your plant to thrive.
sunlight
For best color and flavor, give your sage plant 6-8 hours of direct sunlight each day. Partial shade is fine, but you should expect slower growth.
However, if you live in an area with hot summers, you should use a shade cloth in the afternoon to prevent wilting, or grow it in a spot that only gets morning sunlight.
water
Sage needs more water in the first year than after it is established. Water when the soil feels dry to the touch, but do not allow it to become soggy – overwatering can cause the plant to rot. Using a moisture meter probe will help you get the right amount of water.
Once established, it is drought tolerant and only needs to be watered generously when the top few inches are dry.
temperature
The ideal temperature range for growing sage is 60-95°F (15.5-35°C). Temperatures lower than this may slow or stop growth.
Some varieties can tolerate temperatures below 5°F (-15°C) with winter protection, but they may die if exposed to a hard or prolonged freeze.
High temperatures, especially high humidity, can cause your plant to begin to suffer, so protect your plant with a shade cloth during heatwaves and give it extra water in dry weather.
fertilizer
Although sage will thrive without fertilizer, fertilizing it regularly is a good way to promote healthy, sustained growth.
Use an organic liquid or general fertilizer such as compost tea or fish emulsion once a month from spring through summer, and top dress annually with a slow-release granular fertilizer.
soil
It is important to give your Salvia officinalis soil good drainage – clay soil can hold too much water and cause root rot.
Add lots of compost to your garden soil to boost nutrients, and you can also add sand or perlite to improve drainage. Use a high-quality potting soil for your containers and mix in a few handfuls of perlite.
pruning
Sage plants should be pruned annually to maintain air circulation, prevent disease, and control size. Use sharp, sterilized pruning shears to cut back branches in early spring, before new growth begins.
Once flowering is finished, prune lightly again to remove dead flowers and encourage new growth.
Pest Control Tips
Sage is not prone to pests due to its strong fragrance, but it can be attacked by aphids, whiteflies, spider mites, leafhoppers, and other pests.
You can also use powerful water jets to reduce the insect population, or use neem oil sprays or insecticidal soaps to get rid of stubborn pests.
Disease prevention tips
The most common diseases of Salvia officinalis are rust, stem rot, powdery mildew and fungal leaf spot. High humidity, temperature changes and overwatering are often the cause.
You can spray with an organic fungicide, but you should also prune to improve air circulation. Water only at the base, but do not water so much that the soil becomes soggy.
Sage Harvesting Tips
The first year, pick only a few leaves or small stems at a time. Once the sage is established, you can harvest up to 1/3 of it without damaging the plant.
Use sharp, sterilized micro-nippers or precision pruning shears to snip off small stems, or pinch off individual leaves with your fingers.
Stop harvesting six to eight weeks before the first fall frost to allow the sage to recover and store energy for winter.
Troubleshooting common issues
Sage is easy to care for once established, but no plant is completely problem-free, so if you’re running into some common issues, try my tips to nurse your sage back to health.
Leaves turn brown
Brown sage leaves indicate overwatering, drought, fungal infection, excessive sun exposure, or pests.
Keep it in the shade during the hot summer months and water it regularly, but do not allow water to stand in the soil. Check for pests and eradicate any you find immediately.
Drooping plants
Environmental stressors such as temperature changes, soil deterioration, overwatering and disease are common causes of drooping sage plants.
Use a moisture meter and well-draining soil to avoid overwatering, and treat any signs of disease with an organic fungicide or prune.
White spots appear on the leaves
Powdery mildew is the most common cause of white spots on sage leaves. Use an organic fungicide, prune severely affected leaves, and improve air circulation by pruning back overgrown areas.
Leaves turn yellow
Yellowing leaves are a sign of nutrient deficiencies or environmental stress such as extreme temperatures, a sudden increase in humidity due to heavy rain, or irregular watering.
Allow the soil to dry out to a depth of 1 to 2 inches between waterings. The soil should be moist but not soggy. Fertilize regularly with an organic fertilizer and use a shade cloth to reduce sun stress.
FAQ
Growing sage doesn’t take long and you can start harvesting as soon as the plant has a few leaves, but it takes about a year to fully mature.
No, sage does not normally spread on its own, however if you leave the seed pods on the plant after flowering they may self-sprout.
Once established, sage is very easy to grow with the right care, starting with rich, well-drained soil, plenty of sun, and adequate watering.
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