How to Grow Sage – The Ultimate Garden-to-Plate Guide

Quick Tips on How to Grow Sage at Home

Popular Sage Varieties

Sage is part of a huge Salvia family, but for this grow guide, we are just focusing on the common Sage – Salvia officinalis

Common – Silvery grey, slim leaves. Bright purple flowers.

Variegated – Striking gold and green variegated leaves. Adds a beautiful contrast to the garden.

Purple – Dark green and purple leaves, this variety can get a bit lost in the shadows. Beautiful colour and has great flavour.

Tri-coloured – Stand-out colour and patterns with green, silver, white, and purple/pink tones.

White-edged – Stunning white and silver variegated leaves.

Berggarten – Broad, silvery green leaf popular for culinary uses. Does not flower often. Compact shrub.

QUICK TIPS ON HOW TO GROW SAGE

When to Plant

Ideally, plant your Sage in Spring, although you should be able to plant seedlings throughout the year. Protect young plants in the heat of summer and allow plenty of sun over winter.

Top Tips on How to Grow Sage

• Plant sage seedlings in a warm sunny position. If you live in a wet or humid climate, it can be a good idea to grow sage in pots and containers. This allows you to move it about to reduce the time it stays wet.
• Dig a hole twice as big as the pot and loosen the roots if they are tightly bound.
• Mulch to regulate temperatures and reduce weeds. Give it a water.
• Sage grows quite slowly from seed. Plant in spring.

How to Care and Maintain Sage

Feeding

Sage is quite low maintenance but can benefit from compost tea or worm tea in Spring and Autumn.

Watering

Sage doesn’t like wet feet. If you live in a wet climate, it can be a good idea to plant on mounds so excess water can run off.

Pruning

Once Sage has finished flowering, it can be a good time to prune back the flower stems and older growth.

Pests / Disease

Caterpillars, snails, aphids and slaters can eat your Sage plants, especially when they are young or in Spring with new growth. Check out Natural pest management for more tips.

How and When to Harvest Sage

The great thing about growing Sage is that you can harvest small amounts throughout the year. Pick individual leaves or shoots as needed. Sage can also be harvested and dried to use throughout the year.

Reproducing Sage

Sage does send off sideshoots that can be split off the main plant. This is the quickest and easiest way to reproduce sage from an established plant. Cuttings are the next best way. Choose stems with semi-hard wood and place them in a jar of water or moist soil to send off roots. Remove larger leaves and keep 2-3 at the top to reduce energy and moisture loss.

Ways to Cook and Use Sage

Sage is commonly used to add flavour to roast veggies but there are so many delicious ways to use Sage.

Sage pairs well with: Garlic, Butter, Apple, Blackberry, Chard, Potato, Parsley, Chilli, Pear, Onion, Tomato, Pumpkin, Squash, Beans, Asparagus, Rosemary, Eggs,

Sage ideas:

• Infused oils
• Flavoured Butter
• Finishing Salts
• Dried herbs
• Roast veggies
• Pasta
• Crackers
• Herb Bread

How to Preserve your Sage Harvest

Sage can easily be dried to use throughout the year. Lay flat on a rack or hang upside down in a dry, dust-free area. Alternatively, dehydrate sage on low at 40 degrees Celsius.

IMPORTANT

Sage is best used in moderation. Avoid if pregnant and breastfeeding, as Sage has been known to reduce milk production. Seek guidance from medical professionals.

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