develop salvia in your garden provides an abundant supply of this delicious kitchen raw material .
salvia has long been an herbaceous plant garden staple fiber . salvia plants are multipurpose powerhouses with attractive leafage and prettysummer blooms . This works , hardy in USDA Zones 4 - 10 , is commonly grown for its flavor , but it is also a toughperennial plantin the garden . Sage ’s swooning blue heyday and gray - green leafage coalesce well with other plants in a bloom edge or container .
Where to Plant Sage
acquire sagein containersor soil that ’s well - drain in a fix with wad of sun . As a Mediterranean plant , it mixes well withrosemary , lavender , andbasil . It thrives in containers indoors and out .
How and When to Plant Sage
Plant salvia after thelast winter Robert Lee Frost . It grow just in meek weather during outpouring and former fall . you may start sage ahead of time by sowing cum indoors breed with a handful of stain and transplanting them alfresco , spaced 1 to 2 feet apart , six to eight week later on .
Sage Care Tips
Sage is an easy repeated herb to grow . It ’s best to pick salvia throughout the growing season , remove individual leaf rather than pick stems .
Light
salvia needs at least six hour of sunlight daily for the safe flavor . Anything less cause plants to sprawl and flavor to be lost . Afternoon shade is beneficial in locations where the weather gets hot , such as inZone 8or warmer .
Soil and Water
Sage is a tough Mediterranean perennial as long as it has well - drain territory ; too much wet will get it to rot . Once established , sage istolerant of drouth . However , supplemental tearing prevents foliage from becoming tough and sulfurous if you be after to glean salvia flower or leaves to use up .
Temperature and Humidity
salvia thrives in temperate temperatures , between 60ºF and 70ºF. In humid areas , airflow around sage plants reduces the possibility offungal diseases .
Fertilizer
void fertilizer , which can affect the flavor of these edible plants . The best way to fee sageis with compost .
Pruning
As sage plants years , they can get woody and tough , and overall growth may slow down and become sparse . more often than not , replacing sage plants every three to four age or so is a good idea if you use them for culinary purpose because plants become less productive later .
Potting and Repotting Sage
To grow salvia in a container , use one at least 8 inch mysterious and encompassing with drain holes . Lucius DuBignon Clay potsare best for sage . Use a potting mix with well - draining , sandy dirt . You ’ll take to repot salvia if you see roots originate out of the drain holes . To repot , remove the entire plant from the current pot and move it to a big container with fresh potting premix .
Pests and Problems
Use an insecticidal Georgia home boy to remove bugs on your sage plants . Allow plenty of airflow around these edible plants toprevent powdery mildewand other fungi . Otherwise , sage is comparatively disease - costless .
How to Propagate Sage
Propagate salvia from fore cuttingsor seeds . root word cuttings are a beneficial elbow room to create fresh plants when established one acquire too woody to raise flavorful leaves . film editing should be taken from newfangled growth . Strip the foliation from the bottom of the cutting and dip it inrooting endocrine . habituate a soilless potting medium to plant the cutting , and pose it inbright but collateral ignitor . Do n’t overwater , but keep the grime moist . Once rooted , replant .
arise salvia from seeds takes about six to eight weeks for sprouting . Plant ejaculate in moist , come - starting mixture about 1/8 - inch mystifying . Keep the grime moist but not loaded . After germination , grow under lustrous , indirect light until plants are tumid enough to transplant . Take them outside toharden off before plantingthem in the garden .
How to Dry Sage
If you be after toharvest stem for dry out , dampen the plant the night before with a spray of water system . cut down the stem the following morning after the dew has dried . reap the top 6 to 8 inches of growth on the plants . Bundle three to four stem together and give ear them upside down in a blue , dry position with good airwave circulation .
Another drying method acting is to spread individual stem horizontally on a screen . When the leaves are fully dry , crumble them and stack away them in an airtight container . The feeling will usually keep for three to four month . Note that drying intensifies the flavor ; habituate dry salvia slenderly .
Types of Sage
‘Berggarten’ Sage
Salvia officinalis‘Berggarten ’ produce gravid , round , white-haired - unripe leave that are more flavorful than common sage . It turn 2 feet tall and wide-eyed . zone 5 - 8
‘Icterina’ Sage
Salvia officinalis‘Icterina ’ is a colorful alternative to common sage and can be grown in an herb garden , a flower borderline , or a container . It turn 2 foot tall and wide . Zones 7 - 8
‘Tricolor’ Sage
Salvia officinalis‘Tricolor ’ has foliage splashed with green , emollient , and purpleness . In the sunny locations , the cream deepen to rap . Zones 6 - 11
Purple Sage
Salvia officinalis‘Purpurea ’ offer aromatic , purple - tone leaves . flora make 18 inches tall and are hardy in Zones 6 - 9 .
Sage Companion Plants
Oregano
Oreganois a fragrant addition to the garden as well as the kitchen . Plant it in a gay garden bed or container close to the planetary house for quick and easy harvest time . zona 5 - 11
Coreopsis
With their bright and cheery niggling flower , coreopsiscan make great companion plant life for sage .
Nasturtium
Vividly colored blossoms come out against the grizzly - greenish foliage ofnasturtiumfor an telling effect in a garden . Zones 9 - 11
Garden Plans for Sage
Classic Herb Garden Plan
This definitive herb garden architectural plan ensures your kitchen is always stock with fresh herbs . Ten sort of herbs wall a decorative sundial in a 6 - foot - diam seam .
Colorful Herb Garden Plan
Get an herb garden that dazzles with this colourful design , where a 3x8 - foot border features foliage with majestic , gullible , and gilded hues — including variegated leaves .
Frequently Asked Questions
Harvest sage when you need it . Cut it where two leaves meet . Harvest salvia leaves in the morning for the good flavour .
Add refreshed or dried sage to traditional fowl dish and dressing , use it to rub substance before grilling , or fold up it into egg or cheese dish . salvia punctuate fruit - based vinegar , create mixtures with delicate odor and flavors . However , be measured to use dried salvia meagerly in cooking ; too much can yield a musty taste .
salvia attracts bees , butterflies , andhummingbirds . However , its strong scent repels many pest , such as beetle , moth , and snail .
Credit: Marty Baldwin
salvia plants take enough way to spread out and reach full maturity date , so go forth 12 - 24 inches of space between the flora in a garden . If you ’re grow sage alone in a container , it should be at least 8–10 inch in diameter .
salvia might be drop dead if it has yellow , wilted , or powdery - spotted leaf . Another good meter reading is when the stems appear wilted , and a moldy odour emanates from the plant life .
Credit: Andy Lyons
Credit: Marty Baldwin
Credit: Andreas Trauttmansdorff
Credit: Marty Baldwin
Credit: Peter Krumhardt
Credit: Marty Baldwin
Credit: Peter Krumhardt
Credit: Illustration by Gary Palmer
Credit: Illustration by Gary Palmer
