Growing Sage

Growing sage (salvia officinalis) is easy and requires minimal attention to take care of.

There are several varieties of sage including Common sage, Garden sage, Kitchen sage, Culinary sage, Dalmation sage, Purple sage, Broadleaf sage, and Red Sage.

Sage has a warm, homey aroma that instantly gives a feeling of comfort.

Let its fragrance drift through your kitchen by crushing a few leaves and boiling them in a small open saucepan.

Sage is not only great for adding spice to your favorite dishes, but also has its uses in homemade cosmetics, crafts, and flavored oils.

Description

Sage is a perennial herb that grows 2 to 3 feet tall in zones 4 to 8.

Flowers: Sage's small tubular pink, purple, blue, or white flowers grow in whorls of four to eight at points where the leaves attach to the stems. Most cultivars bloom in the late spring to early summer.

Leaves: The 2 inch long gray-green leaves may be hairy, velvety, or pebbly looking, depending on the cultivar. The stems become woody as a plant ages.

Flavor and fragrance: Sage has a warm, pungent flavor with a hint of camphot. Its aroma echoes its flavor.

How To Grow

When to plant: Freeze the seeds for at least three days before planting. Cover the seeds thoroughly when you plant them; sage germinates best in darkness. Sow the seeds indoors about eight weeks before your last spring frost date; transplant seedlings to the garden a week before that date. You can also plant prefrozen seeds in the garden one to two weeks before your last spring frost date. Take the cuttings or make root divisions in early summer.

Where to plant: Sage prefers full sun.

Soil and fertility: Plant sage in well-drained soil of average fertility. Apply 1/2 inch of compost in the second and third years of growth.

Plant spacing: Space the plants about 2 feet apart.

Pests: Spider mites, spittlebugs, slugs

Diseases: Bacterial wilt, root rot, verticillium wilt

Harvesting

When to harvest: Pick the individual leaves anytime. Harvest larger quantities of leaves for drying in mid to late summer.

How to harvest: Snip off the individual leaves. Cut whole branches back to within one to two pairs of leaves above where the stems become woody.

Drying: Hang the stems upside down to air dry.

Uses

Cooking: Use fresh or dried sage leaves in stuffings and breads, with vegetables, tofu,or cheeses, and with many meats.

Oils: Use sage to flavor your favorite cooking oil.

Cosmetic: Add sage to infusions or oils to tone the skin. In rinses and conditioners, sage conditions dry hair and adds body. Deodorize feet with a soak in sage-scented water.

Crafts: Use dried sage leaves as the background for an herbal wreath.

Growing sage in your herb garden will give you a versatile herb at your finger tips.