On any given twelvemonth , you ’ll line up me grow sage all over my property because it ’s one of my favorite herb . It ’s indispensable in cooking , but there ’s much more to this wonderful plant than just dinner .
Sage has antiseptic holding and can be used to care for cuts , sore , and ulcers . It aids the digestion of fats , and there ’s grounds that it can be a tonic for rheumatic annoyance and anemia .
In ancient times , salvia was used for coughing and sore throats . Today , you could make sweet sage tea leaf by absorb the leaves , bestow a spot of honey and you have a tasty and therapeutical brewage .
If you live in a juiceless area , it ’s an idealistic herb garden choice because it does n’t command a ton of piddle . Once demonstrate , it ’s comparatively fuss - free .
Sage Varieties
Green Garden Sage
Green garden salvia is the most pop in cooking . The leaves have an vivid flavor and , when dried , it can be even more powerful . It ’s good in an ornamental garden as well as your herb garden .
Pineapple Sage
This salvia has a beautiful pineapple olfactory property , and every time I take the air past it I ca n’t resist crushing a folio and smelling the pineapple smell . I can savour the Ananas comosus in dishes when we expend this variety . It develop quite a spot handsome than green sage , so you need to take that into story . bee also make love pineapple sage .
Purple Sage
like to green sage , only this mixture is empurpled . It ’s great as a garnish or as an ornamental increase to a garden . Like many salvia , it ’s drought resistant once it becomes install .
Tri-color Sage
Tri - color sage is a smaller variety that looks as good in an ornamental garden as your herb garden . The leaves are green , white and pink or purple with pretty violet flowers . This type lends itself nicely to container get .
Golden Sage
This diverseness has light light-green leave with a pretty golden moulding . prosperous sage does n’t handle drought as well as other types , peculiarly in utmost heat .
Aurea
Aurea is another small variety that ’s idealistic in pots . The leave are lily-livered , and it has endearing lilliputian purple heyday that my bee always visit . Unlike other varieties , this type is n’t cold hardy , so give it some winter shelter in colder areas .
Berggarten
Berggarten is the ideal sage for people who screw to cook thanks to its pungent flavor . The oval parting turn mistily purple in full sunshine , and the compact maturation habit makes it perfect for container or small areas .
How to Grow Sage
Zones
salvia grows well in zone 5 - 9 . Common green salvia is hardy than other assortment , so try growing it before any others if you do n’t have an idealistic climate .
Sun and Soil Requirements
Sage does well in full sun . Some varieties can deal a bit of shade .
salvia needs well - draining , loose soil that has raft of nitrogen . pH should be between 6.5 and 7.0 , though it ’s a forgiving plant .
When to Plant Sage
Direct sow sage about two weeks before the last Robert Lee Frost when the land is between 60 and 70 ° F .
you may also start seed indoors 4 - 6 week before the last frost . Sow seeds in small pots of ample cum mixture .
Starting Sage
industrial plant 8 - 10 semen per 6 - inch pot and cover lightly with soil . Keep soil moist . Thin out seedlings so that you have one sturdy plant per dope .
Transfer when the seedlings are several in tall . Be certain to give industrial plant about a calendar week to temper off .
salvia can also begrown from softwood clipping . That ’s the way I uprise sage . I ’ve always found the seeds can be a number polish off and escape .
Fertilize your garden well before planting your salvia . I apply well - moulder manure and general fertilizer . I let the territory stay for a calendar week before planting .
Where to Plant Sage
salvia is a perennial that grows to about 20 inches , so plan for its size . Sage grows well in pots and you may move them around to beguile the sun .
Spacing
Give sage plants 18 - 24 inches between plant . Plant seeds 1/8 - 1/4 inch deep .
Caring for Sage
Fertilizer
Side dress growing sage with gamy - nitrogen fertilizer about 6 - 8 weeks after you put plants in the undercoat .
Watering
Sage hates squiffy metrical foot so do n’t over water . The industrial plant will tolerate dry conditions , so water profoundly once a week or so , allow the soil around the plant to dry out out between irrigation .
Pruning
Prune salvia bushes lightly in summer after flowering . The stems can be woody , so reduce them to encourage new increase .
Common Problems and Solutions for Growing Sage
Rust
Rust is a fungal disease that reduces plant dynamism , and if it come terrible , the plant can go . Initially , the leaves may have light coloured spots before turn larger and darker in people of colour . Basically , it looks like the plant is rusting .
The practiced way to control rusting is prevention . check there ’s plenty of space between industrial plant and water the soil around the base , not the leaves . In minor cases , pick the leaf that are infected and either burn or seal them in rubbish bag .
Powdery Mildew
Powdery mold is another fungous disease that unfold to other plants quickly and is usual in humid areas . take out any infected plants and burn down or throw away . Do n’t compost any plant material that has a fungal disease .
I find that neem vegetable oil works well to hold in powdery mould , but you’re able to also use other organic fungicide .
Crown gall
Crown resentment is a bacteria that infect produce salvia . As the name imply , it do gall to form on the jacket crown of the plant life . You ca n’t control it , so do your best to prevent it by sanitise your tools and solarize your grime . you may also use a strain ofAgrobacterium tumefaciensas a preventative biological control .
Leaf spot
Leaf spot can be make by bacteria or fungus . plant will exhibit brown or fatal H2O - soaked spots that can eventually cause leaves to turn yellow or wilt . Give plants plenteousness of air circulation by establish them with the recommended space , keep weed out of your garden , and disinfect your tools between use . you’re able to also spray plants with amixof vegetable oil colour , bake soda , and water .
Root rot
If your sage has stunted growth , dig down and check out the theme . delicate , brown beginning mean you have root rot . If the disease has touch on the full etymon system , it ’s time to pull up and destroy the works . If the works seems salvageable , trim off any of the mushy ascendent and replant .
void root rot by not watering too much , providing the veracious soil mix , planting in full sun and giving plants plenty of outer space .
Verticillium wilt
Vert is a fungus that cause farewell to wilt , curl , discolor and give-up the ghost back . It attacks plant through the roots and ca n’t be cure once it has infected your plants . The right way to avoid it is to verify that your salvia is goodish . fertilise , water system and lop your plant regularly . If you do get a vert plague , draw in your plant and solarize your soil .
Whiteflies
whitefly are similar to aphid . If you excite your plants and lots of fiddling white-hot fly insect swarm around , you likely have whitefly . They constellate on the undersurface of leaves .
They suck on the juice of flora and leave a residue known as honeydew – another issue that can spread disease . Eventually , the plant will droop and die or at least turn a loss all vigor . Use insecticidal scoop or neem oil to get rid of them .
Aphids
Aphids are another sap - sucking pestilence that affect the flora ’s power to flourish . Useneem oilor other constituent insect powder to ensure them . snarf off farewell that are heavily infested and seal off in a bag before putting in the garbage .
Slugs and Snails
Snails and slugs love to snack on grow sage plants . Hand find fault any that you see , and localize oyster shell or copper strips around plant . you may also use cup of beer or yeast and saccharide water to catch them . If you still scramble with slugs and snails , break out the favourite and baby - safe lure .
Spider Mites
wanderer mites clump on plants and literally take up the life out of your salvia . You ’ll often first distinguish them thanks to the fine web all over the leaves of your salvia . Spray them off of your plant with a blast of water supply and then handle with neem oil .
Companion Plants for Sage
Plant salvia with :
My dear performing salvia is planted next to a Citrus limon tree . Its leaves are Brobdingnagian and it has remained pest liberal for its lifetime so far .
I ’ve also planted sage in with tomatoes , bean , and strawberries . The only prison term my salvia failed was when I planted it in an area with too much shade .
Do n’t plant with cucumber , rue , or onions .
How to Harvest and Use Sage
Gather the leaves on a regular basis and collect foliage for drying before the plant has flowered . Harvest slenderly in the first class . invigorated leaves are milder than dry . They can be stack away in the icebox in a plastic bag .
Cut sprigs of salvia in the spring for drying . Use a dehydrator or hang in a warm dry area of the menage .
salvia is versatile in the kitchen . In Italy , it ’s used to season cook out meat . It goes well with pork barrel , chicken and oily Pisces the Fishes . you may employ it in stuffing and sauce . I engross it in red-hot pee and honey for a tidy soothe teatime .
If you have n’t grown sage yet , give it a go . It ’s easy to worry for and it benefits from constant picking . It will give your formula a aerodynamic lift too .
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