Herb Growing guide – Sage

Sage is a perennial and loves full Sun. This easy to grow herb needs
little care when mature. Sage can be planted directly into the herb garden or can be included in your perennial border as it has pretty spring flowers in
colors that include blue purple or pink.

Not all Sage plants are eatable, so when using Sage in the kitchen you
want to stick to Salvia officinalis

That is the kind I am talking about today.

 

Where, When and How to plant Sage – Salvia officinalis

 

You want to plant sage in full sun and in well-draining soil. Sage does
not tolerate wet soil at all. To make it clear, Sage will grow in the foothills in California with little to no rain, so try to remember
this when you pick the spot for your plants, .

You can start Sage from seeds but the easiest way to grow it is by
setting small plants or rooted cuttings in well drained soil in the
garden after the last spring frost (the soil temperature should be
around 65 degrees). Sage will grow to about 30 inches in height and
around 12 inches wide. It is a great companion for rosemary, cabbage
and carrots but you want to make sure to keep it away from cucumbers,
since there need for soil is completely opposite.

 

Sage CAN be kept indoors but it is in need of at least 8 hours of full sun. The watering of the pot is just like outside, little is better.

 

How to care for Sage

 

Sage is very easy to care for since it does not need much when fully
grown, but during the growing season your young plants need to be
watered regularly and not let get dried out. After they are grown
make sure to cut the woody stems every spring so the plant will
continue to produce.

 

 

When do you Harvest Sage and how do you store it.

 

If you have a young plant under a year I would leave it alone so it can
mature. When the plant is over one year old you can harvest the
leaves as needed or harvest the stalks when you have more than 5
leaves on them starting in late Spring.

Sage can be used fresh for any dish you like but can also be dried for
later use. Some people like to keep it in the freezer but I noticed
that they are easily plagued with freezer burn, so I would suggest to
dry the Herb and keep it in an airtight container.

However, if you like to go with the freezer method you can chop the leaves soak them with oil and put them into ice cube trays, so you have portions ready to cook with.

Sage and how to use them – Medicinal use

Sage is a great addition to any meat dish even turkey and chicken. Try it
in your rice and bean dish or with roasted chicken.

Even though Sage has been used in medicine for centuries I would like to
give a word of warning.

Sage, if used for a longer period can cause stomach cramps. When
using sage as antiviral natural medicine, make sure you are not
exceeding more than 2 cups of tea a day or over 2 drops of the oil
per day. For your safe shopping you can find the oil here

How to harvest your own Sage Seeds.

You could harvest the seeds after the flowers reside in the Spring, but
it is easier to cut small stalks of sage and get them rooted in a
water container or a very well moist soil. You can also divide plants
after they are older than a year.