Sage is a hardy plant and can be easily grown in containers or in the garden soil. You can add this herb to your kitchen garden and enjoy cooking with fresh sage flavored delicious stuffing and meat curries. Here are some important tips on caring and growing sage plant.
Before you buy a sage plant, getting to know the different varieties of sage plant can help you choose the plant. Many sage plants are used for gardening, but each variety has various purposes. If you wish to use sage for culinary purposes then grow the variety Salvia officinalis which is the original sage that has been used for hundreds of years. There are many uses of sage herb. This herb is used for flavoring dishes, flavoring meats and flavoring stuffing. You can also use this variety to make sage tea. Another variety which is Salvia officinalis Icterina has variegated leaves and during spring season it bears lilac blue colored flowers. This herb is the traditional herb sage. This herb has aromatic foliage and can be used for edging or to attract butterflies. This herb can also be used for culinary purposes. Another traditional sage herb is Salvia officinalis Purpurascens which has a beautiful purple colored foliage. There are many other varieties of sage plants too, but these three are some good choices.
Sage Plant Care Instructions
You can buy small sage plant in containers at any nursery. Or you can grow it from seeds. Growing sage herb from seeds is more satisfying. Though, it has some disadvantages. Growing sage from seeds can be quite challenging, as it takes time for sage to establish itself. Also, if you grow sage from seeds then you will need to wait patiently for a long time till you see the plant. You will be able to harvest the plant grown from seeds only the next year. So, if you want to save time you can grow sage from small plants. Once the frost has passed away, you can plant the herb from container into the garden soil if you want.
Sage is a very hardy plant and you won’t have to tend much to it. As sage can resists almost all harsh conditions and grow in any kind of soil. All you need to do is a bit of pruning, provide it a bit of water and some fertilizer once a while, and this herb will reward you with aromatic and flavorful leaves. But, there are some ideal conditions for this plant care that you can follow.
The best soil for sage is a well dug medium soil. Also, make sure from time to time that the soil is well drained. This herb should be planted on a site where it can receive full sun. If you are keeping pots then keep them on a site where it will receive at least six hours of sunlight every day. Also, avoid watering the herb too much. Even during dry spells avoid over-watering. Sage prefers dry and sunny conditions. You will also need to give liquid feed to the plant every month.
If you are growing sage in pots then make sure the pot is well drained. Make a hole at the bottom of the pot for water drainage. Then place a thick layer of stones at the bottom of the pot to aid drainage. Finally mix potting compost with the soil and plant the herb in it. You will need do some pruning of the plant to maintain its shape and growth. After the flowers are gone in the spring, cut the herb with pruning shears or sharp scissors to half of the height. Or simply break the sage twigs with your hands. You can harvest the plant any time you like and add it to your recipes. But, you can also dry off sage leaves or store fresh leaves in an air tight bag or container for a long time.
This was some general information on sage plant. After every 4 years you will need to replant sage as it tends to lose its quality after three to four years. For replanting you can always store plant cuttings or seeds, and use them to regrow sage.