Sage Growing Guide

Salvia officinalis

Sage

Crop Rotation Group

Miscellaneous 

Soil

Any average, well drained soil enriched with compost.

Position

Full sun.

Frost tolerant

Hardy only to about 15 degrees F, though winter protection can help. In cold winter areas, small plants can be potted up in fall and grown through winter indoors.

Feeding

Drench plants with a water soluble organic plant food one month after setting them out.

Spacing

Single Plants: 11" (30cm) each way (minimum)
Rows: 11" (30cm) with 1' 3" (40cm) row gap (minimum)

Sow and Plant

Start with a purchased plant, or start seeds indoors in early spring. Plants started from seed may not bloom their first year.
Our Garden Planner can produce a personalized calendar of when to sow, plant and harvest for your area.

Notes

One-year-old plants nursed through winter produce beautiful blue flowers. Sage grown in containers can be kept in a cold garage through winter.

Harvesting

Gather sprigs as needed in the kitchen. Gather stems for drying from spring to fall.

Troubleshooting

Plants are often short-lived, so root a few stem cuttings each spring to always have vigorous young plants.

Planting and Harvesting Calendar

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Pests which Affect Sage