Growing sage indoors from seed is simple and can be done at any time of the year. Sage is an attractive plant and makes an excellent addition to any indoor herb garden, or just a kitchen windowsill.
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Growing Sage Indoors
I love to use sage in cooking, it is so flavorful, and can be used in marinades, herb butters, sauces, to flavor stuffing, or crumb crusts.
Especially in the wintertime I find myself using it in recipes, and so I like to make sure I have a healthy sage plant in my kitchen in time for the holidays.
The great thing about growing sage indoors is that you can have it available fresh at any time of the year!
Sage likes to be in a sunny spot, and so a sunny kitchen windowsill is the ideal place to keep it!
What do you need to grow sage from seeds?
Standard seed cultivating equipment is all you need to grow sage!
- Sage seeds
- Seedling pots – I like to use cardboard ones, or you can make your own by cutting up old cardboard egg cartons
- Seedling potting mix
Growing Sage: Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Sage is easy to grow from seed. It is relatively quick to grow (see section below), and doesn’t need much special care.
It is relatively drought-tolerant and so forgiving of a slightly unpredictable watering schedule.
It takes 2-3 weeks for sage to start to grow from seed. The seedling need to be allowed to grow to around a few inches tall before re-potting and allowed grow into a full-sized plant.
It takes around 12-16 weeks to become a fully established plant. So start it growing in around early September if you want it ready for all the holiday recipes!
It is not necessary to soak sage seed before planting. In fact, unless you are very careful you can over soak them, so I would say in general not to bother.
Sage seeds will germinate more quickly if you have soaked them prior to planting, so if you are wanting to grow a sage plant from seed in a hurry then soaking the seeds for up to 24 hours may save you a few days in germinating time.
Just please be careful not to over soak them!
To plant the sage seeds:
1. Fill seedling pot to around three-quarters full with potting mix.
2. Place seeds on top of the soil – you can put more than one seed in each seedling pot, but be sure to space them out around 1/2 inch between seeds.
3. Use more potting mix to cover the seeds and fill the seedling pot almost to the top.
4. Press down gently so the soil feels secure
5. Place seedling pot on a saucer, and add water
Once the sage seeds have been planted, you need to leave them in a well lit place and water as needed until the seedlings appear.
They should only need to be watered once or twice per week, unless you live in a very hot climate.
Check the soil once per day and if it feels dry and crumby, pour a small amount of clean water over it. The soil should be damp, but not soaked. Sage prefers to be on the dry side, so be sure not to over water it.
Once you have planted the sage seeds, you need to leave them in a well lit place and water frequently until the seedlings appear. This can take from 7-21 days.
Once the seedlings have become well established (around 6-8 weeks after planting) re-pot them into a small plant pot with good quality potting mix.
The sage should be ready to harvest around 6 weeks later (approximately 12-16 weeks after planting the seeds).
Growing sage from seed: Instruction guide
Growing sage from seed
Step-by-step guide to growing sage from seeds.
Materials
- Sage seeds
- Potting mix or seed raising mix
- Seedling pot(s)
- Water
Tools
- Gardening gloves
Instructions
- Put on gardening gloves, and fill seedling pot to around 1 inch below the top.
- Place seeds on top of the soil – you can put more than one seed in each
seedling pot, but be sure to space them out around 1/4 inch between
seeds. - Use more potting mix to cover the seeds and fill the seedling pot almost to the top.
- Press down gently so the soil feels secure.
- Pour a small amount of clean water over the surface so that the soil is damp.
- Place seedling pot on a saucer and in a place with bright light, but not in direct sun.
- Check the soil every night. If the soil feels crumby and dry pour a small amount of clean water over the surface.
Notes
- Sprouting time is approximately 7-21 days.
- The sage seedlings should be ready to re-pot after 6-8 weeks after planting seeds.
- The sage plant should be ready to harvest or start to use after around 12-16 weeks after planting seeds.
You may also like:
- How to Dry Sage
- How to Use Sage in Cooking
- How to Grow Thyme From Seed
- Easiest Herbs to Grow From Seed
- Growing Herbs
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