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Sage

Salvia officinalis

Sage growing in a pot indoors from seed

Sage is an attractive an versatile plant that is easy to grow in pots or in a garden. It is drought-tolerant and a natural insect repellent, and has beautiful leaves and flowers.

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Full sun

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Plant in spring

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Regular – occasional watering

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Well drained soils

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Subtropical – subtemperate

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Harvest 8-12 weeks from planting

Growing sage

Sage is easy to grow, and very hardy once established. It will grow well almost anywhere as long as it has full sun for most of the day, grows well in pots or in a garden bed.

Sage does not need to be watered frequently – sage does not grow well in soil that is moist all the time.

You can remove the sage blooms as they appear to encourage more leafy growth. However, the flowers are beautiful (and loved by bees), but if you decide to let it flower, lightly prune after flowering.

Growing Tips

  • Sage will grow almost anywhere, as long as it has full sun for most of the day.
  • Grow sage as a border around vegetables to attract bees – it also acts as a natural pest repellent!
  • Do not water too frequently (even in the middle of the summer)

Sage varieties

There are many varieties of sage, some are ornamental only, so if you want to grow sage for culinary purposes be sure to check the variety before you plant it. The most common culinary varieties of sage are:

  • Common sage – has greenish grey leaves and a strong aromatic flavor.
  • Pineapple sage – is a large shrub with pointed leaves with a scent reminiscent of pineapple when crushed.
  • Purple sage – has beautiful purple foliage, and a more delicate flavor than common sage. Use fresh scattered over salads.
Bundle of sage on a white cloth

How to Use Sage

Sage has many uses, it best known use is as a culinary herb. Sage goes well with roasted meats and vegetables, in herb butter, or can be fried and used as a garnish.

It also has uses in gardening, as a natural pest repellent, and to attract pollinators such as bees.

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