Patricia R. Barrett - Growing & Using Sage: Storeys Country Wisdom Bulletin A-166

by Patti Barrett

Sages (Salvia spp.) are some of the most popular and widely grown herbs in the world, valued for their culinary, ornamental, and medicinal qualities. Sage species are rich in essential oils and have a wide range of aromas and uses. The leaves dry well, making them usable year-round. Easy to grow, with many cultivars to choose from, sage is sure to please both the beginning and the more experienced gardener with its versatility, beauty, aroma, and flavor. Today sage can be found in the herb garden, the flower bed, and the container garden. The herb continues to grow in favor as gardeners and cooks rediscover its many uses. These include culinary seasoning and restorative teas as well as simple cosmetic preparations, including a popular hair rinse.

Sage has long been revered for its healing properties. The species Salvia officinalis was thought to improve memory, impart wisdom, and ensure long life. John Gerard wrote this about sage in The Herball (England, 1597): Sage is singular good for the head and braine; it quickneth the senses and memory, strengtheth the nerves, restoreth health to those that have the palsie and takes away shaky trembling of the members. The herb is thought to have come to England from the monastery gardens of France as early as the 14th century.

Whether you are sowing indoors or directly outdoors, starting from seed is one of the simplest methods of propagating sages. Plan your container sites or garden beds carefully: Young seedlings need good drainage and plenty of sun.

You can grow sage indoors from seed to mature plant. However, if you intend to transplant young seedlings outdoors you should start your seeds three to four weeks before you anticipate the last frost in your region.

You can start your seeds in pots or trays filled with either a packaged seed-starting mix or a potting soil mixed with some vermiculite or sand. These materials are available at garden centers or garden-supply shops. Cover the bottom of each container with a layer of pebbles or gravel to ensure good drainage. Moisten your pasteurized planting medium and then fill the containers with it. Press the soil firmly until it has a level surface about inch below the rim of the container. Scatter the sage seeds over the surface of the soil. Sage is particularly susceptible to damping off (a fungus disease that frequently kills young seedlings) and needs some light in order to germinate. Cover the seeds with a very shallow layer (a dusting) of vermiculite (grade #4), a sterile medium that will allow plenty of light to reach the germinating seeds.

To ensure sufficient moisture as the seeds germinate, cover your trays or pots with a piece of glass or clear plastic wrap. Youll want to keep the soil temperature within the range of 65 to 75F. use a warming tray, or place the containers in any warm spot in your house, such as near a radiator or on top of the refrigerator. Indoors, germination should occur in two to three weeks.

Caring for Seedlings

Once the seedlings emerge, you can remove the glass or clear plastic covering. Then move the small plants to a sunny window, or place them under grow-lights. If theyre in a window, rotate them frequently so that they grow upright rather than bending in the direction of the light source. If they seem to be growing too thin and tall, it may be because the light isnt bright enough. Water, but dont overwater: Let your soil dry out between waterings.

When the seedlings have developed two to four leaves, theyre ready for more room. Transplant them into individual containers. If you intend to eventually plant the sage outside, consider using peat pots, which can be placed directly in the soil and will decompose over time as your plants grow. Fill the containers with a moist soil-based potting mix. Using a butter knife or tongue depressor, gently prick out (remove from the pot) the seedlings. Caution: Handle the seedlings by their leaves, as the stems can be damaged easily. Set them into the new pots, cover the root systems carefully with soil, and water sparingly. Again, keep the plants in a sunny window or under grow-lights.

Before you set your sage plants out in the garden, youll want to harden them off. Put the seedlings out in the sun for a few hours each day, but bring them inside for cold nights. Gradually extend the length of the stay outdoors until the plants are ready to survive outside. Young sage plants should not be set into the garden until after all danger of frost is past.

Pricking young plants from their container.

Transplanting young plants to the garden should be done on a gray, overcast day, or, ideally, during a gentle rain. Weather like this will give the plants time to adjust to their new surroundings without a hot sun shining down on them. Choose your site carefully: Most full-grown sages will prefer a sunny locale (full sun in the North and partial shade in the South) in well-drained soil that ranges in pH from 6.0 to 7.0. Sage needs room to grow, so place the young plants 18 to 24 inches apart. A mature, three-year-old common sage (Salvia officinalis), with good growing conditions, can be three feet tall and just as broad.