How to Grow Sage Plants: The Complete Guide

Hi Joe, thanks for your question! Sage is quite useful in the kitchen and has many benefits as an herbal remedy, but unfortunately it has not been shown to be an effective natural deterrent for removing rats and other rodents from your home.

Grow it in average, dry to medium moisture, well-drained soil in full sun. Tolerates very light shade, but best in full sun. Plants tend to sprawl, particularly when grown in less than full sun. Wet soils can be fatal.

The problem could be thrips. See here: https://www.almanac.com/pest/thrips">https://www.almanac.com/pest/thrips

Yes, Native Americans traditionally burned sage in the ritual cleansing of a place of any negative and stagnant energies. Alternatives are sweetgrass and cedar.

Don't know, but have had houseplants just sit through winter, then start again as spring developed. No change on my part, just spring light.

You can leave the flowers on the plant; they do not affect the flavor of the leaves. In fact, the flowers are edible as well! They look great on top of a cake when paired with other edible flowers, such as https://www.almanac.com/plant/nasturtiums">nasturtiums, https://www.almanac.com/plant/pansies">pansies, and https://www.almanac.com/plant/marigolds">marigolds.

If you're growing sage from seed, it will not reach maturity for at least two years. This is why cuttings are generally preferred. You could harvest your first year but it will be small. After its second growing season, sage should be trimmed back in the spring to avoid the center of the plant becoming semi- woody.

Leaves where nice and green then all the sudden something was eating the leaves and it started turning brown and I water the same way I was in the beginning

Tough call. Only you know how clean the leaves are—The color sounds normal. Unless they appear moldly or the like, they are probably fine.

If you hesitate to cook with them, crush them to add fragrance to a room. Pick others and dry them yourself for use in cooking.

Thanks, Andy! Good luck with your plants!

Hmm. We found one source that says the leaves may turn purplish in times of severe drought. This is, however, a drought-tolerant plant, which can be killed if watered too much, so be careful if you want to see if a little water helps; water very sparingly -- normally this plant can go weeks without water (just relying on rainfall), although newly planted ones need a little more. Has it been cold out at night? Sometimes that might discolor leaves as well. We're guessing it likely isn't due to high temperatures, since the plant is adapted to such. Perhaps leave the discolored leaves as is, unless they start to crinkle, dry, or show signs of disease; if they are healthy looking but just purplish, it might be best to let them be, especially as the plant may still be getting used to its new pot.

Our sagest (sorry) advice on this is No! Leave the blooms on. You can use them in cooking (e.g., float on a soup), plus bees love them! Thanks for asking!

Hi, Katie, Sorry for getting back you so late.

This could be Southern blight (you did not indicate your home area). You can learn more about it and what to do here: https://extension.umd.edu/learn/southern-blight 

Or it could be foliar nematodes: click here then scroll to page 7 (this is a large doc): http://www.hort.vt.edu/ghvegetables/documents/Herbs/PestM...

That's about all of our "sage advice" in this case. Hope it helps!

I also have the same black flecks on my tricolor sage plant that I bought a month ago. I live near Philadelphia, PA, and bought my sage plant at a nearby farm. They are tiny, hard specks (like dirt) that sit on the leaves and stems. I reviewed 'Southern Blight' and the nematode advice posted, but it is not either of those things. The 'specks' do not seem to be a bug, or even alive in any way; they are the consistency of dried coffee grounds, or black pepper from a pepper shaker, and can be easily brushed off. I brush the flecks off, and then a few days later those specks are all over the plant again, and on the kitchen counter where the plant sits. Just like Katie said, they are like black specks of dirt. At first I thought they might be seeds, but I honestly don't know anything about sage plants, and I'm sure you are probably all laughing hysterically by now. My plant seems to be otherwise healthy.

Check the PH of your soil and the water you most commonly feed the safe plants ASAP. Sounds like the soil might be too alkaline for the sage plants. When the PH is too high (alkaline) like your's may be, it will generally stunt the growth of plants completely and cause leaves to turn brown and fall off. Happened to several species in my garden after I moved into my new house. I discovered we had hard water (high levels of calcium, lime and other dissolved minerals that cause alkalinity in the water and subsequently the soil) and so now I only feed my plants collected rainwater through two 65 gallon food safe barrels I purchased for $45 a piece. They are fed by bypass lines on my home's gutter downspouts which were under $30 and easy to install with a saw and a screwdriver. Using rainwater has saved my garden and my money.

Hi Maggie,

Sage is winter hardy and will survive outdoors. You can plant it in the garden and add some mulch around the stems if you like. Sage is evergreen so you may be able to harvest leaves during the winter months. If the leaves die back it will shoot up new growth from the roots in the spring.

Hi Maggie, I have a lovely sage plant I planted in a flower pot a few years ago its still there it has wintered over all this time, even through a rather cold winter a couple years ago, I live in coastal Va. hope this helps

For perennial sages, it might be best to wait until early spring to transplant, before they break dormancy.

In humid areas like zones 9 and further south, sage will be an annual. It does not easily tolerate summer heat and humidity.

I am having the same prob (I am in Kentucky, USA - very hot this time of year). I was thinking it was going dormant for the year, but it hasn't flowered yet. Maybe nutrient deficiency? Looks like I won't be getting much of a sage harvest. Hope someone knows the answer to this. Best of luck.

Salvia likes dry, poor soil. Do not water too much. Only water when the sub-surface soil is on the dry side. Also, keep water on their leaves and water at the soil level. Finally, ensure the planting area has good drainage (and tons of sun!).

Hi Ashley,

Your cutting is probably dying. Try again. Best time to start a sage cutting is in the middle of the summer before the plant blooms. Cut off a young shoot below the leaf crown. The cutting should have at least three pairs of leaves. Plant the cutting into a pot with mixed soil and compost. Make sure to keep the soil moist. You can also put a cutting into a glass of water to root. It will take about 2 weeks for the roots to develop.

Hi, Pat: Our sagest (sorry) advice on this is No! Leave the blooms on. You can use them in cooking (e.g., float on a soup), plus bees love them! Thanks for asking!

Hi, Don: The best thing to do at this stage is just to leave it alone and let it continue to get established. When you do pinch leaves, remember that the plant will normally branch from the bud. For this reason, be sure to always take leaves from all around the plant rather than just the top, lest it become top-heavy from new growth. Obviously you will want to harvest before it flowers, but otherwise you just want to spread out your pinchings to help retain its bushy shape. Thanks for asking!

Hi, Sebastian,

Sage plants can grow to be 24 to 36 inches high/wide, so space accordingly...when the plants mature. If you plan to transplant them, you can start them in a pot of almost any size. BTW, one source suggests that sage germinates poorly, even with fresh (ready) seeds. If you seed, cover lightly, with 1/8 inch of soil and keep moist until they sprout. (This can take as long as 3 weeks.) Transplant the seedlings two to three weeks before the last frost date.

We hope this helps!

It sounds like your plant can go into its main pot at the next transplanting. Put it outdoors after the last expected frost. You might want to harden it off, since this cultivar is a bit sensitive to cold. Introduce it to the outdoors for increasing periods (such as 2 hours, then 3 hours, etc.; in a protected spot, then a less protected spot closer to where it will be, etc.) each day for about a week or so.

You can use a deep, 12- or 14-inch-wide pot to give your plant lots of room when it spreads (on average, sage will have a 12-inch-wide spread at maturity). Tricolor isn't as hardy as some sages, so you'll need to bring it indoors in winter. Therefore, consider the weight of the pot as well. Plastic is lighter than terra cotta (be sure, though, that it has a drainage hole in the bottom). Terra cotta, although beautiful, wicks away moisture faster, so you should monitor watering more closely with these pots.

A sage plant usually gets woody after a few years, so people often replace it then.

Hi, Betsy,  It sounds like your plant is too small to cut back at this time and too small to have blooms. You want to have enough overall growth—stem strength, leaves—for it to survive any cutting (harvesting). (It's impossible to give you a height and leaf count recommendation, btw.) You also want it to be hearty enough (same factors) to survive transplanting.

There are several types of sage; some are tender plants that should be treated like annuals. If you know or can find out the type you have, you might get specific advice from your local garden center or send it here and we'll see if we can clarify the matter.

On a windy balcony, your best bet is probably short, shrubby plants. Sage would fit into this category. Rosemary, mint, and lavendar might work well, too.

I have three cats and none of them mess with mine. However the cat hair sticks to the leaves.

Sage is winter hardy and will survive outdoors in zone 5. You can plant it in the garden and add some mulch around the stems if you like. Sage is evergreen so you may be able to harvest leaves during the winter months. If the leaves die back it will shoot up new growth from the roots in the spring.

Hi, Lennox: It's perfectly natural for your sage to develop woody stems, although you will want to keep them cut back to just above any growth buds. Depending on where you live, you might try a multicolor sage as mentioned above. Good luck!

Your sage will be fine. In the spring, you will need to cut back any dead pieces. You may need to reshape it. I've moved and reshaped several over time. Even if they are cut back within a hair of their life in the very early spring, they always come back and seem to like the hair cut!

Red blisters on the undersides of leaves (sometimes yellow or white corresponding spots appear on upper side of leaves) can mean rust fungus. In this case, remove the infected leaves and avoid getting the leaves wet. Provide good air circulation. 

Small reddish brown dots on the tops of leaves might mean other fungal diseases, such as alternaria leaf spot, or perhaps insect feeding injury. For best advice, we'd recommend that you take a sample to a horticulturist in a nearby garden center, or to your county's Cooperative Extension. For contact information, see:

http://www.almanac.com/content/cooperative-extension-serv...

It's better to transplant sage in the early spring.

I tend to transplant as many perennials as I can in the fall. If you plant them in August, you will just need to make sure they have enough water. My rule of thumb is to gage timing of transplanting based on the average time of first frost and when the soil in that area freezes. The microsystems in the yard are important. Transplanting a month before average frost allows the plant to get started on establishing. This can be extended if it's in a warmer area of the yard.

Sage needs about 12 hours of light, so if you don't have that, provide full-spectrum artificial lighting to compensate. If you do have a light, it could be that it is too close, causing leaves to blacken--try raising it a bit.

Check the air temperature and make sure the room isn't too hot or cool (day about 75-80, night about 60-80).

Yellow leaves are often due to a nutrient deficiency. Check that the pH is appropriate for sage (about 5.5 to 6.5) and adjust as necessary, so the roots are getting enough nutrients from the medium.

Sage plants are usually replaced after about 4 to 5 years, when they become too woody. Meanwhile, you can prune it back in spring, by removing 1/3 of the top growth. During early to mid summer, prune lightly back, just above a leaf or bud, or just above where a stem branches. Make your cuts at an angle. Remove any dead or diseased branches.

To take a cutting, choose a healthy stem with several leaves. Cut just below the third set of leaves from the top. The area where the leaves come out is called a node (so you cut just below the third node). The node is where roots are more likely to develop. Remove the top (apical) bud, where new leaves emerge. Remove the bottom leaves at the third node. Remove all other leaves along the shoot except two to four at the top. Place the cutting in rooting hormone, shake off the excess, then place the cutting in rooting medium, making sure the bottom node is buried about 1/2 inch. Place in suitable light, temperature etc., and keep moist. The shoot should grow roots in a few weeks.

Do not prune it too severely or it won't come back. Prune back by about 1/3 growth. Keep in mind that a sage plant tends to get lanky as it gets old (3 to 5 years). It's fairly easy to grow sage from seed so you may need to start new plants soon.

Sage is pretty hardy. You can put in the ground in the spring 1 to 2 weeks before your last frost. Soil temperature should be 60 degrees.

Lots of sage has a purplish color; that may be natural.

Wonderful! Pick sage leaves before or at blooming. Cut back the stems after blooming.

Sage is easy to propagate from tip cuttings. Take a 3-4 inch cutting at a node (where the leaves attach) on a stem. Remove the lower leaves and insert the cut end into moist soil mix that includes peat or perlite. Cover the container with plastic careful not to touch the leaves and place in a warm location. Check in 2 weeks to see if the cutting has rooted.

A lanky plant with small leaves suggests that your sage is not getting enough light. Ideally, something like 6 to 8 hours of daylight per day is needed; a plant may not get enough if it is just sitting by a window (south-facing is best). You might want to provide artificial lighting: Set up grow-lights (such as two fluorescent tubes, one cool, one warm type) and place the plant under them (about 4 to 6 inches away from the lights) for about 12 to 14 hours per day. Ask your garden center for options--there are several bulb types and setups available.

Also, keep your plant away from cold drafts (such as by a window), and away from heating vents. A temperature around  65 to 70 degrees is good. Mist regularly.

My sage plant had lots of leaves now it is completely void off leaves but has healthy stems. Will the leaves return.

There are so many varieties of sage. Some are good for the kitchen and others are not--and more ornamental. Salvia officinalis or the common sage is the primary sage used in stuffings. To use sage in stuffing and other foods, just chop up the fresh leaves. Sage is best in its first year. After a few years, it gets woody and needs to be replaced.

It would be helpful to find out--winged thrips? Spider mites? A general insecticidal soap spray is usually useful. Blast the plant, including the underside of the leaf, with the spray which you can find in a garden store or make yourself.

Some thoughts . . . Sage can be picky about temperature. When you germinate seeds, temperatures need to be between 60 and 70 degrees. We're not sure where you live, but sage doesn't tolerate the middle of summer well.  It's good that your sage has space. You want 18 to 20 inche bbetween sage and other plants for the roots to do well. Also, be sure not to overwater. Let the soil dry out between waterings.

It's hard to say. Some seeds simply geminate better than others. Also, it could be related to spacing. They should be spaced about 20 inches apart for good growth. 

Yes, you pick the sage leaves off the stem. Pick leaves that aren't wilting or brown. Wash them and pat dry. Use whole or chop up.

Unfortunately, this is a poor time to transplant sage. It's in bloom and the weather is warm. In general, sage can be a challenge to move because you can not easily dig up the plant; when you do, the soil falls off because the roots are woody. It's best to move the plant in small sections in early spring. Since your sage has spread too much, you could dig up part of it and discard it now, then wait until next spring and move new little plants that you may find or other small parts of the plant, which you can easily separate.

It's best to move the sage plant in the spring just as growth resumes.

Make a soil mix from equal parts sand and compost (or peat moss). Fill a few small pots with the mix. Take cuttings from your sage plant and remove the bottom leaves. For better chance of success, dip the bottom of the stems in a root-inducing hormone powder before putting the cuttings into the pots. Water and cover each pot with a plastic bag. When the cuttings have established roots remove the bags.

It will depend on the type of herb, how much moisture the herbs contain, and how much one is drying at once. Drying time is also affected by the environment (humidity, temperature, air circulation, etc.), the method used for drying, etc. A warm temperature, low humidity, and good ventilation will dry herbs more rapidly. If it is a muggy few days, the herbs will take longer to air dry. (Keep them out of direct sunlight.) If using a dehydrator, oven, or microwave, times may still vary with moisture content of individual herbs. If rinsing the herbs before drying, be sure to pat dry fairly well. If drying on the tray, be sure to stir the leaves every so often for even drying. Best time to harvest herbs for drying is just before they flower. Cut them in the morning, after any dew has dried. There are several interpretations as to when it is best to harvest herbs according to lunar gardening. One suggestion is to harvest them when the Moon is both in the Fire signs (Aries, Leo, Sagittarius) and full or waning.

I live in Northern Virginia , just outside of our Nation's Capital, where it gets hot and humid. I've had my current sage plant for about 2 years now. The previous one died one winter, after a snowy and cold 3 months. That plant was about 4 years old. When it's hot and humid, be sure you keep your soil moist. I use egg-shell water for all my herbs and it works wonders. The amount of direct sunlight affects the plants as well. When you buy young starter plants be sure the instruction spikes are included. Drying herbs upside down in a brown paper bag does the trick. They remain fragrant and maintains their fresh flavor. Once they dried just crumble them by hand, and store in pantry or cabinet in air tight glass jars. Baby food jars are perfect! After 14 years of growing and harvesting fresh herbs, I've gotten pretty good at it. If I could be of any help just ask.

Hello there. I just purchased a blue steel Russian sage plant that is about that is roughly a foot tall or more in length. How do I go about planting this and upkeep? I am completely new to gardening and would love to know how to do this the correct way.