How to Plant Sage

Sage is a perennial herb that is not only a delicious addition to many culinary masterpieces, but it can be a showy addition to any herb garden. There are several different varieties of sage with varying leaf colors. Find a sunny spot for a sage plant and add this useful herb to a thriving garden. Once the sage plant has one growing season to establish, it will provide an abundant supply of tasty sage for every savory recipe.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Compost
• Garden spade
• Rake
• Sage seedlings
• Water

1. Prepare the growing area. Work a sunny garden area with the garden spade when the soil is warm in the spring. Use the spade to break up the soil down to a depth of at least six inches. Add two inches of compost to the top of the soil, and work this into the soil well with the spade. Rake the soil surface smooth to finish.

2. Dig holes for the seedlings that are deep enough that the seedlings will be at the same depth as they are in the temporary containers. Space the holes between 24 and 30 inches apart.

3. Place the sage seedlings into the prepared holes and fill the soil back in around the plants, tamping it down firmly with your hands. Water the newly planted seedlings generously.

4. Keep the sage plants watered evenly throughout the summer if adequate rain does not fall.

5. Harvest sage very minimally during the first growing season so the plant can establish and grow strong. The following spring (and each spring thereafter), cut the sage plants back hard to keep them from going to seed. Harvest sage leaves throughout the growing season to keep the plant from flowering. A strong sage plant should provide at least two harvests of the entire plant each growing season.

6. Leave several stems on the sage plant each time you harvest to make sure the plant grows back strongly.

References

• Growing Sage