Grow Culinary Sage in Your Garden for Its Fragrance and Flavor (2024)

From medicinal to culinary uses, sage has long been an herb garden staple. Sage flower plants are multipurpose powerhouses with attractive foliage and pretty blooms in summer. This plant, hardy in Zones 4-10, is most commonly grown for its flavor, but it also makes a tough perennial plant in the garden. Sage's light blue flowers and gray-green foliage help it combine well with other plants in a flower border or container.

Where to Plant Sage

Grow sage either in containers or in soil that's well-draining in a location with plenty of sunlight. As a Mediterranean plant, it mixes well with rosemary, lavender, and basil. It also thrives in containers indoors and out.

How and When to Plant Sage

Plant sage after the last winter frost. It grows best in mild weather during spring and early fall. You can start sage early by planting indoors in containers and transplanting outside six to eight weeks later. Cover seeds with a smattering of soil spaced 1 to 2 feet apart.

Sage Care Tips

Sage is an easy perennial herb to grow. It's best to pick sage throughout the growing season, removing individual leaves rather than plucking stems.

Light

Sage needs at least six hours of sunlight each day to have the best flavor. Anything less will cause plants to sprawl, and flavor will be lost. But afternoon shade is beneficial in locations where the weather gets very hot, such as in Zones 8 or above.

Soil and Water

The sage plant is a tough Mediterranean perennial as long as it has well-drained soil because too much moisture will cause it to rot. Sage is very tolerant of droughts once established. However, supplemental watering prevents foliage from becoming too tough and bitter if you plan to harvest sage flowers or leaves to eat.

Temperature and Humidity

Moderate temperatures are best for sage. Between 60ºF and 70ºF is optimal. Where it's humid, make sure there's airflow around sage plants to reduce the possibility of fungal diseases.

Fertilizer

Avoid fertilizer, which can affect the flavor of sage plants. The best way to feed sage is with compost.

Pruning

As sage plants get older, they can get woody and tough. When plants grow very woody, overall growth may slow down and become sparse. Generally, replacing sage plants every 3 to 4 years or so is a good idea if you plan to use them for culinary purposes because plants become less productive later.

Potting and Repotting Sage

To grow sage in a container, get one at least 8 inches deep and wide with drainage holes. Clay pots are best for sage. Use a potting mix with well-draining sandy soil. You'll need to repot sage if you see roots growing out of the draining holes. To repot, remove the entire plant from the current pot and move it to a bigger container with fresh potting mix.

Pests and Problems

Use an insecticidal soap to remove them if you spot bugs on your sage plants. Allow for plenty of airflow around sage plants to prevent powdery mildew and other fungi. Otherwise, sage is relatively disease-free.

How to Propagate Sage

Propagate sage from stem cuttings or seeds. Stem cuttings are a good way to create new plants when established ones grow too woody to produce flavorful leaves. Cuttings should be taken from new growth. Strip the foliage from the bottom of the cutting and dip in rooting hormone. Use soilless potting medium to plant the cutting, and set the cutting in bright but indirect light. Don't overwater, but keep soil moist. Once rooted, replant.

Growing sage from seeds takes about six to eight weeks for germination. Plant seeds in moist seed-starting mix about 1/8-inch deep. Keep the soil moist but not wet. After germination, grow under bright, indirect light until plants are large enough to transplant. Take them outside to harden off before planting in the garden.

Types of Sage

'Berggarten' Sage

Salvia officinalis 'Berggarten' produces large, round, gray-green leaves that are more flavorful than common sage. It grows 2 feet tall and wide. Zones 5-8

Golden Sage

Salvia officinalis 'Icterina' is a colorful alternative to common sage and can be grown in an herb garden, a flower border, or a container. It grows 2 feet tall and wide. Zones 7-8

Tricolor Sage

Salvia officinalis 'Tricolor' has foliage splashed with green, cream, and purple. In sunniest locations, the cream deepens to pink. Zones 6-11

Purple Sage

Salvia officinalis 'Purpurea' offers aromatic, purple-toned leaves. Plants reach 18 inches tall and are hardy in Zones 6-9.

Sage Companion Plants

Oregano

Oregano is a fragrant addition to the garden as well as the kitchen. Plant it in a sunny garden bed or container close to the house for quick and easy harvest. Zones 5-11

Coreopsis

With their bright and cheery little blossoms, coreopsis can make great companion plantsfor sage.

Nasturtium

Vividly colored blossoms pop against the gray-green foliage of nasturtium for an impressive effect in a garden. Zones 9-11

Garden Plans for Sage

Classic Herb Garden Plan

Ensure your kitchen is always stocked with fresh herbs with this classic herb garden plan, where ten kinds of herbs surround a decorative sundial in a 6-foot-diameter bed.

Colorful Herb Garden Plan

Get an herb garden that dazzles with this colorful plan, where a 3x8-foot border features foliage with purple, green, and golden hues—including variegated leaves.