Garden Tips & Resources

Many aromas sometimes bring back fond memories.

Growing sage to make delicious holiday meals for your family will definitely put you in their good books.

Growing your own herbs make a lot of sense these days, especially with rising food costs. An added bonus is using fresh ingredients in the meals you serve. The savings made by growing your own produce can leave you extra time and money to re-invest back into the garden

Sage, (Salvia Officinalis) has a long memory that goes back to the ancient Romans who thought growing sage imparted wisdom and improved mental sharpness. Maybe that is the reason we never forget foods cooked with sage!

Growing sage–

Sage is a long lasting plant, that can last for up to 5 years. This herb is a native to the Mediterranean, and tends to grow well in most soils. It prefers rather dry and sunny areas. Young sage needs to be watered four times a month. It is advisable to water more often during the summer if you live in a hot climate.

Always sow the seeds indoors within two and a half months before planting outside. It is best to water the seeds with warm water.

At the time of seed germination, place the planted seedlings where they will receive full sunlight. When growing sage, it requires temperatures of 65F degrees. Water the soil slightly damp.

The seedlings need a bed of well-drained soil. Add a half-cup of bone meal two times during summer while the sage is growing.

Purchase ready planted pots from the garden center to start growing sage quickly.

Once the danger of frost has disappeared, one quick journey to the garden store, and you can begin straight away. It may take the enjoyment of getting stuck in, but it’s a quick and easy solution if you’re in a hurry. It’s even possible to plant the sage purchased from the store directly in the garden.

Growing sage in an area that has a shallow water table could be troublesome, so try using containers or raised beds. Protect the plants from extreme weather conditions.

Sage should be harvested just before it comes into flower. To harvest, cut the leaves, leaving about half of the foliage on each branch.

To dry sage, place the leaves out on a window screen in a ventilated area away from direct sunlight. To store the dried sage, place in sealed storage bags or air-tight containers.

You may notice the herb becomes “woody” when growing sage, especially after a few years.

This means it is time to start afresh. Either start again from seed, or use cuttings from another plant. Growing sage will ’self sow’ by themselves if left to flower and set seed.

Growing sage benefits–

The health benefits of growing sage have been handed down to us from ancient wisdom.

Herb tea made with sage is a stimulant used to treat all sorts of ailment and disorders. It is also good for clean teeth and promotes healthy gums.

Sage tea compresses help to get rid of headaches.

Cold sage tea helps with hot flashes during menopause for women.

Dress the Thanksgiving turkey with aromatic sage to make the meal complete. The herb is now used year round in poultry seasoning. There are countless foods and recipes that simply wouldn’t be complete without the addition of this wonderful herb.

Every good cook knows a kitchen is not complete without the addition of sage.

Never leave sage out to get cold!

Every family should have a try at growing sage.

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