Everything You Need to Know About Growing Sage at Home

Mention the beautiful, hazy, pale green leaves of garden sage, and I immediately envision scenes in my grandmother’s kitchen at Thanksgiving. Sage’s pronounced piney aroma capitalizes on our most memory-evoking sense: smell. If only savory sage stuffing or sage-studded breakfast sausage could suddenly appear in my kitchen!

The best part about growing sage at home is that you only need one of these incredibly easy-to-grow plants in your garden or on your windowsill to enjoy its flavor throughout the year. From proper conditions, to maintenance, to harvesting, here’s everything you need to know about how to plant, cultivate, harvest, and grow sage at home.

Growing garden sage (salvia officinalis) is both economical and time-saving. Its flavor is so intense that only a little bit is needed to season a dish, and it’s also one of the few herbs when as its leaves grow larger, the flavor intensifies. Plus, unlike many other herbs, sage leaves are still delicious after the plant flowers.

I like to describe sage as the “Cabernet Sauvignon of herbs.” Similar to Cabernet grapes, sage is sturdy, hardy, prolific, and drought-tolerant. It grows well in a wide range of temperatures and planting zones, and also boasts a long growing season — it can be harvested well into late fall due to it being evergreen in most zones. While tender herbs like basil might die on the first freeze, sage will still be going strong.

Since it prefers well-drained soil, sage is a perfect candidate for container gardening. And the best part? Most pests pose no threat to sage. Your only concern might be mildew, which you can avoid by not over-watering. Translation? Growing sage makes even the most forgetful gardener look good.

• Where: Sage will grow almost anywhere, but it provides the tastiest leaf when it receives a lot of sunlight. This evergreen shrub is hardy from zones four through 11, and because of its affinity for well-drained garden soil, it performs well in containers. I have a few sage plants dedicated for culinary use nestled alongside my carrots and tomatoes. I also have a few more planted within the landscaping — and I love using sage springs in flower arrangements.
• When: Sage can prove challenging when planted by seed, but it is very easy to grow. I purchased my first sage plants from the garden center, and now I propagate new plants via one of the two methods listed below. Regardless of which method you choose, plant young sage plants only after the ground temperature hits 65°F, one to two weeks before the last frost.
• Planting in pots: Sage are drought-tolerant plants, which make them great for growing in a pot. Just make sure it has plenty of drainage holes so the roots don’t rot, and fill it with nutrient-dense soil. Sage’s roots also like to grow long and deep so its better to choose a pot that is tall and narrow.
• Planting directly in the ground: If you’re growing your sage directly in the ground or in a garden bed, space out your plants roughly 24 to 36 inches apart. Be sure to plant them in an area with plenty of sunlight and rich, well-draining soil. You can give your soil a boost by adding some compost or other organic matter to it.

• Propagate from cuttings: Clip a three-inch cutting from the very tip of a stem, apply rooting hormone on the exposed portion of the stem, and plant it in either sterile sand or vermiculite. Roots will emerge within six weeks. Transfer to a small pot, let the root ball form, and then transfer to a large pot or directly to your garden.
• Propagate by layering: Take a long sage stem and carefully secure it along the soil with wire, leaving four inches of the tip free. Make sure the pinned portion is directly touching the soil. Roots will start to form along the stem within a month. Cut away the newly rooted plant from the main plant and transfer elsewhere within the garden or to a large pot.

Sage can be grown both indoors and outdoors, as long as you give it the right conditions to reach its full potential. Sage needs lots of light, so if growing indoors, put your plant in an area where it gets 6 to 8 hours of full sun per day. If you don’t live in the sunniest of places or you don’t get a lot of natural light, you can place your sage pot under a grow light. (Fluorescent lighting may work well in a pinch, too.) Sage likes warm environments, making the kitchen a perfect spot. Check the soil every few days and water your sage plant when the top of the soil starts to feel dry.

Sage is a bit less fussy when grown outdoors. Be sure to give it nutritious soil with plenty of drainage. Sage plants grow well planted directly in the soil, in containers, or on the border of a garden bed. If given the proper conditions, they can grow to be anywhere from 12 to 30 inches in height. Be sure to choose a full sun spot so it gets plenty of light.

• Soil: Sage thrives in well-drained, sandy, loamy soil, and it prefers a pH between 6.0 and 7.0. Resist the temptation to over-fertilize; the sage might grow a little faster, but its flavor will be less intense.
• Sun: Plant sage in medium to full sun. If you are growing sage indoors, place your pot near a sunny window.
• Water: Sage is a fairly drought-tolerant herb, and even when the leaves look wilted, a little water perks the entire plant right up. Wait until the soil is dry to give it a thorough watering.
• Spacing: Sage grows in a round, bush-like fashion, and individual plants should be spaced 24 to 36 inches apart.
• Companion planting: Plant sage near carrots, strawberries, tomatoes, and/or cabbage. I have a few planted within my perennial garden, as well as near my tomatoes. Because the beautiful blossoms attract pollinators, I let a couple of my sage plants go to flower.

Many experts suggest retiring a sage plant after four to five years. The leaves supposedly lose their fresh flavor and develop a more “woody” taste. I tend to rebel against this notion — I find that when I prune back the thick, woody stems in early spring, my sage tastes just fine. If your sage does begin to slow down in production or lose flavor, just propagate a new plant by means of cuttings or layering.

Sage can be harvested on an as-needed basis, clipping just above the node where two leaves meet. For the richest concentration of their aromatic oils, harvest sage leaves in the morning, once the dew has dried.

I also suggest conducting a larger sage harvest about twice during its growing season, in order to encourage a prolific, evenly shaped and rounded plant. Just cut the sage stems back, harvesting no more than half of the plant, and have a few preservation ideas at the ready.

Sage is a pretty hardy plant and relatively easy to grow, but if you happen to run into any issues, follow these expert tips and tricks:

• Prune to promote new growth: In order to help your plant thrive, prune the older, heavier, woodier stems in the spring. This will help to promote new growth. It’s also best practice to stop harvesting from the plant in the fall so it can prep for winter.
• Give it good aeration: Sage plants are prone to mildew if they don’t have proper circulation. To help with this, you can add some pebbles around your plant if growing outdoors to prevent the soil from getting waterlogged. If growing indoors, the type of pot you plant it in is important. Pots made of terracotta or wood promote better drainage and don’t allow water to pool as easily as pots made of plastic or metal. You can use a mix of soil and perlite in your pot to promote better aeration, too.

Sage isn’t just for your Thanksgiving stuffing. Here are some of our favorite ways to cook with the fragrant herb:

• Brown Butter and Sage Sauce
• Sage Pesto
• Classic Sage & Onion Bread Dressing
• Crispy Sage
• Sage-Brined Pork Chops with Brown Sugar Glaze
• Sweet Potato and Sage Gratin
• Fettuccine with Roasted Butternut Squash, Brown Butter & Sage
• Butternut Squash, Sage, and Parmesan Pasties
• Spaghetti Squash with Ricotta, Sage, and Pine Nuts
• Giant Zucchini Stuffed with Sausage, Mushrooms & Sage
• Stovetop Brussels Sprouts Hash with Crispy Sage and Walnuts
• Weeknight Roasted Chicken with Lemon and Sage
• Sweet and Savory Roasted Cashews
• Sage Biscuits
• Walnut Mac and Roquefort Cheese and Sage
• The Summer Sage Cocktail
• Apple Sage Gouda Pie