Sage Plant
A Few Facts About the Sage Plant
Culinary sage and Common sage are terms used to describe the group of the genus Salvia, harvested from the sage plant. These are perennial evergreen shrubs with leaves that tend to be grayish colored and woolly, and they add a sense of earthiness to food. In mid-summer, you can see spikes of flowerheads appear in hues of blue and purple.
The sage plant usually blooms in the middle of the summer, and it may or may not bloom the first year it is planted. It depends on the area where it is planted in, and its size when it is planted. You should let the plant grow for the first year without harvesting any of the blossoms. After that, you can harvest the leaves any time you want to. They are considered to be at their peak right before and right after the plant blooms.
The sage plant will become a woody shrub of small size, that may need to be replaced every two to four years. If you prune them when they are mature, it may help to rejuvenate the plants. While a plant is in the prime of adulthood, it is a handsome addition to ornamental borders or herb gardens. Especially useful in gardens are the tri-color, golden and purple varieties.
The common sage is very useful as a seasoning, and is an easy plant to care for in your garden. To make your garden area diverse, you can plant tricolor varieties with S. officinalis, as the variation of its pink, purple, white and green leaves make it very ornamental.
Sage leaves are often used as a seasoning for meat and poultry. You can use dried sage or fresh, and sage can make a tasty tea, as well. Oftentimes you will see branches and leaves used in crafts, such as fall wreaths.
The sage plant can be started from transplanting, root cuttings, or seed. Sage seed will need to be planted while it is very fresh, and even so may be slow to establish itself. If you are starting a plant with root cuttings, you can help them make a start by layering them. If you'd prefer not to start your own, you can buy sage plants in most garden stores in the early months of spring.
The sage plant does best in a sunny and warm location, although it does not like extremely high heat. Any type of soil is acceptable, as long as it drains well.
If you wait til the plant blooms and then prune it, this will help keep your plant attractive, and will keep it from getting too leggy and woody. If you wish to fertilize, it is best to do it in the spring.