Sowing sage ( Salvia officinalis )
Sage is a perennial, aromatic herb from the Lamiaceae family that is used both medicinally and in cooking.
📘 Basic information
- Crop group: Herbs
- Crop family: Lipaceae family
- Crop height: approx. 30 cm
- Growth cycle: ± 120 days (then perennial herb)
- Frost resistant: yes
- Root system: 60–90 cm deep
🌱 Sowing & planting
- Sowing depth: 0.6 cm
- Pre-sowing: 4 seeds spread per cell in a 5cm tray; prick out into an 8cm pot when seedlings are about 5cm tall.
- Germination temperature: around 15 °C
- Germination period: 8–14 days
- Planting distance: 30 cm around the plant
- Planting out: when the plants have 6–8 true leaves and are sufficiently hardened off
🌿 Popular breeds
- Common sage (also organic )
📅 Growing times
- Sow indoors/glass: sow February–April; plant out April–June; harvest June–October
- In situ (outdoors): sow April–June; harvest August–October
Start cultivation (sowing)
Harvesting
JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN
Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
🏠 Pre-sowing indoors / glass
On site (outside)
🏠 Indoor / under glass
Outside
🌞💧 Pitch & water
- Location: ☀️ lots of sun, warm and sheltered
- Watering: 💧 little – sage does not like wet feet, prefers a bit drier
- Preferred soil: rather sandy, well-drained soil, pH 4.9–8.2
- Fertilization: little – too rich soil produces a lot of leaves but less aroma
🤝 Good & Bad Neighbors
- Good neighbors: cabbage, rosemary, beans, carrots
- Bad neighbors: cucumber, basil
🪴 Cultivation method step-by-step
- Sow 4 seeds per cell in a 5cm tray at a depth of 0.6cm.
- Germinate at approximately 15°C and keep the potting soil slightly moist.
- Prick out into an 8cm pot when the plants are about 5cm tall.
- Then place the pots in a cooler and lighter place so that they harden off for outdoor cultivation.
- Plant outdoors 30cm apart as soon as weather permits.
- Rejuvenate older plants every few years by taking cuttings or pruning back.
- Use fresh or dried sage with meat and fish dishes, and in herb butter; traditionally, it's also used in sage milk to help with sore throats and stress.
❗ Dangers & Concerns
- Generally few problems in a sunny, dry location.
- Soil that is too wet can lead to root rot and plant death.
- In older, woody plants, growth may decline; timely pruning/rejuvenation helps.
🧺 Harvesting & storing
- When growing young plants, first cut off the growing tips to encourage more full branching.
- Harvest all year round, preferably not all at once from one plant.
- Fresh leaves are the most aromatic; you can also dry sage and store it in an airtight container.
