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Sage

Salvia officinalis

INTRODUCTION

The family of sages is a large one, with well over 750 known species. Many of the species are used for medicinal purposes with only a few used in the kitchen, primarily officinalis.

Sage has been used for thousands of years and is distributed throughout the world. The Greeks used it for medicinal purposes and the Romans considered it sacred and gathered it with much ceremony.

Sage is a strongly scented herb and is particularly useful as a culinary herb in many recipes.

Soil Preparation

Sage is a Meditteranean plant so prefers a dry and warm spot. Ensure the soil is very well drained as this plant will not appreciate wet conditions, particularly during winter.

Soil should be neutral to alkaline pH.

Sage will happily grow in containers if garden space is at a premium. Use any well-drained peat-free compost.

Sowing & Planting

Sage can be grown from seed, cuttings or as an alternative, you may choose to purchase ready-grown plants from a garden centre or mail order firm.

Sow seed in the spring into any suitable compost and cover lightly with perlite. Prick out seedlings into pots or modules when big enough to handle.

Take softwood cuttings in summer.

Growing & General Cultivation

Once established, sage will appreciate a prune during springtime. Never prune going into the winter.

Never allow to become waterlogged.

Sage can become woody and may need replacing every few years

Pests & Diseases

Sage, in general, is pest and disease free.

Harvesting

Sage is an evergreen plant and can be harvested fresh for most of the year.

Harvest the youngest leaves first.

During very cold weather, it may be advisable to cover with horticultural fleece to enable continuous harvesting.

Sage can be dried, but fresh is always best.

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