How to Plant, Grow and Harvest Sage
- Jonathan Valencia
- Oct 12
- 5 min read
Sage is one of the most valuable herbs you can grow at home. With its earthy, slightly peppery flavor, it adds depth to meats, soups, and vegetable dishes. Beyond cooking, sage has been treasured for centuries for its medicinal and aromatic qualities. T
he best part? Sage is hardy, drought-tolerant, and once established, it will keep rewarding you year after year.
This guide will walk you through everything you need to know about planting, growing, and harvesting sage in a simple, easy-to-follow way that even beginners can enjoy.
What is Sage?
Sage (Salvia officinalis) is a perennial herb, which means it comes back every year. It belongs to the mint family and grows as a small, woody shrub with soft, silvery-green leaves.
There are several varieties, but common sage is the most popular for culinary use.
Decorative types (like purple, golden, or tricolor sage) are also grown for their beauty but have less flavor.
Types of Sage
Not all sages are edible. Some varieties are grown purely for ornamental purposes, and many of these are beloved in pollinator gardens. If you need to attract bees to help pollinate your other plants, adding an ornamental Salvia might be just the trick.
Images above from left to right. Most common types of culinary sage.
Salvia fruticosa.
More often than not, if you head to the bulk aisle of your grocery store in search of sage, you’ll find Greek sage. This is the most common form of dried culinary sage available for sale. As you can imagine, this can be confusing for home gardeners when their garden sage doesn’t taste quite like the store-bought version. But now, we can clear up that confusion.
Salvia officinalis.
When you think of sage in the supermarket’s fresh herb aisle, you’re probably picturing common sage—also known as culinary sage or garden sage. It typically has a light green color, sometimes with the faintest silvery tinge when fresh. Once cut and dried, it looks much like any other herb, and the powdered form has a subtle greenish hue.
Cultivars.
There are dozens of Salvia officinalis cultivars available. With all of these different types of sage, it can be hard to choose, but all of these sage plants are widely available varieties:
Berggarten: Produces showy whorls of lavender-blue flowers in the late spring.
Bicolor Icterina: The leaves are bicolored, with cream-colored edges and silvery-green centers.
Curly: Just as its name might indicate, this has distinctive curly, rippled leaves.
Dwarf Green: Tightly-compact version of the species, sometimes called ‘Minimus’
Golden Sage: A golden-leaved variety, also referred to as ‘Aurea’
Grower’s Friend: Non-flowering, this has red-colored stems and medium-green, upright leaves.
Holt’s Mammoth: Very similar to the base Salvia officinalis, but with huge leaves.
Pink Flower: Also called ‘Rosea’, this variety produces pink flowers instead of lavender-blue.
Purpurea: Also referred to as ‘Purpurescens’ or ‘Purple Sage’, with vivid purple leaves.
Tricolor Sage: Its leaves are marbled with grey-green, white, and purplish-pink and are stunning.
White Edged: A deeper-green center of the leaf with stark white edges, very pretty.
Window Box: Stays under a foot tall, but performs well as a container plant.
These plants flower in a huge range of colors, and their foliage can be silvery-gray, deep green, purple, or even yellow. Whether grown for their looks or their flavor, sages are outstanding additions to any garden.
What & where to buy
Common sage and purple sage are widely available from garden centres and online plant retailers, usually as young potted plants or rooted
A method of growing new plants from parts of an existing plant, such as sections of root, stem, leaf or bud. When prepared correctly and planted in the right conditions, they can produce roots and eventually become independent plants. There is a wide range of different methods for taking cuttings, depending on the plant and time of year.
cuttings in spring and early summer, or more
Established plants have been in their current location for two or three years and so have well-developed root systems able to support strong growth with healthy foliage and flowers.
established plants in bigger pots for most of the year. Other varieties may be available from larger online suppliers and herb nurseries.
You can also buy packeted seeds, although generally only of common sage.
1. Choosing the Right Spot
Sunlight: Sage loves full sun — aim for at least 6–8 hours of sunlight per day.
Soil: Well-draining, sandy, or loamy soil is ideal. Sage dislikes soggy soil. A slightly alkaline to neutral pH (6.5–7.0) works best.
2. Planting from Seeds, Cuttings, or Starter Plants
From Seeds:
Start indoors 6–8 weeks before the last frost.
Sow seeds shallowly, covering lightly with soil.
Germination can take 2–3 weeks.
Transplant outdoors after frost danger passes.
From Cuttings:
Take a 4-inch cutting from an established sage plant.
Remove lower leaves and place the cutting in moist soil or water until roots form.
From Starter Plants:
The easiest option for beginners is buying small sage plants from a nursery.
3. Spacing and Planting Outdoors
Plant sage 18–24 inches apart — it grows into a small bush that needs space to spread.
If planting in containers, choose a pot at least 10–12 inches wide with good drainage holes.
How to Grow Sage
1. Watering
Water regularly until sage is established.
Once mature, sage is drought-tolerant. Water only when the soil feels dry.
2. Fertilizing
Sage doesn’t need much fertilizer. Too much can weaken the flavor.
A light compost application in spring is usually enough.
3. Pruning and Maintenance
Trim stems regularly to encourage bushy growth.
Remove any woody or leggy stems each spring.
Cut back flowers unless you want seeds — flowering reduces leaf flavor.
4. Companion Planting
Sage is a natural pest repellent and grows well near rosemary, carrots, and cabbage.
Avoid planting near cucumbers — they don’t grow well together.
How to Harvest Sage
1. Harvesting Leaves
Start harvesting once the plant is well established (after the first season for best results).
Cut sprigs or individual leaves as needed.
The best flavor comes before the plant flowers.
2. Drying and Storing Sage
Bundle small sprigs and hang them upside down in a dry, airy spot.
Once dry, strip the leaves and store them in an airtight container.
You can also freeze fresh leaves for long-term use.
Tips for Success
Don’t overwater: Sage thrives in dry conditions.
Give space: Plants need airflow to prevent mildew.
Rejuvenate plants: After 3–4 years, sage plants can get woody. Replace with new cuttings or seedlings for best results.
Common Problems and Solutions
Root rot → Caused by too much water. Plant in well-draining soil.
Powdery mildew → Improve airflow by spacing plants and pruning regularly.
Leggy growth → Trim regularly to keep sage compact.
Final Thoughts
Sage is one of the easiest and most rewarding herbs to grow. With minimal effort, it provides a fresh supply of aromatic leaves for cooking, along with the beauty of its silvery foliage. Whether in the garden, a raised bed, or a pot on your balcony, sage will thrive if given sun, space, and occasional care.
Start with a small plant today, and you’ll have flavorful sage leaves to enjoy season after season!
Comments