Salvia Officinalis was the first herb I took a crack at to sow, grow, and learn. Perhaps I could have picked an easier more docile plant but it is now on my top 10 list of favorite herbs. It’s a excellent herb choice to add to dishes and certain meats like fish and red meats. Not only for its holistic healing and soothing effects but also for the external – more spiritual connection.
Traditionally, sage was used to improve memory, reduce sweating, and dry up a mother’s milk production. In our modern era, it can be used externally to reduce swelling and treat sprains and pains. Orally, it can help with mouth sores and sore throats when gargled. As more research is done, we come to learn that sage has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits.
Salvia Officianals is a woody shrub that is native to the shores of the Meditaririan and part of the mint family. It is aromatic, with leaves varying in color, and with a pebble-like fuzzy texture that can grow up to 5 inches long. The variants in colors range from grey-green, green, purple, and tri-color but there are more colors out there! Sage is a short-lived perennial and is hardy in zones 4-10.
Sage has been used since Ancient times to create a life of health, wealth, and many spiritual uses. The overall satisfaction for me is growing my own sage to utilize as much as I can instead of needing to order online or at my local grocery store. I can sow, grow, and come into an abundance of sages that can suit my fancy for some time. With that being said; there is more than one species of Sage that has more properties but their end game is more prevalent in the overall usage.
Keep in mind there are many varieties of Salvia Officinalis which include but are not limited to:
- Purpurea
- Tri-Color Sage
- White Sage
- Clary Sage
- Greek Sage
etc.
If you are unsure which sage to go with certainly do your research and what purpose it is for. If you are growing mainly for food garden sage and/or Greek sage is the easy go to. It will always depend on your preferences and you can try as many varieties as you like.
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Sowing
Typically it is said to begin sowing sage seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before the last frost is expected. If you are ever unsure research the weather in your area. Depending your desires, you may even keep a sage plant indoors year-round for instant fresh leaves..
Without starting the seeds indoors, you are more than welcome to sow directly in the ground. (But only when you are utterly positive there is no danger of frost in the forecast.)
Plant 1-2 seeds per area to be sure that at least one seed will sprout in well-draining soil. – I will typically max it to 4 because I need to be absolutely sure!
Depending on your sowing strategy, you should expect germination in 10-20 days. After germination please make sure before transplanting that the plant stands at least 4 inches tall with 2 or more true leaves. This shows that the plant is growing and stable enough to prosper in a garden or a container.
Some germination strategies are but not limited to:
- Green House effect
- Seran Wrap (consistent with the Green House effect
- Basic heat mat and heat lamp method
- Paper Towel method
Depending on how fast or slow I want the germination to progress I will typically either use the heat mat and grow light or the greenhouse effect method with seran wrap or repurposed milk jugs or water jugs.
Growing
Sage is rather easy to grow and doesn’t require an extreme amount of time to care for them, but they have some specifications on how to care for them.
Sage loves the sun and heat so be sure to place it in a warm area with direct sunlight.
Watering is rather simple but do take caution. In experience, root rot is a very common issue because Sage likes to be dried between waterings. This plant will grow in drought-like conditions but it will become more abundant if watering occurs when needed. Make a schedule keeping in mind the weather forecast for your area.
During early spring and summer be sure to pinch the growing tips of your plant to encourage a bushier and more bountiful plant.
Depending on the variety of sages chosen, the height of the plant can reach up to 2 1/2 feet tall.
Unfortunately like all plants, there is a danger of pests. Some of the plants that are a common monster for a sage plant are; mealybugs, spider mites, fungus gnats, snails, and more.
If you suspect any type of pests, treat accordingly. A common method I use, is a sprinkle of Diatomaceous Earth…. does the trick every time.
Harvesting
Harvesting a sage plant will take at least 75 days after the plant has been germinated. That doesn’t mean you can only take from the plant then! You are more than welcome to pluck off a few leaves of your plant during the growing season as long as it is well established. But, harvest lightly the first year. As you do, be sure to not take off more than half the plant; this will cause the plant to stop producing the goods!
As among many plants to harvest before flowering, this plant is also best harvested before it flowers. You will notice buds begin to grow in your plant and this is a tell-tale sign that flowering is near. Some sage plants though can take up to a year before the plant will flower, but this doesn’t mean you can’t harvest.
When harvesting more than just a few leaves, you can cut off heavier, bushy branches. Throughout the growing season, you are able to harvest up to 4 times until harvest time. Once harvest time is over though, be sure to leave some good hearty stalks for the year coming and let them be from fall to spring.
Processing
Processing your harvest is rather simple as you would most herbs depending on your strategy of course.
Dry Processing
When you process your sage in the drying process it is slightly easier to dry when you have sprigs tied in a bundle (if you have a large quantity) if you have one sprig, the same applies. Hang your bundle upside down in an area of your choosing but one that is well-ventilated and away from outside disturbances.
When drying hanging upside down you may use a paper bag securely tied up and around the leaves. Puncture the paper bag with many holes to induce good ventilation to minimize the dropping and waste of leaves. The paper bag will collect the leaves if they do fall so no part of the plant goes to waste.
Freezing
Sage leaves are more flavorful and aromatic when they are fresh, thus, freezing the sage leaves will keep those elements when they are thawed.
You may freeze sage leaves together in an airtight freezer-safe bag; sometimes portioning helps so you can use what you need when you need it.
Also, you can absolutely freeze the leaves and branch to make the process quicker and just pluck the leaves off and store them properly.
Freeze in ice cube trays for soup dishes or any meat dishes to give them flavor. Store in a freezer air-tight container.
Oils
Sage can be infused into oils that can add to dishes for a kick or flavor and aroma. Olive oil is the most popular oil used to infuse for cooking but you can also use other oils to your liking. Fill the container you will use with sage and slowly pour olive oil until all leaves are covered and your container is full. And voila! It is best to give your container a shake every now and then to stir up some flavor and make the oil more potent.
Fini
Sage is a game changer if you welcome it. Whether you choose to grow it yourself or get it from your local grocery store or farmers’ markers, it has many versatile effects that can benefit you.
Burning sage is a powerful tool in the spiritual world that clears negative energies, cleanses past traumas, and just creates a clean slate.
Finding what works best for you is all in experimentation in which methods you prefer, how to use them, and so on and so forth. That is my favorite part about working with herbs is the experiments to work on a final product or project.
Extra Resources if you want to dive deeper into the world of Sage:
https://www.rhs.org.uk/herbs/sage/grow-your-own
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/salvia-officinalis