Sage Seeds (30 Seeds)

Common Sage (Salvia officinalis) is a much-loved aromatic perennial of the mint family, prized for its soft, velvety grey-green leaves and warm, gently savoury flavour. It is a kitchen classic that pairs beautifully with meats, stuffing and butter sauces, while its tidy, woody habit and pale lilac flowering spikes also make it a handsome ornamental for borders and pots.

Planting

Start seed indoors about 6-8 weeks before the last spring frost, sowing roughly 6 mm deep. At a soil temperature of around 18-21°C, seeds germinate in about 7-21 days. Transplant out once frost has passed, spacing plants about 45-60 cm apart in a full-sun spot with excellent drainage. Sage prefers slightly acidic to neutral soil and can also be grown from softwood cuttings taken in early summer.

Fertilizing

This herb needs little feeding. Well-established plants thrive in soil enriched with compost and ask for nothing more. If you do feed, mix a slow-release fertilizer in at planting. Avoid heavy nitrogen and over-feeding, as excess fertilizer encourages fungal disease and dilutes the leaf flavour.

Care

Grow in full sun and well-drained soil; sage is drought tolerant once established and dislikes standing water, which causes root rot. Watch for rosemary beetle, slugs and powdery mildew in cool, damp conditions. Harvest before flowering, ideally in the morning, cutting 15-20 cm from the tops and never removing more than half the plant at once.