Sage is a versatile herb that adds plenty of flavor to many savory kitchen dishes. Growing your own at home is a rewarding experience, so you can have fresh sage right at your fingertips whenever you like. However, like any plant, sage requires some specific care and attention to grow to its fullest potential. Learn about six tips for growing a thriving and abundant sage plant in your garden this summer!

1. Pick the Right Location

Sage up close

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Sage requires specific living conditions to grow large and healthy: full sun and well-draining soil. Test your soil before planting; if you need to improve the drainage, add compost to it. Doing so helps the soil become less dense and compact, allowing water and air to pass through more easily.

2. Don’t Plant It Near Cucumbers

small cucumber growing amongst plant leaves

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There are many plants that sage will benefit sharing a garden space with, including broccoli, cauliflowers, and cabbage. Sage repels pesky insects like moths and beetles away from these other veggies. Just be sure not to plant sage next to cucumbers!

Sage grows fast and can easily expand into your cucumber patch if it’s close by. Getting rid of it can be a tedious and frustrating process, so it’s best to keep these two plants far away from one another. 

In addition, sage requires much less water than cucumbers. If you have both of these plants in the same spot, giving them the appropriate amounts of water they each need is going to be difficult. Excess water runoff from your cucumber patch can lead to your sage getting waterlogged and drowning.

In the opposite case, if you let your garden dry out slightly, sage will be tolerant of the changing conditions as it’s fairly drought-resistant. However, your cucumbers will not be as resilient to the summer heat. 

3. Keep It Away From Mint

Mint Plants

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Sage is prone to a fungal disease called mint rust. If your sage catches this sickness, it's likely to start developing brown or orange sores on the bottom of its leaves. Some of the younger stems may also become pale in color and the leaves can start developing necrotic patches and completely falling off. As per it's name, mint rust can both come from and be spread to any mint plants you may have in your garden. As a preventative step, don't plant your sage right next to mint.

If your sage has already been infected by a nearby mint plant, carefully remove it from the soil so it doesn't further contaminate the area. Thoroughly cut off any of the dyeing leaves and stems, and move it to another spot to help it redevelop. If the majority of your plant has been attacked and it's starting to develop black spores, replace your sage with an entirely new plant.

4. Avoid Over-Fertilizing

A han with the fertilizer

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Sage is generally a low-maintenance plant that does not need a lot of nutrients to thrive. For this reason, avoid using fertilizer on these plants frequently. Too many additional nutrients like nitrogen can cause your sage to develop tons of foliage at the expense of flavor.

Aim for a balanced, slow-release fertilizer applied once or twice a year. If you choose not to fertilize, that’s okay too, as long as you amend the soil with compost to keep it naturally nutrient-rich.

5. Prune Often

Pruning sheers outdoors

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Pruning your sage is an important step in your herb care routine. It’s essential to cut off some of the leaves and stem segments of your plant to help promote new and fresh growth. Doing so also helps strengthen the flavor and scent of your sage as it grows back.

Furthermore, it helps prevent the stems from thinning out and starting to flower too early. The dense, woodier stems should be thoroughly pruned each spring. You can prune the other small stems a few times throughout one growing season.

6. Harvest Regularly

sage leaves on white surface

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Harvesting your sage should be done gently in the first year of growth as it will take about 75 days to mature. After a few years, you can harvest your sage plant fully up to three times per season. Be sure to leave some of the sturdier stalks alone, so the plant has enough strength to recover.

To harvest your sage, gently pinch off its leaves individually or cut any of the smaller stems. Harvest first thing in the morning, as your sage will be the most fresh and flavorful then. Once the fall arrives or the plant starts to flower, discontinue harvesting so your sage can prepare for its winter rest.

The Secrets to Growing Sage

Growing sage can be a rewarding and enjoyable experience, particularly for anyone who loves to cook! By following these six tips for growing sage, you can ensure your plant thrives and produces healthy and flavorful leaves for years to come. Choosing the right location, keeping it away from cucumbers and mint, not over-fertilizing, pruning, and harvesting regularly, are all the essential steps for successfully growing sage.

How has your sage growing experience been? Share your story in the comments below and connect with other home gardeners!