Bonnie Plants Garden Sage 19.3 oz

Regular price: ~~$4.98~~
Sale price: $4.97 Charity: $0.25
Unit price: per

Shipping calculated at checkout.

Quantity must be 1 or more

ONLY AVAILABLE as Local Pickup or Local Delivery in Northern and Central New Jersey, Metro New York City, Westchester, Rockland, Southern Orange Counties.

Bonnie Plants Sage is uniquely flavored making it a perfect complement to sauces, stuffings, poultry, pork, and sausage. It provides a lovely fragrance and flavor to a dish, especially when leaves are sautéed first. It is a good fall and winter plant in hot climates. Great for containers. Needs good drainage.

Organic varieties are only available at retailers.

Type Perennial in zones 5 to 8
Planting time Spring
Features Velvety, textured, gray-green foliage, pretty blue blooms
Light Full sun
Soil Well drained, pH about 7
Spacing 18 to 24 inches
Plant size 12 to 36 inches tall, 15 to 24 inches wide
Garden uses Containers, herb garden
Culinary uses Key ingredient of poultry seasoning and turkey stuffing

At a glance

Light requirements: Full sun.

Planting: Space 18 to 24 inches apart.

Soil requirements: Plants grow best in well-drained soil. For clay soil, add sand and organic matter to provide better drainage, or grow plants in raised beds or containers. Soil pH should be 6.5 to 7.0.

Water requirements: Keep soil moist after planting until plants are well-rooted. Once established, plants in beds survive on rainfall. In containers, irrigate whenever soil is dry. Consider a pebble mulch to promote warmth and dryness beneath leaves, especially in humid areas.

Frost-fighting plan: Sage is perennial in zones 5 to 8. Established plants can survive a few hard frosts (under 28º F). Use a frost blanket to protect newly planted seedlings from late spring frosts or prolong the growing season in fall.

Common issues: In coldest zones, sage can take a while to leaf out; be patient before pulling plants. Prune plants back in early spring, cutting out oldest growth to promote new growth. Sage tends to get woody and stop producing lots of branches after 3 to 5 years. At this point, consider replacing your plant. Mildew can be a problem, especially in humid areas. Thin plants regularly to promote air circulation.

Harvesting: Pick leaves at any point in the growing season. In zones in which sage is perennial, harvest plants lightly the first year. With established plants, stop harvesting 2 months prior to frost to give new leaves time to mature. To harvest, cut an entire stem if desired, or just pinch a leaf at a time.

Storage: Wrap fresh sage leaves in a barely damp paper towel and tuck into a loosely closed plastic bag. Store in the refrigerator. Use within 4 to 5 days. For longer storage, dry leaves.

Common sage takes the form of a low shrub that can be wider than it is tall. The soft gray-green foliage is great in pots or the garden. Consider planting and growing sage in a container with rosemary, basil, and other Mediterranean herbs for a fragrant mix. While cooks appreciate the distinctive taste and scent of sage, gardeners also enjoy its velvety, evergreen foliage, and delicate blooms.

Quick Guide to Growing Sage

Plant sage during the cool days of spring or fall. This fragrant culinary herb is a great option to grow in containers or out in your garden bed.
Space sage plants 18 to 24 inches apart in an area that gets plenty of sunlight and has rich, well-drained soil with a pH of 6.5 to 7.0.
If planting in a garden bed, give your native soil a boost of nutrients by mixing in several inches of aged compost or other rich organic matter.
Check soil moisture every few days and water once the top inch of soil becomes dry.
Feed regularly with a water-soluble plant food to make the most of your growing efforts.
Annual and perennial sage are harvested differently, so harvest according to your plant type.