In order for sage to thrive in your garden, the plant needs careful care. Immerse yourself in the crucial basics about the balanced water and nutrient balance, correct cutting and overwintering.

How to water sage correctly?

As a typical plant of the Mediterranean climate, sage has adapted well to dry weather conditions. Well-established specimens are therefore content with the natural rainfall. In the juvenile stage, however, the water requirement proves to be relatively high. The following tips provide more information:

  • Water young plants regularly during drought
  • additionally water after each cut
  • allow the soil to dry out between waterings
  • A plant needs more water in a pot than in a bed

Does the plant need fertilizer?

Common sage extracts medium-level nutrients from the soil. Therefore, fertilize the herbal plant from May to August every 2 weeks with compost and horn shavings.

When and how is sage cut?

Proper pruning is the key to caring for the evergreen subshrub. You should heed the following tips so that the shoots with the aromatic leaves do not become lignified:

  • pruning the plant regularly from the beginning
  • With each harvest, additionally trim a few shoot tips
  • never cut into the woody area
  • in June, cut off the buds before flowering
  • alternatively let sage bloom and then cut
  • do not cut or harvest the plant from mid-August

Make the main cut in early spring when it is no longer freezing. Remove the withered foliage and shorten the branches to 15 centimeters.

How does hibernation succeed?

In order for you to be able to care for sage for several years, the plant should survive the winter undamaged. True sage tolerates temperatures down to -10 degrees, while tropical species are not hardy. Use the following tips to get it right:

  • before the first frost, cover the plant with leaves, straw, brushwood or jute
  • wrap a pot with bubble wrap and place it in front of the south wall
  • alternatively overwinter indoors in a bright place at 5-10 degrees Celsius
  • Water occasionally to keep the root ball from drying out completely

In a mild winter, the chances of a consistent harvest are good since it is an evergreen plant.

What diseases and pests are there?

If you take care of sage professionally, there is rarely a risk of diseases or pests. When health problems arise, the usual suspects are behind them, such as powdery mildew, verticillium and aphids.

tips and tricks

Use sage as a decorative and effective border for beds. As has been found in the context of dedicated observations, the sage scent effectively drives away voracious snails, caterpillars and other creatures.

GTH

Category:

Herbs