Culinary sage is a perennial you may keep live twelvemonth after yr with these tips .
Andre Baranowski
flavourful and aromaticculinary sageis easy enough to grow in good deal or in the ground , but is sage a perennial that will survive wintertime and regrow in spring ? If the conditions are right , the answer is yes . Here ’s what to know about spring up salvia as a repeated or annual , plus how to overwinter this herbaceous plant indoors or out in the garden .
Credit:Andre Baranowski
Perennial vs. Annual Sage
Some hoi polloi retrieve of sage as an annual herb such as basil , which wo n’t survive freezing temperature . While you may sure as shooting grow sage as an one-year , especially in container garden , it isactually a perennial flora . This Mediterranean herb in the genusSalviais a woody , relatively short - know bush . Sage does well in areas with wintertime frosts ( as long as it has well - drain territory ) but often succumbs to fungous takings in warm mood so is turn there as an annual plant .
Salvia officinalisis the common salvia we use in the kitchen , but many other extremely aromatic types of sage such aspineapple sage(Salvia elegans)andnative snowy sage(Salvia apiana)are also perennials . Not all are audacious to the same winter temperatures , so be sure to verify the sage you choose ishardy in your locationbefore take it to arise as a perennial .
Growing Sage as a Perennial
salvia plants develop as perennial can reach 2 to 3 foot grandiloquent , provide a ton of fragrant leavesfor bracing purpose or dry out . The foliation also has an decorative quality that can raise garden layer and containers . grow sage that will live for many old age requires the right mature status .
This herb bang alocation in full sun , and whether planted in the ground or a pot , good drain is essential . salvia is native to siccative , less fertile , butwell - drain soils , so a container with poor or slow drainage is a sure way to kill it . Freely draining land and good air circulation go a prospicient way toward forestall problems .
Sage is drought - resistant and scrappy , especially when plant in a garden bed . However , neglecting your container - grown salvia and get it wilt when things get too wry is possible . While it makes an first-class containercompanion for rosemary , it will show sign of the zodiac of moisture stress earlier than rosemary will . Do n’t vex ; water your sage more ofttimes wo n’t bother rosemary produce in the same sess .
While sage grown as an yearbook usually wo n’t twist woody , sages are semi - woody bush and will start to inspissate and get woody and stiff over the years . Sage grow as a perennial benefits from a arduous annual pruning , so cut it back a few inches from the primer coat in spring to advance lots of plush raw increase .
Overwintering Sage
instruct to winter sage can save you a few buck every give since you wo n’t postulate to buy new sage flora . How you overwinter sage depends on your climate and if you ’re acquire salvia in a garden seam or a container .
Sage in Garden Beds
Sage is stalwart inUSDA zone 4 - 8 , meaning you’re able to expect the plant to come through winters in the ground in these areas . While the tops of the works may stay live in the warmest geographical zone , salvia will pall back to the ground in colder neighborhood . Apply alayer of straw mulch(not anything that will hold much wet ) after the priming freeze to protect the roots from freeze and thawing through winter .
Remove the straw again when the nose candy melts in spring or the nighttime start to warm up . Sage often does n’t pop out up until after thelast spring frosts have passed , but the roots are still alive below priming . Once new shoots show in spring , cut off any remaining bushed stems from the premature time of year to make way for novel growth .
Sage in Containers
If you maturate salvia in a container , you ’ll probably need tobring it inside over the winter , because freezing temperature are harsher on the limited soil volume of potted works . Trim your potted sage back — using those trimmings in the kitchen — and give it a sunny position indoors . Better yet , place your potted sage under grow light . supply piddle when the top 2 inches feel dry , but do n’t wait until the territory take out back from the edge of the pot .
locate scandalmongering sticky traps to help with thefungus gnats , thripid , and other pestilence that tend to plague indoor plant . When first play the plant life into your home , you may want to quarantine it away from the rest of your houseplants for a workweek or two to ensure it ’s pest - free .
