Important notes
large amounts / medicinal tea / pregnancy & nursing: Sage contains thujone. Safe in culinary amounts, but large amounts or strong medicinal tea can be harmful; avoid medicinal amounts in pregnancy and nursing (thujone can reduce milk supply). EMA guideline: max 5 mg thujone/day. ↗
sage essential oil: The plant and dried herb are non-toxic to cats, dogs and horses per the ASPCA. Concentrated sage essential oil, however, is toxic to cats — they cannot metabolise the phenols. ↗
Light
Full sun, at least 6 hours a day. Indoors a bright south-facing window or LED grow light for 12–16 hours.
Watering
Water moderately and let the soil dry between waterings. Established sage is drought-tolerant — waterlogging is the most common killer.
Temperature
Happy at 15–24 °C. Hardy to about −15 °C; protect potted plants from winter wet.
Humidity
Prefers drier air (40–60 %). High humidity and poor airflow encourage mildew.
Target values by method & stage
| Stage | pH | EC (mS/cm) | Water °C | Air °C | Humidity % | Light h | Duration (days) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Germination | 6–7 | — | — | 15–21 | 50–65 | 14 | 21 |
| Vegetative | 6–7 | — | — | 15–24 | 40–60 | 14 | 90 |
| Stage | pH | EC (mS/cm) | Water °C | Air °C | Humidity % | Light h | Duration (days) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vegetative | 5.5–6.5 | 1–1.6 | 18–22 | 18–24 | 40–60 | 14 | 90 |
| Stage | pH | EC (mS/cm) | Water °C | Air °C | Humidity % | Light h | Duration (days) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vegetative | 5.5–6.5 | 1–1.6 | 18–22 | 18–24 | 40–60 | 14 | 90 |
Common problems
Powdery mildew in shade and damp, root rot in waterlogged soil, spider mites in dry indoor air. Cut back old, woody plants hard in spring.
Space & Size
- Final height
- 60 cm
- Final width
- 60 cm
- Spacing
- 45 cm
- Root depth
- 30 cm
- Min. container (Soil)
- ≥ 5 L
- Min. container (DWC)
- ≥ 5 L
- Min. container (Kratky)
- ≥ 5 L
Pests & diseases
| Pest / Disease | Symptom | Organic treatment |
|---|---|---|
| Spider mites | grayish cast on leaves, fine webbing | rinse with water, insecticidal soap, raise humidity |
| Slugs | holes eaten in young leaves | hand-pick, slug pellets, dry barrier |
| Powdery mildew | white powdery coating on leaves, often in shade/humidity | improve airflow, remove affected shoots, move to a sunnier spot |
| Root rot | wilting, yellowing plant in waterlogged soil | well-draining substrate, water less, avoid overwatering |
Edible parts
- Leaves · edible from Vegetative — main harvest, fresh or dried
- Flowers · edible from Flowering — edible, mild and savoury, as a garnish
Yield techniques
Regularly harvest or trim the shoot tips to keep sage bushy and stop it going woody. Remove flower stalks after blooming.
Propagation & pollination
- Method
- seed
- Germination time
- 21 days
- Germination temp
- 15-21 °C
- Sowing depth
- 0.3 cm
- Pollination
- cross
- Hand pollination needed
- no
needs light to germinate — press in only; also easy from softwood cuttings in early summer
Companion planting
🟢 Good neighbours: Tomato, Garden strawberry, Thyme, Rosemary, Bay Laurel
Not yet linked: Brassica oleracea var. capitata, Daucus carota, Cucumis sativus, Foeniculum vulgare, Allium cepa
Flavor
warm, earthy, slightly peppery-bitter
Storage
fresh in the fridge for a few days; dried and airtight it stays aromatic for over a year
History
Sage comes from southern Europe and the eastern Mediterranean and was prized as a healing plant in antiquity — its name derives from the Latin 'salvare' (to heal). From the 16th century it moved from the apothecary into the kitchen.
Nutrition
Rich in vitamin K, with some vitamin A and B6 plus calcium, iron, magnesium and zinc. Used in small amounts because of its thujone content.
Sources
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