Your Herb Garden. Barbara Segall
SAGE
(Salvia officinalis – Labiatae)
Sage leaves bring delicious flavours to cold and cooked food. Grow sage for its range of leaf colour, flowers and aroma.
| type | Hardy evergreen sub-shrub |
| flowers | Usually small pink to mauve flowers, though in some forms white or red. Late spring to summer |
| leaves | Depending on species or variety, silvery-green to pink and purple, textured and aromatic |
| height | 60cm (24in) |
| spread | 45cm (18in) |
| planting | Plant in spring or autumn. Grow in containers indoors in winter |
| position | Full sun, good air circulation |
| soil | Prefers a light, dry, well-drained alkaline soil |
| care | If growing for leaves, cut out flower stems. After flowering, cut back spent flower stems. Trim regularly to keep compact and encourage new shoots. Mulch in winter and protect plants in heavy, damp soil. Replace with new plants after five years |
| propagation | Take cuttings spring to mid-autumn and root in a heated propagator. Sow seed indoors in spring. Alternatively, layer sage branches by pinning down side shoots and covering with soil. They take about eight weeks to root. |
| species and varieties | Purple or red sage (Salvia o. ‘Purpurascens’) has dark purple leaves. S.o. ‘Tricolor’ is variegated purple with light pinky-white splashes. Golden variegated sage (S.o. ‘Icterina’) has yellow and green leaves and a mild flavour. Spanish sage (S. lavandulifolia) has a balsamic flavour. Pineapple sage (S. elegans) has pineapple-flavoured leaves |
| harvest | Broad-leaved sages are at their best before flowering or in summer. To keep colour well the leaves need a long, slow drying period. Freeze sage leaves in plastic bags in small quantities |
| herbal value | Astringent qualities are good in steamy baths. Sage leaves are often used in stuffings, cooked meat dishes, salads and for flavouring vinegars |
Sage
MARCH
If your herb garden preparation was delayed by cold weather and impenetrable soil last month, this one will be busy. If the weather is still against you, concentrate on the many indoor activities that must be started now. Get indoor seed sowing into full swing. Starting seed off indoors results in earlier harvests, as you can plant sturdy seedlings into the soil when it begins to warm up in late spring.
If you have neither the space nor the inclination to grow your herbs from seed, buy young plants from specialist herb nurseries and garden centres. Check that the plants are healthy, with no dead or damaged stems, and are not root-bound in their pots. Now is the ideal time to set out established and pot-grown plants in the herb garden. Always plant into well-prepared soil that has been enriched with well-rotted compost or fertiliser. Water the plants in thoroughly and let them get settled before you begin harvesting leaves.
Early spring is also a good time to begin planning and planting outdoor herb containers. If you don’t have space for a herb garden, this is an ideal way of growing at least the herbs you use frequently. Herbs grown in containers need regular watering (at least once a day during warm, dry spells), and staking if they grow too tall. Attractive containers and decorative herbs make striking features on patios, balconies and in the herb garden itself. By training and pruning certain herbs, such as rosemary and lavender, you can create unusual shapes that make attractive focal points. It takes time and patience, but the results are fun and worth the effort. If you use bought plants, choose them