How to Grow and Harvest Sage

While sage is famous for flavoring Thanksgiving dinner, it can bring fresh, savory notes to so many other dishes. Here's how to grow it in your garden.

Here are our top tips for growing sage. Read on for more in-depth information.

Sunlight: Plant sage in a location that receives at least 6 hours of full sun daily.
Planting Time: Plant sage in the spring after the danger of frost has passed.
Soil: Sage must have well-draining soil to thrive and prevent root rot. Prep garden beds by adding Miracle-Gro Organic™ Raised Bed & Garden Soil, or grow sage in outdoor containers filled with Miracle-Gro Organic™ Outdoor Potting Mix.
Get a Head Start: Use strong, vigorous young plants, like those from Bonnie Plants, for a quicker path to harvest.
Feed Your Plants: For the best results, feed your sage regularly with Miracle-Gro Organic™ All Purpose Plant Food, or for a feed-as-you-water option, use Miracle-Gro Organic™ Plant Food.
Harvesting: For the most intense flavor, harvest sage leaves in the morning and before the plant flowers.

If you love to cook, you've got to have sage in your herb garden. It's a fantastic addition to soups, roasts, poultry seasonings, and dry rubs. There are many wonderful types of culinary sage, but a few favorites are ‘Tricolor' (with its lavender, green, and cream-colored leaves), ‘Purpurea' (which has striking purple leaves), and ‘Berggarten' (known for its wide, silvery leaves). In zones 5 to 9, sage will grow as a perennial, returning year after year. In other climates, it can be grown as an annual.

Where and How to Plant Sage

Find the Right Spot: Sage thrives in full sun and needs soil with excellent drainage, as it will rot if grown in soggy ground.

Time It Right: Plant sage in the springtime after the last frost has passed.

Start with Young Plants: The easiest way to get your sage garden started is with vigorous young plants, like those from Bonnie Plants. Check the plant tag for spacing requirements, which typically ranges between 12 and 24 inches.

Prep Soil for Planting: Great soil is the key to a happy plant.

In-ground gardens: Improve your existing soil by mixing 3 inches of Miracle-Gro Organic™ Raised Bed & Garden Soil with the top 6 inches of native soil. This is a great way to add organic matter and break up heavy clay.
Raised beds: Simply fill your raised beds with Miracle-Gro Organic™ Raised Bed & Garden Soil.
Outdoor Containers: If your garden has poor drainage, containers are a great option. Choose a pot with a drainage hole and fill it with Miracle-Gro Organic™ Outdoor Potting Mix. A 10-inch wide pot works well for a single sage plant, while an 18-inch wide pot is perfect for a mini herb garden with companions like thyme and parsley.

Get Planting: When placing the plant in its new home, make sure the top of the root ball is level with the surrounding soil. Water it well to help it settle in.

Starting from Seed: If you'd like to start your sage from seed, you can plant sage seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before the last expected frost. The seedlings will be ready to move outside once the danger of frost has passed. For more on seed starting, check out this article.

How to Grow and Care for Sage

A little maintenance will keep your sage happy and productive.

Watering: For the first few weeks, you’ll likely need to water your sage once or twice a week, keeping the soil about as moist as a wrung-out sponge. Once the plant is established, you can reduce watering to every week or two. Sage does not like soggy soil, so be careful not to overwater.
Mulching: Add a 3-inch layer of mulch, such as Miracle-Gro Organic™ All Natural Mulch, straw, or shredded leaves, around your plant. This helps the soil retain moisture and prevent weeds from growing.
Feeding: For the best growth, you’ll want to feed your sage regularly. Starting one month after planting, give it a boost with Miracle-Gro Organic™ All Purpose Plant Food (or Miracle-Gro Organic™ Plant Food for a feed-as-you-water option), making sure to follow the label instructions.
Pruning: Over time, sage plants can become woody, leading to less flavorful leaves. To help prevent this, prune the plants down to 1 to 2 inches above the ground in the spring when you see new growth starting. The new leaves that grow will be much tastier. Alternatively, you can trim your sage into a tidy, low-growing hedge to use as a garden border.

How to Harvest Sage

For the most flavorful leaves, harvest sage before the plant flowers. You can simply snip off a few leaves in the morning anytime you need them fresh in a meal. To dry sage for later use, cut 6- to 8-inch stems, tie them into bundles, and hang them upside-down in a cool, dry place. Once fully dried, store the leaves in an airtight container.

Ready to start growing sage? Use these tips to get started on your own garden of flavor.