Sage
The botanical name, salvia officinalis, comes from the Latin word “salvere”, meaning “to be saved”. This is appropriate since healers have been using this herb for a number of ailments for thousands of years. Closely related to rosemary, its warm and musky essence is essential for making the fragrant dressing that goes so well with turkey.
Growing garden sage is so economical and time-saving. Its flavor is so intense that only a dash is needed to flavor a dish. Sage is also one of the few herbs that, even as its leaves grow larger, the flavor intensifies. Unlike many herbs, sage leaves are still delicious after the plant flowers.
Sage is sturdy, hardy, prolific, and drought-tolerant. It grows well within a wide range of temperatures and planting zones. It also boasts a long growing season. Since this resinous herb is evergreen in most zones, you can harvest sage well into late fall. While tender herbs like basil might die on the first freeze, sage will still be growing strong.
Since it prefers well-drained soil, sage is a perfect candidate for container gardening. Most pests pose no threat to sage. Your only concern might be mildew, which you can avoid by not over-watering.
Growing requirements:
Sage will grow almost anywhere, but it provides the tastiest leaf when it receives a lot of sunlight. This evergreen shrub is hardy from zone 4 - 11.
Plant young sage plants only after the ground temperature hits 65°F, one to two weeks before the last frost. Sage thrives in well-drained, sandy, loamy soil, and it prefers a pH between 6.0 and 7.0. Resist the temptation to over-fertilize; it might grow a little faster, but its flavor will be less intense. Sage grows in a round, bush-like fashion, and individual plants should be spaced 24" to 36" apart.
Plant in medium to full sun. If you are growing it indoors, place your pot near a sunny window. It is a fairly drought-tolerant herb, and even when the leaves look wilted, a little water perks the entire plant right up. Wait until the soil is dry to give it a thorough watering.
Plant sage near carrots, strawberries, tomatoes, and cabbage. Because the beautiful blossoms attract pollinators, let a couple of plants go to flower.
Harvesting:
Many experts suggest retiring a sage plant after four to five years. The leaves supposedly lose their fresh flavor and develop a "woody" taste. Some have found, however, when they prune back the thick, woody stems in early spring, their sage tastes just fine. If your sage does begin to slow down in production or lose flavor, just propagate a new plant by means of cuttings or layering.
Sage can be harvested on an as-needed basis, clipping just above the spot where two leaves meet, and cutting only the fresh lighter green leaves, leaving the hard woody stems to generate more growth. For the richest concentration of their aromatic oils, harvest leaves in the morning, once the dew has dried.
It is also suggested to conduct a larger sage harvest about twice during its growing season, in order to encourage a prolific, evenly shaped and rounded plant. Just cut the stems back, harvesting no more than half of the plant, and have a few preservation ideas at the ready.
In the fall, do not cut the plants down to the crown, but leave the parent stalks at least 3 – 4” from the ground to ensure proper, even growth in the spring.
Storage and use:
To freeze, chop up and remove tough stems, and place a teaspoon or two into each compartment of an ice cube tray. Top off with water and freeze. Once frozen, remove cubes and store in an air tight freezer bag or jar in the freezer. Use to flavor sauces and soups. To use as fresh in salad dressings or dishes with little liquid content, place a cube in a glass of room temperature water until melted and strain through a sieve to remove the sage from the water.
To dry, gather sprigs into small, loose bundles and secure the stems with rubber bands. Be careful to alternate the branches to allow for good air filtration between the broad leaves. Brown paper bags can be used to cover the branches to keep dust off and to keep sunlight from bleaching out the color, but be sure they have slits cut into the sides to allow for adequate air flow around the herbs. Check occasionally to make sure moisture is not building up inside the bags. Hang upside down in a warm, dry place until the leaves are brittle to the touch, approximately 2 weeks. Place dried bundles on wax paper, crumble the dried leaves and separate out all of the tough stems. Store in a cool, dark place in a glass jar with a tightly fitted lid for up to a year. Unlike many herbs, sage does not loose its flavor when dried, and some would argue it even takes on more flavor! Use sparingly until you become comfortable with the amount to use to flavor to your tastes. Leaves can also be dried in a warm oven on parchment paper-lined baking sheets.
Health benefits:
*Sage should not be used by pregnant or nursing women or by people who have epilepsy
Serving ideas:
Growing garden sage is so economical and time-saving. Its flavor is so intense that only a dash is needed to flavor a dish. Sage is also one of the few herbs that, even as its leaves grow larger, the flavor intensifies. Unlike many herbs, sage leaves are still delicious after the plant flowers.
Sage is sturdy, hardy, prolific, and drought-tolerant. It grows well within a wide range of temperatures and planting zones. It also boasts a long growing season. Since this resinous herb is evergreen in most zones, you can harvest sage well into late fall. While tender herbs like basil might die on the first freeze, sage will still be growing strong.
Since it prefers well-drained soil, sage is a perfect candidate for container gardening. Most pests pose no threat to sage. Your only concern might be mildew, which you can avoid by not over-watering.
Growing requirements:
Sage will grow almost anywhere, but it provides the tastiest leaf when it receives a lot of sunlight. This evergreen shrub is hardy from zone 4 - 11.
Plant young sage plants only after the ground temperature hits 65°F, one to two weeks before the last frost. Sage thrives in well-drained, sandy, loamy soil, and it prefers a pH between 6.0 and 7.0. Resist the temptation to over-fertilize; it might grow a little faster, but its flavor will be less intense. Sage grows in a round, bush-like fashion, and individual plants should be spaced 24" to 36" apart.
Plant in medium to full sun. If you are growing it indoors, place your pot near a sunny window. It is a fairly drought-tolerant herb, and even when the leaves look wilted, a little water perks the entire plant right up. Wait until the soil is dry to give it a thorough watering.
Plant sage near carrots, strawberries, tomatoes, and cabbage. Because the beautiful blossoms attract pollinators, let a couple of plants go to flower.
Harvesting:
Many experts suggest retiring a sage plant after four to five years. The leaves supposedly lose their fresh flavor and develop a "woody" taste. Some have found, however, when they prune back the thick, woody stems in early spring, their sage tastes just fine. If your sage does begin to slow down in production or lose flavor, just propagate a new plant by means of cuttings or layering.
Sage can be harvested on an as-needed basis, clipping just above the spot where two leaves meet, and cutting only the fresh lighter green leaves, leaving the hard woody stems to generate more growth. For the richest concentration of their aromatic oils, harvest leaves in the morning, once the dew has dried.
It is also suggested to conduct a larger sage harvest about twice during its growing season, in order to encourage a prolific, evenly shaped and rounded plant. Just cut the stems back, harvesting no more than half of the plant, and have a few preservation ideas at the ready.
In the fall, do not cut the plants down to the crown, but leave the parent stalks at least 3 – 4” from the ground to ensure proper, even growth in the spring.
Storage and use:
To freeze, chop up and remove tough stems, and place a teaspoon or two into each compartment of an ice cube tray. Top off with water and freeze. Once frozen, remove cubes and store in an air tight freezer bag or jar in the freezer. Use to flavor sauces and soups. To use as fresh in salad dressings or dishes with little liquid content, place a cube in a glass of room temperature water until melted and strain through a sieve to remove the sage from the water.
To dry, gather sprigs into small, loose bundles and secure the stems with rubber bands. Be careful to alternate the branches to allow for good air filtration between the broad leaves. Brown paper bags can be used to cover the branches to keep dust off and to keep sunlight from bleaching out the color, but be sure they have slits cut into the sides to allow for adequate air flow around the herbs. Check occasionally to make sure moisture is not building up inside the bags. Hang upside down in a warm, dry place until the leaves are brittle to the touch, approximately 2 weeks. Place dried bundles on wax paper, crumble the dried leaves and separate out all of the tough stems. Store in a cool, dark place in a glass jar with a tightly fitted lid for up to a year. Unlike many herbs, sage does not loose its flavor when dried, and some would argue it even takes on more flavor! Use sparingly until you become comfortable with the amount to use to flavor to your tastes. Leaves can also be dried in a warm oven on parchment paper-lined baking sheets.
Health benefits:
- One tablespoon provides 43% of the daily recommended serving of vitamin K
- Also an excellent source of fiber, vitamin A, folate, calcium, iron, magnesium and manganese
- B vitamins such as folic acid, thiamin, pyridoxine and riboflavin in much higher doses than the recommended daily requirements
- Healthy amounts of vitamin C, vitamin E and copper
- Asthma
- Bacterial and fungal infections
- Calming and stimulating the nervous system
- Candida
- Colds
- Coughs
- Excessive perspiration
- Gastrointestinal upset
- Gingivitis
- Headache
- Hot flashes
- Improving memory
- Indigestion
- Intestinal infection
- Insect bites
- Joint pain
- Liver complaints
- Oral inflammation
- Rheumatism
- Skin, throat, mouth and gum infections
- Soothing the digestive tract
- Sprains, swelling, ulcers and bleeding
- Stimulating upper digestive secretions
- Strengthening the nervous system
- Throat infections
*Sage should not be used by pregnant or nursing women or by people who have epilepsy
Serving ideas:
- Use to make a delicious stuffing for your Thanksgiving feast
- Use to flavor eggs, chicken, lamb and soups
- Add roughly chopped fresh sage near the end of caramelizing onions or sautéing mushrooms
- Add to pesto
- Add when making cheese
- Infuse in olive oil to use on pasta with parmesan
- Add to bean dishes
- Add with parsley, basil, thyme and rosemary to tomato sauces
- Make an herb vinegar
- Make brown butter sage – good on eggs, roasted chicken, fish, baked potatoes, squash, pasta, casseroles, salads
- Deep fry the leaves and serve as an appetizer or as a garnish for poultry, meat dishes or pasta
- Add to cheddar biscuits
- Make sage and honey syrup – drizzle over desserts, use medicinally for sore throats and coughs, stir into warm water with lemon as a soothing tea
- Make a sage tincture
- Use sprigs in flower arrangements