Ideally, the seeds should be kept at a temperature of 68-86 F (20-30 C). – Sprinkle the white sage seeds over the soil and loosely cover with additional soil. White sage is a perennial desert plant. Growing Cultures. Choose a location with well-drained soil and full sun for transplanting outside. White sage (Salvia apiana) is a small evergreen shrub native to the Southwest, particularly California. A mulch of sand or rocks will keep the soil warmer and reflect the sun's heat back at the white sage. Dig a planting hole with a trowel twice as wide as the root ball. White sage grows as a perennial in those zones, but can also be grown as an annual in other zones. While culinary sage is easy to grow, white sage is a bit pickier about growing conditions. Fertilize your garden well before planting your sage. Sow white sage seeds no deeper than 1/4 inch. Growing White Sage From Seed Seed is the most common way to grow new plants. Preferred pH Range. Sage seeds will take about 3 weeks to germinate, and then … Give your plants a deep soak every two weeks at the most. How to Grow White Sage? This herb was used as a medicinal plant by Native Americans, but is also used for culinary purposes. Keep the plants in a sunny location and water them when the soil dries completely. The plant has a history of use by Native Americans. Set the plants 2 feet apart. – If starting off with containers, keep your seeds in a sunny spot that gets at least 6 hours of sun per day. Its leaves are evergreen, with a whitish tinge and they have a powerful aroma when they are crushed. White sage prefers somewhat dry conditions. Plant Height. White Sage (Salvia apiana) seed harvest has begun, the giant plants lifting their aromatic fronds to the summer sun. Plant your sage into the soil firmly and tamp down. Choose a sunny area for planting the white sage seedlings. Mix in some sand or compost into the soil. I’ve always found the seeds can be a bit hit and miss. That’s the way I grow sage. Prune after flowering to encourage more growth. Also suited to pots, sage grows well in courtyards, balconies and windowsills. Then use a rooting powder to dip the ends into. I let the soil rest for a week before planting. The easiest and best way to start sage is from a small plant. Water the soil from the top until the excess water begins draining out the bottom. How to Grow Sacred White Sage (Salvia apiana) NATIVE HABITAT. Dig planting holes for the white sage seedlings that are the same size as a cell in the planting pack. Growing sage from seed - the first obvious advantage to growing sage from seed is price. Water when the potting mix dries, but avoid making it soggy. Fill the pot with a cactus soil mix. Sage is normally brought as ready-grown plants from garden centres, but you can grow from seed or take cuttings. Native Americans have used white sage for its medicinal properties for centuries. Now that you know how to grow white sage, it's time to roll up your sleeves and get to planting! Mist with water and place the seed tray in a room temperature medium with sun. Kit Arbuckle is a freelance writer specializing in topics such as health, alternative medicine, beauty, senior care, pets and landscaping. Sage’s active growing season is May-September. Set the pot in a window that receives full sunlight, such as a south-facing window, in a … Sage is most commonly used in cooking as an accompaniment to white meat such as fish and chicken. Start by sowing seeds indoors in early spring. Learning how to grow white sage is easy as this herb can be planted by seeds, requires minimal upkeep, and is great for attracting beneficial insects to your garden! Transplant the white sage cuttings into 6-inch pots filled with standard garden soil three weeks after they root. Check the seeds regularly for moisture levels and sprouts. Plant the sage. Plant the cutting in the soil. Water thoroughly to settle the soil. PlantInstructions.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for websites to earn referral/advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. White sage (Salvia apiana) can grow to 3-5' in height and 4-6' wide (flowers spike to 9'+). Also try planting near a wall or rock on the south side. Mist the soil with water so it is nice and moist. Do this by filling small potting trays with potting mix and spreading the seeds on top of the soil. The flower spikes last a single season but since the plant is a perrenial, the base will be around next season. Dig a planting hole with a trowel twice as wide as the root ball. You can expect every other seed to germinate and the seeds last for three years or more. Once the temperature has warmed outside and no danger of frost will come, it's time to transplant your white sage. (That mister bottle is … Dip one end of the cutting into a … Sage plants usually grow to a height of 24 to 36 inches (60 -90cm). Angel-Wing Begonia Germination Temperature, U.S. Department of Agriculture Plant Guide: White Sage, Kansas State University Research and Extension: White Sage. The plant is native to central and southern California, with a gene center probably in Eastern San Diego County. If you choose to go the seed route, sow indoors for 6 – 8 weeks before the last frost under a plant light. White sage also needs light for germination. Plant them about 1/4 inch deep in a light seedling mixture. Sandy loam is best but sage will grow in very average soil as well. © Copyright 2020 Hearst Communications, Inc. White sage is native to the desert regions of the southwestern United States and parts of Mexico. A short-lived perennial (because it tends to look straggly after a few years), sage is a wonderful highlight herb, bringing contrast and colour to the herb garden. Improve soil drainage as needed with amendments such as sand and compost mixed into the dirt. Take a four- to six-inch cutting from a mature plant that is at least a few years old. If you do decide to sow seed, do so into small pots in spring and cover with a thin layer of perlite. Consequently, if you opt to grow from seed, you’ll need to overplant to compensate for the 30% or lower germination rate. Just be sure to place the pots in a sunny location and ensure that the soil and pot is well draining! If you decide to grow your sage from seed, take note that it will likely take a couple years to fully mature. White sage has many properties. … Prune the leaves and branches back after flowering to encourage more growth. If artificial light alone is used when growing sage in containers, give it 14 to 16 hours daily. Hardy in zones 8 through 11, white sage (Savia apiana), is a small evergreen shrub that's native to California. White sage will not grow well in soggy locations or in the shade. The leaves are described as crenulate - scalloped in laymen's terms. 10 Indoor Gardening Ideas You Have to Try! Do this by filling small potting trays with potting mix and spreading the seeds on top of the soil. Water to a depth of 1/2 inch, once a week. In winter, try c… The leaves are usually 4-8 centimeters long with a tapered base. She has training in landscaping and a certification in medicinal herbs from a botanical sanctuary. Here are some of the benefits of burning white sage: Physical Healing. While the plant is not yet considered an endangered species, it has been vastly overharvested in its native environment and is considered to be at risk by United Plant Savers. The seeds need a temperature range between 68 and 86 degrees Fahrenheit to germinate. Germination should take approximately 14 to 21 days. This will further reflect sunlight and heat to your white sage plant. It’s not uncommon to have a … Sage plants should be spaced 24 to 36 inches (60 - 90cm) apart. White sage, being a desert plant, needs sandy, well draining soil and lots of sun. The seeds need light to germinate, and should be kept somewhere between 70° and 85°F. Plant sage in full sun. Keep the pots in a sunny location and water once the soil gets dry. White Sage (Salvia apiana) is a shrub that is endemic to low elevations of the coast, hills, and valleys of Southern California and Baja, Mexico.These areas have Mediterranean-style climates where winters are wet, summers are dry, and temperatures are moderate year-round. A pack of sage seeds (salvia officinalis) from Nickys Nursery for example costs just £1.25 for 70 seeds. Sage offers antioxidants, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties to promote overall health and target emerging infections. How to Plant Sage. White sage will not grow well in soggy locations or in the shade. Best location: Plant sage in full sun; sage will tolerate partial shade but the flavor of leaves will be diminished. The leaves grow in florets atop long stems, sometimes called sage wands, and appear tinted white due to the fine hairs that cover them. A white sage bush can grow up to a maximum height of about 6 feet. If you purchase a product via those links through Amazon, Amazon will pay us a referral fee, at no extra cost to you. Once the seeds grow true leaves, transplant the herbs to larger pots. I use well-rotted manure and general fertilizer. Transplant seedlings to larger containers when they form true leaves. Soil preparation: Grow sage in well-drained soil. Where to Plant Sage. Start seeds indoors in early spring. Start seeds inside about eight weeks before the last frost. Spread seeds on top of the potting medium and mist with water. Plant the white sage outside in the fall. California white sage (salvia apiana) is a perennial shrub that can grow to almost five feet tall and four feet wide which is revered by Native American Indians. If you want to know how to grow white sage, simply follow the tips, information, and advice provided here: White Sage Is a Perennial Evergreen. Several sage varieties have variegated leaves: purple, yellow, green, or green and white. For the soil method, follow the same directions to get cuttings of the sage. You can either plant sage plants or plant seeds. Plant the white sage outside in the fall. White sage attracts bees, butterflies and hummingbirds, … Try to limit your harvest to when it’s not flowering. Dig the holes so they are about 14 to 16 inches apart. It grows as a perennial in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 8 through 11, but can also grow as an annual in other zones. If you are transferring a sage plant into the ground, then make sure to plant it at the same level as it was in the pot. Place the seed tray or pots in a location that is room temperature. White sage is an evergreen perennial herb in Southwestern desert climates. Successfully learning how to grow sage plant indoors will include using the right soil too. Overwatering can cause mildew problems or kill the plant. How to Grow Rhubarb in a Pot or in the Garden, How to Grow Wasabi Root & Wasabi Plant Info, 12 Clever Gardening Hacks Every Gardener Should Know, 6 Fastest Growing Vegetables for Beginner Gardeners, 8 Rules for Healthy Houseplants That Everyone Should Know, 15 Low Maintenance & Pet Friendly Houseplants. White sage thrives in warmth, so plant after the last frost in the spring. Clay pots assist in drainage. Over watering will kill the plant, especially during the summer months. Choose a location with full sun and well draining soil in your garden. It grows between 2 and 5 feet tall and can throw flower stems up to 6 feet. Mist with water and place the seed tray in a room temperature medium with sun. Growing White Sage from Cuttings – You can also grow white sage from a cutting, though the success rate of this is only about 20 percent. Too much shade and humidity will cause your white sage to mildew. Be sure to mist the tray regularly, and avoid waterlogged soil. Allow excess water to drain from the containers. Sage should be planted in well-draining soil; it won’t tolerate sitting in wet soil. If you'd like to keep your white sage plant in pots, you can certainly do so! … I hurry to get a hit before the birds do the job for me! Appearance of White Sage. White Sage or Grandfather Sage, known botanically as Salvia apiana is a native shrub that only grows naturally in coastal California from Santa Barbara to the Mexican border.. All of the dried white sage bundles that are used each year, are wildcrafted from the wild shrubs. Like this post? It can be challenging to grow white sage from seeds because the germination rate is low. I have wanted to grow white sage for a long time, even though Lake County, Illinois is hardy in Zone 5 and white sage is hardy in Zones 7 to 10, or areas with a warmer climate without hard frosts or freezes. Share, Pin, and Comment Below . In warm climates, white sage is a perennial evergreen. http://learn-how-to-garden.comI hope you enjoy the second of my videos on herbs, this one being Sage, a brilliant herb in my book. After prepping your soil, you can plant the sage either in pots or in the ground. Fill a planting tray or small pots with a seed-starting potting mix. To germinate, simply sprinkle the white sage seeds on the surface of the soil, then wet them down with clean water from a plant mister type spray bottle. Use a sandy, cactus mix or something similar and fill up a seed tray or small 4 inch pots. Plant Spacing. Keep the soil moist but not soggy. It also attracts beneficial insects to the garden with its spring and summer flowers and provides food to native wildlife. Remove a white sage seedling from a cell in the planting packs. Outdoors, in containers, and hydroponics. White sage, like cactus, prefers a sandy soil mix with extremely good drainage. Choose a spot next to the house or a rock wall, if possible, where the soil stays warmer and the plant … Place the sage in the hole and backfill it with soil. Scatter some sage seeds as you go, and mist them with a little spray bottle to encourage germination. However, white sage seeds are notoriously bad at germinating. Growing from seed or taking cuttings will mean a longer time until you have plants ready to harvest. This will improve with drainage, as white sage does not like soggy soil. Planting White Sage Start by sowing seeds indoors in early spring. Growing your own white sage for personal use is a great way to reduce the environmental impact of over harvesting. 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