Some scents sometimes bring back happy memories.
Growing sage and using it to cook wonderful holiday meals is something your family will always remember.
Considering the cost of herbs to buy nowadays, growing your own herbs begins to make good sense. An additional bonus is the enjoyment of using fresh ingredients in your meals. The savings made by growing your own produce can leave you extra time and money to re-invest back into the garden
Sage, (Salvia Officinalis) has a long history that goes back to the ancient Romans who imagined that growing sage imparted wisdom and improved mental sharpness. Maybe that is the reason we never forget foods cooked with sage!
Growing sage–
Sage is a hardy perennial that can live up to five years. This plant is a native to the Mediterranean, and grows well in most soils. It prefers rather dry and sunny areas. Young sage needs to be watered four times a month. It is better to water the herb more during hot seasons, if you live in a high temperature climate.
Sow herb seed indoors within ten weeks of the scheduled outside planting. Water the seeds with warm water.
When the seeds germinate, plant the seedlings where it will receive full sun. Sage requires a temperature of 65 degrees Fahrenheit. Water until the soil gets slightly damp.
Use a bed of well draining soil. Work in a handful of bone meal twice during the summer for the growing sage.
The fastest way to start growing sage is to purchase in pots from the local garden store.
After the frost has past, in one quick stop at the garden shop, you can have sage in the bag! This might remove the fun of getting your hands dirty, but it is a time saving direction to go. You can plant the store bought sage directly in the garden.
Growing sage in an area that has a shallow water table could be troublesome, so try using containers or raised beds. Protect the plants from extreme weather conditions.
Harvest sage leaves just before the plant starts to bloom. To harvest, clip the leaves, leaving about half of the foliage on each branch.
To dry sage, spread the leaves out on a window screen in a ventilated area away from direct sunlight. The dried leaves can then be stored in jars or zip-lock storage bags.
When growing sage, you may notice the plants becoming “woody” after a few years.
It is time to turn over a new leaf. Either start again from seed, or use cuttings from another plant. If you allow your growing sage plants to flower and set seed, they will self-sow and do the job for you.
Growing sage benefits–
Growing sage has numerous health benefits, the secrets of which have been handed down from generation to generation.
Herb tea made with sage is a stimulant used to treat all sorts of ailment and disorders. It is also known to promote healthy gums and cleans teeth.
Sage tea compresses will help to get rid of headaches.
Cold sage tea helps with hot flashes during menopause for women.
A Thanksgiving feast would not be complete without turkey and dressing flavored with sage. It is even used throughout the year in poultry seasoning. The list is endless of foods that are seasoned to perfection with the addition of this tasteful herb.
And every cook, chef and home maker knows that a kitchen is never complete without a bundle of sage.
Do not leave sage out in the cold!
Growing sage deserves a spot in every herbal garden.
