An herb of the year awardee in 2001 by the International Herb Association, sage is an herb garden plant that is considered as a very efficient cooking help as complements specifically for poultry, pork and veal.
Sage was enjoyed as a tea for many years during Charlemagneâs reign, and its use dates well back into ancient Rome for medicinal purposes due to its high antioxidant content. (The Romans even thought it to be the âherbal savior of mankindâ because of its medicinal properties. The belief that the growth of sage in a garden promotes immortality stems from these same ancient forefathers.) Today, studies confirm that it is a wonderful memory enhancer, a great way to introduce a helpful herb.
Nowadays, there are only four recommended sage plants for your garden. These would be: Garden sage, Purple Sage, Tri-color Sage, and Golden Sage. Regardless of which sage you choose, you should plant it well under a full sun with well-draining soil. (Note: the roots donât like to get wet.)
You can grow sage from seeds, but it does not easily germinate, and unfortunately, not all seeds will germinate no matter how hard you try to keep the soil damp and not wet. Germination may even take up to more than 6 weeks. So it is best recommended that sage be grown from cuttings.
From a mature sage plant, take some cuttings. Dip the tip of the cutting (where you cut it) in rooting hormone (available in local plant and gardening stores in your area). Until new growth appears on the cutting, cover it in plastic and keep in indirect sunlight. When new growths start to appear, you can plant it directly on garden soil or in your containers. It grows to a height of almost 3 feet.
Sage is a great herb to have in the kitchen. So plant one (or two) for your dishes today.
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