How to Grow Culinary Sage: Planting, Spacing, Care & Harvest

Quick answer

Replant culinary sage outdoors after the danger of frost has passed (UMD). Needs very well-drained soil to overwinter. UMD: do not spray insecticides on herbs. This page is Salvia officinalis only — not scarlet, mealycup, or Russian sage.

Sage at a glance

PlantTransplant: last frost
SunFull sun; very well-drained soil required to overwinter (UMD).
SpacingNC State: height about 1–2 ft; width about 2–3 ft; space plants about 12 inches to 3 feet depending on habit.
Days to harvestPerennial
-3-2-1LF+1+2+3
■ Start indoors   ■ Plant out   ■ Harvest
Weeks relative to last frost (LF). Colored weeks show when our ZIP planner schedules each step.
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Updated

Planting dates for your ZIP: the ZIP planting planner counts each window from your local frost dates.

Organic pests and diseases: see also organic pest control. Use any product as the label directs.

Culinary sage (Salvia officinalis) only. Scarlet sage, mealycup sage, and Russian sage are ornamentals — separate pages.

Culinary sage leaves
Culinary sage (Salvia officinalis). Photo: Takkk, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 (resized).

Planting timing

UMD sage: start from seed indoors in a sunny location; “Replant outdoors after the danger of frost has past.” (UMD sage) UMD Care of Herbs groups sage with herbs that “can be started indoors and planted outside after the danger of frost has passed.” (UMD care of herbs) Planner: Transplant last frost 0. Indoor start weeks are not numbered in those sources — we do not invent a start rule.

Depth and spacing

NC State: height about 1–2 ft; width about 2–3 ft; space plants about 12 inches to 3 feet depending on habit. (NC State Salvia officinalis) Prefer those garden dimensions over a terse UMD spacing string that appears incomplete on the live page.

Sun, soil and water

Full sun; very well-drained soil required to overwinter (UMD). NC State: full sun to part shade; good drainage; occasionally dry OK.

Care

UMD: hard-prune woody stems when regrowth starts in spring; do not cut new growth; replace culinary plants every 3–4 years. UMD herb problems: “Do not spray insecticides on herbs.”

Harvest

UMD: pick leaves before or at blooming; you can cut back after blooming.

Pests and diseases

NC State: leafhoppers, slugs, spider mites, spittlebugs; root rot, powdery mildew, verticillium wilt. “Providing well-drained soil and good air circulation will reduce the possibility of pests and foliar diseases.” Cultural drainage and airflow; no insecticide sprays on culinary herbs (UMD).

Related: ZIP planner · organic pest control · rosemary · thyme · all grow guides

Frequently asked questions

When do I plant sage outside?

After frost danger has passed (UMD).

Is garden sage the same as scarlet sage?

No — culinary Salvia officinalis vs ornamental salvias.

Can I spray insecticides on sage?

UMD: do not spray insecticides on herbs.

More grow guides: All grow guides

Sources