Sage - any advice on successful growing?

Or should that be 'sage advice'? (:hehe

Over the past year I have bought three different types of sage plant, normal, variegated and purple and am not having much luck keeping any of them alive in my borders.

Would I be better off keeping them in a pot?

Does anyone have any tips on successful sage growing? How hardy are they? Perhaps our terribly cold winter was to blame?

 

not one of the easy hurbs to grow, need a lot of care to grow, lots of peple make the mistake of thinking sage is a hardy plant, as you have found out its not that easy to look after

 

I'm not sure about hardiness as I've always considered it to be totally hardy, but as I think it comes from the Med area, I'm not sure its totally hardy in Scotland.
I had a plant of the plain green variety that grew like crazy and flowered every summer, so I'm inclined to think that maybe your getting very low temperatures.

It needs a hot sunny position that is well drained.

 

Yes, I thought it was supposed to be quite hardy but then again we did have temperatures of minus 18 this winter at the worst point!

From what you say, the soil might be as much of a problem as the temperature since our soil is very sticky clay and we get a lot of rain that takes a long while to drain away. I'm gradually trying to improve soil quality but with limited funds it's going to take a while to see the benefits!

Thanks for the info though, I hadn't thought so much about the drainage being the key to the problem.

 

I'd go with what Pete says - well drained soil and sunshine. I have several Sage plants that always make it through winter. They do get a bit woody but a trim in Spring and new growth appears.

 

Crossed posts! Them in a raised bed of large pots.

 

sage i have ent seen any anywhere, wheres the best place for seeds.

 

I take it you mean you'd like some sage seeds Boebrummie?

If so, there are some here:
http://www.thompson-morgan.com/seeds1/product/484/1.html

 

thanks.

 

I sowed mine on the kitchen windowsill for a month or so. Then moved them to the coldframe and planted in larger pots.

2 are still in the coldframe and one I have planted in the garden under an old plastic bottle as a cloche - seems to be growing just fine so far. When the weather becomes reliably hotter I shall remove the plastic bottle.

 

If you go to "Herbs and Wildflowers" threads you will find a mine of info :lollol:

 

Thanks for the info in this post.
I have problems with sage as well and have always assumed sage to be a hardy plant. Maybe I will move it into a pot or in to another location in the garden where the soil is better.