The care and feeding of my sage

Shortly after we moved into the house, the patch of sage around our mailbox exploded into a beautiful thick mound of purple blossoms. But now it's all done and I have a couple of questions.

Can I expect it to bloom any more this summer?

Can I do anything with the old blooms? They're just kind of brown and ugly now. Or should I just leave them be?

On a side, but related, note, I've been pulling off leaves a couple of times a week for cooking and they've really accented some of the food. Wonderful!!

 

You can just dead head it. Cut off all the dead blossoms and new growth will appear. I don't think it will rebloom. You can also eat the blossom when they are in bloom.

 

Thanks, Tooty, but another very beginner question... dead head it? Does that mean cutting each individual blossom off at the stem or the whole blossom stem off at the ground?

Eating sage blossoms? That's a new one to me. I'll have to look into that the next time it blooms.

 

Hi Liberty, pinching back any herb is good for it. this keeps new and tender growth coming. Take a pair of shears or pruners and cut the plant back by 1/3 to maybe 1/2.Don't cut it clear to the ground. Deadheading just means to pinch or cut off the dead/spent flowers. If plant has spent blooms all over it, it is just easier to use a pair of shears and trim the whole plant. If you let it go to seed, you will be weeding the sage from everywhere in the spring. So deadheading is also considered weed control.

 

Cutting off the dead blossoms is called "dead heading". I don't know who came up with that term but that is what it means. You can cut the old blossom of right under the dried up end, or if you like a little further down the stem. Hope that helps.

 

If you trim the plant back as Carolyn suggested, save some of the stems, minus the spent blossoms,to hang upside down and let the leaves dry. You'll have dried sage to use in the winter when the fresh isn't available.

 

Ms.Liberty--I have had a sage for years. It start life as a mini plant brought home from the supermarket, but eventually became 3' X 3' X 3'. It was at that point I decided to cut it back severely and have done so many times now. I have also transplanted it to make way for a house addition.

The fresh sage is great in the kitchen, isn't it? Good luck with your plant. I hope it gives you as much enjoyment as mine has given me. We like to dip the leaves in egg wash, then salted flour, and then saute them in a little oil. Delicious!

 

Thanks everyone for the advice. It all makes more sense now. I have a LOT of dead heading to do. My patch of sage is almost 4x4.

Cayuga, I'm planning on trying your recipe one of these nights for dinner. My husband does the cooking when he's home. But sometimes he doesn't get home until late, so I'll do it. It will make a nice surprise for him if I can do it right. So you serve them with anything in particular?

 

Ms. Liberty-

We have them as an appetizer. They only take a minute or so sauteing before they burn. Good luck & enjoy1

 

Cayuga, tonight ended up being a perfect night for me to try sauteing the sage leaves. My husband hasn't come home yet (sadly he and another wildlife agent are tracking down a mountain lion that was hit and injured by a car). His absence gave me a chance to try and fail a few times.

The first time I had the heat turned up too high.

The second time I used big leaves. They came out bitter.

The third time I used smaller leaves. The weren't nearly as bitter and had a perfect crunch to them. And it's like they puff up some.

I think I still need to play around some with the recipe, but they'll please the hubby. Not only that, but saying that sauteed sage leaves are on the menu sounds very ultra-chic.

Thanks for the tip.

 

toni--I hope we are talking about garden sage!

Miss Liberty--I am glad you tried the recipe! Yes, the leaves do puff up for a bit. It is the kind of appetizer that you make & immediately eat. And yes, it is pretty cool to say you are having sauteed sage on the menu!

.....Tracking an injured mountain lion?

 

Toni, all I know is that it's sage. I use it in my cooking and it adds great flavor. It was here before we moved in.

Cayuga, my husband is a Wyoming Game Warden, so he gets these unpleasant jobs sometimes.

 

Hope the "kitty" is okay! And good luck with the sage.

 

If we're talking about Salvia officinalis I'm very envious of your big patch! We've grown sage for years but we lost them all last winter due to the harsh temps and no snow.

We use sage in cooking, but also as a remedy for sore throats, coughs and smaller mouth-related ailments. It also helps to heal rashes or insect bites. I make tea from sage and birch leaves when I feel worn out.

I have never tried to sautee the leaves but might persuade my husband to try it. How hot should the oven be?