Growing sage in the garden
Since ancient times, the medicinal properties of medicinal sage have been highly appreciated by doctors. There is an opinion that sage can even cure infertility. We do not know if this is really so, but there is no reason to doubt the useful properties of culture. And, of course, I also want to have such a magical medicinal herb in my garden.
Sage begins to bloom in the garden at the end of spring and its flowering can continue until the end of July. Salvia officinalis in the garden tolerates drought very well, but at the same time is impatient to frost. Even a few cool days can have a very negative effect on the growth and beneficial properties of sage - it will simply freeze.
Before planting sage in the garden, you need to choose a suitable piece of land for it. This southern culture needs a very well-lit area. Able to germinate on any kind of soil, except clay. Almost all sage varieties are very unpretentious to care for, the only important rule, in addition to non-clay soils, is to provide them with good soil drainage.
Also, sage in the garden can grow strong and healthy only in places where the root system of the plant does not receive excess moisture and has access to air.
If medicinal sage in the garden was nevertheless planted in the shady part of the summer cottage, then this of course will not lead to the death of the plant, but you should not expect rich flowering from sage in this case either. The homeland of sage is Italy, which is rich in the sun, therefore, even on Russian lands, sage does not forget about the bright Italian sun rays.
In general, the provision of the required amount of light and heat greatly affects the development of sage in the soil of the garden. If the soil on your site is clayey and there is no way to choose a better option for planting, then in the fall it is necessary to process the beds by mixing the soil with river sand and humus. Then dig well and deeply together with the soil. The main thing is not to overdo it with falling asleep with humus, since its excess will negatively affect the development of medicinal sage bushes in the garden.
It is necessary to carefully and carefully approach the selection of very fertile soil areas. After all, fertile soil is always a strong vegetative growth. This can lead to the fact that sage herbs will grow strongly, while losing both in the quality of flowering and in medicinal properties.
Subject to the recommendations, the agricultural technique for caring for sage in the garden is quite simple.
So, medicinal sage in the garden is able to grow healthy and strong, provided that you remember that it does not tolerate excess water, tolerates drought well, cannot withstand severe cold, gives better growth on soils that are not overflowing with clay.
Also, for the full-fledged good development of sage in the garden, it is necessary to periodically feed it by applying fertilizers. Also, sage will grow better in those beds where legumes or cabbage were previously grown on them.
Before planting sage in the garden, you first need to prepare the soil. Lime soil has excellent moisture retention and low moisture retention. It is then suitable for growing sage.
There are different types of medicinal sage in the garden, both annuals and perennials. When choosing a variety, you need to take into account the climatic characteristics of your region. So, if every year gives frosty winters, sage bushes will not be able to survive them. For this reason, it makes no sense to plant perennial varieties, but annuals will be able to please with a healthy appearance and useful properties.
The main reason sage leaves grow very tough is not enough water.Despite the fact that he calmly tolerates drought, this does not mean at all that you can completely forget about watering.
It is extremely important in the spring, when the first shoots of sage have just appeared, to provide them with watering. However, excessive abundant watering leads to the appearance of such malicious pests as slugs and spider mites.
Weeding the sage bushes regularly will provide them with the necessary amount of sunlight, which will positively affect its growth.
It is worth not forgetting about additional feeding of sage. For him, unlike many other crops, nitrogen and nitrogen-containing fertilizers are well suited. It is best to apply them before the sage begins to bloom. But in the fall, after the pruning has been carried out, it is advisable to add potash or phosphorus fertilizers (a prerequisite for such feeding is compliance with a strict dosage, which is usually indicated on the packages of ready-made mixtures).
Autumn feeding is necessary if you want sage to endure the winter with the least loss, and, in the case of perennial crops, to be able to give its flowering for the next summer season.
Pruning sage in the garden is an important point in plant care. She will be able to stimulate the growth of new shoots. Bushes should be trimmed at least twice a year (in spring and autumn).
You should not feel sorry for the grown branches, since the more branches you remove, the more new healthy shoots can form on the sage bushes. Of course, all already lignified shoots must be removed in a timely manner, as soon as you notice them.
With simple manipulations with the plant and easy care, you can grow a good harvest of healthy sage.