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Can I save this sage?

DevrimDevrim Posts: 13
in Fruit & veg
My sage plant has been looking very sad since winter. (Sorry the photos appear sideways for some reason.) 

Could a hard prune revive it? Any other ideas?

Thank you in advance for any advice!




Posts

  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,889
    leave it alone for about another month or so, then cut to a couple of inches from the ground
    Devon.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Hostafan1 said:
    leave it alone for about another month or so, then cut to a couple of inches from the ground
    I agree. I do that every year. 😊 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • bcpathomebcpathome Posts: 1,313
    It’ll be fine ,just do as has been advised it looks worse than it actually is.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Depends where the OP is. Sage rarely overwinters well here, or at all.
    It has to be replaced every couple of years, especially the less robust types like the variegated one. I gave up growing it years ago as it's not worthwhile. Has to be in a pot and overwintered. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • Joyce GoldenlilyJoyce Goldenlily Posts: 2,933
    I have had a problem growing sage since moving to Cornwall. I assume it is the wet climate so I have begun growing it from seed every couple of years. My current plant looks just like the above pic., I put it in a pot on top of the soil under my potted olive tree, in the autumn, for some protection. It looks very tatty but is still alive, just. I will repot it in a few weeks time and sow some more seed to follow on next year. I might consider overwintering my next plant in the greenhouse.
  • DevrimDevrim Posts: 13
    I'm in London so it got buried under all that snow in December. I'll try waiting a month and cutting it right back. Thanks for the tips!
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Snow isn't necessarily a problem unless it's a foot or more and it freezes for ages.  :)
    It's how wet the ground stays while/after it melts that would be a bigger factor, as snow is a good insulator if it's on drier ground. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • Joyce GoldenlilyJoyce Goldenlily Posts: 2,933
    I have just brought my poor little sage plant indoors, given it a light prune, it is only a few inches tall,  and am going to repot itIt does have a few live leaves growing,  I have also rummaged in my box of seeds and found the packet of sage seeds to sow a few more. I am going to try keeping the resultant plants in the greenhouse to protect them from our wet climate down here as I think that could be the reason I have struggled so much to keep my sage going. 
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    @Joyce Goldenlily. Maybe it’s your soil,  our sage has been in for more years than I can remember,  dad grew them many years ago,  they always look straggly this time of the year but perk up,  I make several jars of dried sage every year,  can’t get much wetter than here. 
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

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