When to Plant Sage
Set out young sage plants from 1 week before to 2 weeks after your last frost.
Sage at a glance
- Plant out
- from 1 week before to 2 weeks after your last frost
- Time to harvest
- 60 to 75 days from planting out
- Harvest lasts
- about 22 weeks
- Spacing
- 1 plant per square foot
- Frost
- Takes hard frosts
- Comes back
- Every year, as a perennial
Growing sage
Garden sage is a hardy, woody perennial with soft gray-green leaves. Grow it in full sun and well-drained soil, and replace plants every few years once they get leggy. Bees love the flowers in early summer.
Dates by hardiness zone
Typical dates for each zone; your ZIP code gives your own.
| Zone | Plant out | Pick |
|---|---|---|
| Zone 3a | May 21 – Jun 11 | Jul 20 – Oct 26 |
| Zone 3b | May 10–31 | Jul 9 – Nov 6 |
| Zone 4a | May 5–26 | Jul 4 – Nov 9 |
| Zone 4b | May 1–22 | Jun 30 – Nov 12 |
| Zone 5a | Apr 26 – May 17 | Jun 25 – Nov 16 |
| Zone 5b | Apr 24 – May 15 | Jun 23 – Nov 21 |
| Zone 6a | Apr 22 – May 13 | Jun 21 – Nov 22 |
| Zone 6b | Apr 16 – May 7 | Jun 15 – Nov 16 |
| Zone 7a | Apr 9–30 | Jun 8 – Nov 9 |
| Zone 7b | Mar 29 – Apr 19 | May 28 – Oct 29 |
| Zone 8a | Mar 22 – Apr 12 | May 21 – Oct 22 |
| Zone 8b | Mar 10–31 | May 9 – Oct 10 |
| Zone 9a | Feb 23 – Mar 16 | Apr 24 – Sep 25 |
| Zone 9b | Jan 25 – Feb 15 | Mar 26 – Aug 27 |
| Zone 10a | Jan 17 – Feb 7 | Mar 18 – Aug 19 |
| Zones 10b–11b | Frost is rare here, so plant sage in the cooler months and let the roots settle before summer heat. | |
Questions about sage
How do I dry sage?
Cut stems on a dry morning, tie them in small bunches and hang them somewhere warm and airy, out of the sun. Strip the leaves once they crumble.
Are sage flowers edible?
Yes, the blue-purple flowers are edible and loved by bees. Pick the leaves for cooking before and after the plant flowers.
