How do I choose sage?!
In California we grow a lot of sages. They grow here very well and if you ask for sage at the nursery, they would ask you what kind? So I am here to tell you what kind we have, and which one you want to grow depending on your needs, and how they will help you with annoying insects.
Let’s start simple. You want to cook sage. You get sage that is in the herb section. That sage will be short, and will cover a space of about 1-2 feet, it can grow in some partial shade as well as full sun. It will be gray or it may have purple, light green, or yellow stripes on leaves. There are a lot of them, so pick the one that looks good. The important part is that they are in the herb section of the nursery.
What if you have a drought tolerant garden, you have your drip system, and want to plant some sage because you read that it keeps mosquitoes away? Yes that is true, critters and bugs alike do not care for the smell of sage. In this case, I would suggest Mexican sage. It is a rather large plant, and it has very pretty purple or light pink flowers that bloom for the longest time. Plus it does not need much besides some water and pruning in winter after the plant finishes flowering. I love how it sways in the wind. Plus hummingbirds love the flower.
There are also a lot of sages native to California. The list of those is long, so I am going to just talk about a few that you can easily find. Let’s start with the queen of sages called White Sage. My neighbor Amy Thiel has several of those beauties in her front yard. When I asked her why she chose them, she said “… I love the contrast of color. I like white against the green. I like the smell too, I’ll grab a leaf so I can catch the scent.” Another two native sages that are worth considering are Black Sage and Cleveland Sage, both have green leaves and purple flowers. Those two sages are large bushes that can fill in a space. A much smaller variety that will take some shade is Hummingbird sage that has pink flowers. The good thing about native sages is that they will not need watering to nice established.
So if you have a sunny spot, and you want to keep critters and bugs from your garden plant some sage. Funny enough hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies love the plant, and are happy to visit it. The smell is most definitely strong. I am actually allergic to the plant and I cannot work with it for too long without a mask.
If you see some bites on the leaves of the sage, that is very normal. Some bugs like to eat the leaves. My edible sage has been bitten many times. This way I know it is organic, so I pick the nicest leaves for cooking and let the bug take a few bites as well.
To summarize, you have a lot of sages to choose from. The smell of the plant helps in keeping the bugs and critters away from the house. It is a great time to plant sage now, so take a trip to a nursery and see what you can find.
Happy Gardening!
Joanna Kotwis
