Sage

A picture of a sage plant - the world of plants

Sage is one of the herbs used to flavor food and has many medicinal uses. It is green and gray in color. It is included in many medical prescriptions and is used in the manufacture of some cosmetics and scents. It also has a great ability to attract bees.

Properties and uses of sage

Sage has soothing and antibiotic properties that work to give the body the ability to fight infections. It helps expel gases and reduce sweating. Sage contains in its components a number of volatile oils, including thujone, cineol, linalool, borneol, camphor, pinene, flavonoids and resin.

Usually, sage is used to treat infections of the mouth, throat, and tonsils, which helps in soothing the mucous membranes, as it is used as an infusion in hot water.

Drinking sage helps reduce breast milk, soothes stress and headaches.

It helps in improving the gums and the smell of the mouth when rubbing the teeth with it. It helps in accelerating the treatment and healing of wounds

It helps in tightening and stimulating the muscles of the uterus, so you should avoid taking it during pregnancy. It helps in alleviating flashes during menstruation.

Sage - the world of plants

Sage cultivation

Suitable soil

Sage can be grown in any type of soil, provided that it has good drainage and ventilation, and in general, yellow soil is considered the best soil in which to plant.

Reproduction

A - Sage can be grown through seeds, which are planted in February until seedlings form.

B - It is possible to plant using cuttings, but here the cuttings must be treated with a rooting hormone. Planting begins at the end of summer and prepared cuttings are used from March.

C- One acre of sagebrush needs from 6,000 to 7,500 seedlings, but if the cultivation will take place in a reserve, the acre needs about 7,500 seedlings.

Soil preparation

A- Adding local fertilizer to the soil at a rate of 12 to 15 cups per acre.

B- Stirring or plowing the soil well to aerate and mix the fertilizer with the soil.

C- Soil leveling.

D- Add superphosphate fertilizer at a rate of 150 kilograms per acre.

E- Planning the soil, with the distance between the line and its adjacent area being 70 to 90 cm.

F- Seedlings are planted so that the distance between the seedling and its neighbors is 20 to 30 cm.

Irrigation

Sage is one of the plants that can withstand extreme thirst for long periods, as this plant does not lose water quickly because its surface is covered with hairs and down. Therefore, the plant is watered at intervals of up to three weeks between one watering and the next in the winter, but in the summer, watering is done. Every two weeks, and it does not require heavy irrigation, as excessive irrigation affects the amount of volatile oils by decreasing. Here, it must be taken into account that the number of irrigation times should not be less than 6 irrigations, provided that irrigation stops at least a week before harvest.

Fertilization

Sage needs to be fertilized with fertilizers at the following rates:

  1. Super phosphate at a rate of 150 kilograms per acre.
  2. 37.5 kilograms per acre of potassium sulfate.
  3. Ammoniac sulphate at a rate of 150 kilograms per acre.

Half of these quantities are added about three weeks after planting, while the other half is added two weeks after adding the first half. After harvesting, it is preferable to give doses of ammonia.

Pests and diseases

Viral diseases: - yellowing of leaves, viral leaf spot. To combat these diseases, a long-term agricultural cycle must be followed, working to uproot the infected plants from the roots and burn them.

B - Fungal diseases: - Fungal leaf spot, powdery mildew, stem rot, root rot. Control is done by avoiding excessive irrigation, planting in suitable soil, sterilizing the soil, and soaking the seeds in water at a temperature ranging between 40 and 50 degrees Celsius for a period. From 20 to 30 minutes, treat the seeds or cuttings with fungal disinfectants, use the appropriate fungicide.

T - Nematodes: - They are controlled by uprooting infected plants from the roots, burning them, and working to sterilize the soil and treating it with a suitable nematicide before planting.

Flowers and harvest

The plant begins to flower in late March and continues until May. Flowering increases with the passage of years. Harvesting is done by cutting the plant and two cuttings are taken in the first year. In the following years, two cuttings are taken, provided that the mowing or mowing is done during the day and the plant is cut. Plant such that about 15 cm of the plant is left above the soil until the plant resumes its growth. Cultivation continues for about four years, then the planting is transferred to a new spot.

The most important instructions for growing sage at home

Sage:

Choosing the appropriate location for planting sage

The main key to the success of sage cultivation is exposing it to sunlight on a daily basis, for at least 6 to 8 hours a day. Therefore, the first thing to consider when choosing the appropriate location for planting sage is to ensure that sunlight reaches the plant for no less than 6 hours as a minimum.

Preparing the appropriate soil for planting sage

The most important thing to consider when choosing the type of agricultural soil for sage is good water drainage, as excess moisture may stimulate fungal growth, which in turn will lead to root rot and plant death. Therefore, it is recommended to plant sage in sandy soil, and if sandy soil is not available, it can be planted in clay soil mixed with organic materials.

Choose the most appropriate time to plant sage

It is recommended to start planting sage during the spring; This is the most appropriate time to plant sage, specifically when the soil temperature reaches 18 Celsius.

Watering and caring for sage

As for watering sage, sage is a plant that does not like excessive moisture, because excess moisture only brings harm, so it is not recommended to irrigate sage unless the soil is completely dry. As for taking care of sage, as we said previously, the sage plant does not need a lot of care.

How to grow sage

Sage can be grown by following one of the following methods:

Growing sage with seeds

One of the disadvantages of this method is that it requires patience, because sage seeds need at least 6 weeks to begin to germinate, but in general it is easy and simple, as all you have to do

Scatter sage seeds over the soil

Cover the sage seeds after that with a light layer of dirt, and all that has to be done afterwards is to maintain the soil moisture.

Planting sage with branches

What distinguishes this method from other methods is that the sage grown in this way grows more quickly than that grown using other methods. The secret of the success of this method lies in that the branch is taken from a mature, strong sage plant and completely free of diseases, and that the branch is green and tender. This is because the woody branches cannot form buds from which the rest of the plant parts will grow. As for how to grow sage with branches; The following must be followed to plant it:

  • Cut the branch you want to plant to a length of approximately 10 cm.
  • Place the branch in a cup of water or in a rooting hormone until the roots grow.
  • Plant the rooted branch in the pot, after ensuring that the roots grow.

How to care for sage plant at home

Below are the most important points related to caring for this herb:

  • Keep the plant in a warm place at a temperature of 21 degrees Celsius.
  • Providing the necessary moisture for the plant, making sure to irrigate it in the appropriate amount, and ensuring that the soil is dry before the next irrigation operations.
  • Use mature, fresh leaves of the plant at least 3 times a week instead of using them dried, as this stimulates the growth process.

Sage - the world of plants

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