Harvesting sage

How to Harvest Your Sage

You can harvest your sage as you need it, whether that’s a whole stem or one leaf. However, the best time to harvest is before the plant flowers. Afterward, the leaves lose some of their aroma and flavor.

The correct way to harvest sage is to pinch off the leaves along the stem. You can pluck new small leaves, or larger leaves. Remove gently so you don’t pull the plant out of the ground.

How to Prune Your Sage

Spring is the best time to prune sage, because the plant will be vulnerable if you prune before winter and may not grow back in the spring. Prune about a third of the way down the stem, right above a set of two leaves. The plant will put out new growth right where the leaves meet the stem. Even if you don’t plan to use your sage leaves, it’s a good idea to prune the plant each year to reinvigorate the plant and help it keep its shape.

What are your sage-harvesting tips? Please tell us your experiences in the comments below.