In this month’s Food Gardening Magazine, you get everything you need to know about growing sage at home—it’s one of the essential herbs for any cook’s kitchen! While there are hundreds of varieties of this wonderful herb, you can’t go and plant every type of sage—we’ll help you narrow down your list with a look at some popular varieties that are easy to grow, so you can have the pick of the crop of sage in the garden. You’ll be planting sage in no time, and harvesting sage before you know it!

You get all the tips, techniques, and advice about how to start and maintain an awesome herb garden with different sage plants—including sage for smudging. From culinary uses to spiritual applications, we’ve got you covered when it comes to growing sage!

Plus, you get specific advice about planting sage—including growing sage in pots or containers, and growing sage indoors.

You’ve probably heard that some plants grow better together than others; that’s true. Sage can attract pollinators, keep pests away, and actually enhance the flavor of some plants it grows near. We’ll guide you through the best sage companion plants to consider when planting sage in the garden. We’ll also give you the list of garden crops that don’t get along so well with sage, so you can keep your whole garden happy.

This gardening guide about sage is your #1 guide for being the best sage gardener you can be! You should refer to this gardening guide whenever you have questions about growing sage—from planning to planting and from maintaining and nurturing to harvesting and reaping the rewards in your kitchen.

First, you get a complete Introduction to Sage—including some history and basics about sage. Sage is one of the four most popular—and easy-to-grow—culinary plants. But sage’s value goes well beyond the kitchen. Learn about the other benefits of having sage in your herb garden.

Then, you get Feature Articles about Sage that include:

• Types of Sage Plants—learn which sage plants work well in the kitchen; which offer some medicinal applications; and which sage plants are fun to grow just for show.
• Choosing to Grow Sage from Seeds or Seedlings—find out how much effort it takes to grow your sage plants from seeds, or whether you’re better off starting your sage plants from seedlings.
• Growing Sage in Open Land, in Containers, or in Raised Beds—everything you need to know about growing sage where you live. Find out how easy it can be to grow sage in containers—with a little preparation.
• Starting with the Right Soil for Your Sage Plants—start with the right soil, and half your gardening worries are over. Learn why “less is more” applies to sage in more ways than one. And check our list of the ideal “companion” plants—plants that will grow well with your sage or help repel pests that could try to snack on your sage crop.
• The Right Sunlight for Your Sage—ensure that your sage plants get just the right amount of sunlight with our advice. How many hours a day is ideal for sage? Find out in this article how to get your sage that right amount of sun through strategic planting and placement.
• Should You Fertilize Your Sage Plants?—when, how, and how much to fertilize your sage crop is essential to a successful harvest. Learn how—and why—taking it easy on the fertilizer is likely to earn you a hardier harvest.
• How—and When—to Water Your Sage Plants—in this case, too little is way better than too much. Learn about the best times of day and the best ways to make sure your sage gets enough—but not too much—water.
• How—and When—to Harvest Your Sage Plants—this is a great harvest-as-you-go plant, but there’s definitely a time to call it done and bring in the full sage harvest before the leaves begin to lose their luster and flavor. Get your harvesting tips here.
• How to Spot, Treat, and Prevent Sage Diseases—tips to ensure that your sage plants don’t suffer from common plant diseases. It’s better to prevent than treat—get tips for both, just in case. A daily check-in of your plants will keep them healthier longer.
• What to Do About Pests that Can Harm Your Sage Plants—get quick-and-easy tips for eliminating pesky pests from your sage garden! From picking them off (by hand) to making your own pest spray, you’ll find the ideal way to deal with pests in your sage garden.
• The Right Way to Weed Your Sage Garden—sage does not like weeds crowding its growing area; preparation is the best prevention. Find out the best mulching technique to keep your sage garden weed-free.
• Root Rot: How to Identify, Treat, and Prevent Sage Root Rot—you can kill your sage with kindness, so take it easy on the water. Too much water is the key culprit in root rot, too. We’ll give you tips on controlling root rot—and keeping it from spreading to other plants.
• Essential Tools and Equipment for Growing Sage—get the full list of essential gardening tools and equipment for growing and enjoying sage … and for almost all of your gardening needs.

Next, this premium gardening guide highlights six popular sage varieties to help you choose the varieties you want to grow—this is just a sampling of the many varieties available:

• Common Sage
• Pineapple Sage
• Cleveland Sage
• Golden Variegated Sage
• Mealycup Sage
• Scarlet Sage

And your sage-growing efforts are all the more satisfying when you have quick and easy-to-make recipes to showcase your garden and kitchen skills. Food Gardening Network is all about providing delicious recipes for making yummy dishes. Try these recipes and enjoy your sage harvest:

• Roasted Vegetables with Sage and Pecans
• Butternut Squash, Sage, and Goat Cheese Lasagna
• Chicken Breasts with Fresh Sage
• Pumpkin Sage Soup
• Classic Turkey Dressing
• Lemon Sage Pasta Salad
• Sage-Lemon Tea

Next, you’ll learn all about the health benefits of sage with Nutrition Facts about Sage and Home Remedies & Health Benefits of Sage. Learn about all the wonderful and beneficial attributes of sage—including its contributions to cancer prevention, blood sugar health, and memory and brain health.

And to be sure you have everything you need to grow your own sage, we’ve included a Resources about Sage section—so that you can easily find additional tools and information about sage.

Finally, our Sage Glossary section gives you the explanation of key sage-gardening terms and concepts—so, you’re up to date about important sage-gardening ideas.

Check out this premium gardening guide now—The Ultimate Sage Guide—All You Need to Know About Growing, Harvesting, Cooking, and Healing with Aromatic Sage—and you’ll really learn everything you need to know about sage!

Cate Prato, Norann Oleson, Victoria Arnold, and Samantha Pulcherz contributed to the creation of this gardening guide.