When to plant Sage
Calendar windows
Dates shift with your latitude — they are calculated from your local last-spring-frost date, not from a fixed calendar.
At a glance
Takes frost; can go out weeks before the last one.
Practical notes
Replace the plant every four or five years — old sage goes woody, sparse and bitter no matter how you prune it. Take cuttings in early summer and you never have to buy another.
Knowing when to pick
Pick young leaves before flowering; after it blooms the leaves toughen. Never cut back into the leafless woody base in autumn.
Storing the crop
Dries well but needs proper airflow — the thick leaves go mouldy in a closed bag. Freezes whole in leaves.
Crop rotation
Mostly perennial — give them a permanent sunny spot rather than a rotation slot.
Grows well with
Keep apart from
Watch for
Full guide: sage diseases and pests (2) → with spread routes, compost verdicts and the prevention this list justifies.