Sage is a wonderful plant to choose to grow in your garden, it can thrive in a wide range of different conditions. It brings many benefits to the gardener whether it is in growth or when harvested. When it comes to this herb, most of you will think predominantly of a useful culinary herb. But its edible uses are just one of the reasons to grow it where you live.
And in the article today, we want to share a list of the 12 best uses of this herb in the cooking and in the garden that you will be amazed. For example, it attracts pollinators and other beneficial insects, repels certain insects, as a companion plant, speeds decomposition in your compost heap, even cleaning and purifying home, cleaning teeth, and more. With all these uses that you can get from it, why you don’t give it a small space to grow in the garden? It’s time to growing them and try with some of its uses when it is ready!
#1 As a Low-Maintenance, Drought Tolerant Perennial Herb
Sage is one of those relatively low-maintenance plants that are easy to grow. It can cope with fairly low-nutrient conditions, rocky or very alkaline conditions. Once established, it can be very tolerant of dry, arid conditions. As long as the site where sage is growing is in full sun, and the conditions are free-draining. You can easily grow it in the ground, or in containers.
#2 To Attract Pollinators and Other Beneficial Insects
This plant is beloved of bees, and also helps to attract a wide range of other pollinators. Butterflies, for example, can also often be seen enjoying nectar from sage flowers. In addition, sage is also beneficial for attracting predatory insects such as hoverflies, which can help keep down aphid numbers and keep other plants nearby safer from attack.
#3 To Repel Certain Insects
Sage is also said to repel a range of unwanted insects from a garden due to its strong, pungent fragrance. It repels carrot rust flies, cabbage moths, cabbage loopers, cabbage maggots, cabbage worms, and black flea beetles. Burning sage will also help to keep mosquitoes and other biting insects.
#4 As a Companion Plant
Due to sage’s capacity to attract beneficial insects and keep away unwanted pests, it can be a great choice as a companion plant. Sage works well as a companion plant for carrots, and for Brassicas (cabbage family plants), potatoes, tomatoes, and strawberries. However, there are certain crops that won’t welcome sage as a companion plant. Cucumbers and other cucurbits, for example, can be stunted when aromatic herbs like sage are grown nearby.
#5 To Speed Decomposition in Your Compost Heap
Another interesting thing about sage is that it can be used as an ingredient in a compost activator that can aid in improving bacterial conditions on a composting system. Break down more quickly, and give you a high-quality compost. It is pretty good at dynamically accumulating certain plant nutrients, notably potassium and calcium. So adding sage to your compost heap, or strewing it as a mulch, could help to replenish these plant nutrients in your garden soil.
#6 For Use in a Range of Edible Recipes
Sage is of great benefit as a culinary herb. Both the leaves and the flowers are commonly used as a flavoring in a range of cooked meals. Often, as an aid to digestion, sage is used as a pot herb alongside heavy, fatty foods in savory dishes. But sage can also be used in dessert recipes too. The young leaves and blooms can also be eaten raw in salads or sandwiches.
#7 For Medicinal Purposes
Sage is well known as a domestic herbal remedy for issues with the digestive system. And it is also efficacious for a range of other ailments. For example, it has antiseptic properties, which make it ideal for helping to heal sore throats, mouth ulcers, and aching teeth. The herb is also used by herbalists to treat a range of other issues internally, including excessive salivation or perspiration, anxiety, depression, and reproductive issues. Externally, it can be applied topically to treat insect bites and other infections and irritations. However, excessive or prolonged use of the herb can be dangerous. Taking too much can cause a range of symptoms, and it is contraindicated during pregnancy or for those predisposed to convulsions. So, it is best to get the advice of a qualified herbal medicine practitioner.
#8 For Use in Naturally Cleaning and Purifying Home
You can use this herb to naturally clean and purify your home. Sage also helps to purify the air in your home when it is burned. Medicinal smokes such as that from sage can reduce airborne bacteria. Due to its antiseptic and antibacterial properties, sage can be useful when added to solutions for cleaning household surfaces.
#9 To Use in Cleaning Teeth
Sage is also great for cleaning your teeth. The leaves can simply be rubbed over the teeth and gums. This is a natural solution when a toothbrush is not to hand. You can also use sage as an ingredient in home-made toothpaste and tooth powders. Moreover, the antiseptic properties of the plant can come in handy. And sage can also help in healing diseased gums.
#10 In A Natural Skin Care Routine
Sage can also be used in soaps and a wide range of other products to use to clean your skin, and in your natural skincare regime.
#11 In Making Shampoo
Sage is also great for natural haircare. Sage is particularly beneficial in rinses for dark hair. Like rosemary, it is used in preparations that can naturally darken hair slightly over time.
#12 Or For a Natural Deodorant
Sage has natural antiperspirant properties that make it ideal for use in natural deodorants.
