Last updated on October 23rd, 2023 at 09:01 pm
Sage transforms any balcony into a Mediterranean herb garden, if a few aspects of proper cultivation are taken to heart. Find out here how to get the best out of the aromatic half-shrub in a tub.
Lavish growth thanks to 1a location and substrate.
For sage in a pot to thrive lushly on the balcony, the choice of location and substrate exert a significant influence. If you choose a sunny, warm place, the Mediterranean herb plant will immediately feel at home. If you use commercial herbal soil, it should be enriched with compost and horn shavings.(49,00€ at Amazon) For the desired permeability, add sand or perlite (21,00€ at Amazon).
Planting sage in a pot – how to do it step by step.
There are only a few steps with which the successful cultivation of sage on the balcony stands or falls. Proper planting in mid-May is one of them. This is how you proceed:
- A drainage above the water drainage prevents harmful waterlogging.
- Fill the substrate to two-thirds of the pot height
- Plant the young sage exactly as deep as in the seed pot.
Proper care on the balcony from the beginning.
Freshly planted sage watered regularly and thoroughly until well rooted. Allow the substrate to dry out between waterings. From the second year of standing, the water requirement is reduced. Nutrient care consists of giving organic liquid fertilizer every 2 weeks from March to August.
The linchpin in the care is the targeted pruning. To prevent the evergreen half shrub from becoming woody, we recommend continuous pruning of the shoot tips – beyond the harvest requirement. In this way, you support the further branching of the herbaceous plant parts and keep the lignification in check. The main pruning is done in early spring by pruning sage to 15 centimeters.
Before the first frost, cover the substrate with leaves or straw. The tub is given a winter coat of jute and placed on a block of wood.
Tips & Tricks
Do not simply throw away eggshells. As an addition to the substrate of sage, they make a valuable contribution to permeability and counteract compaction. In addition, crushed eggshells act as a natural lime supplier.