Kitchen Garden Forum

I have a sage plant which is now rapidly spreading out and seems to have formed three main clumps on longish sections of stem (which formed from where I ran it over with my lawn mower). The stems have rooted, I'm not sure to what extent, but one of the clumps is growing into the lawn and I want to divide the plant and move that clump back into the border so I don't have to wait for my cuttings to fill in the space. Can I just cut the stem off the main plant and move it wholesale, if I don't disturb the roots, or will I have to just cut my losses and plant cuttings in the border and wait for them to reach a decent size?

Afternoon Dilettante, there is no reason why they shoul transplant ok, if there is a root system.....you have nothing to lose trying.

Hello Dilettante and welcome to the board.

When my sage outgrows the area I want to give it I just divide it with a spade, leaving the main plant undisturbed and using the trimmings wherever I want them. Although at present excess gets composted since I don't want any more growing.

oldherbaceous wrote:Afternoon Dilettante, there is no reason why they shoul transplant ok, if there is a root system.....you have nothing to lose trying.

Very true, I am not going to stress if I lose it, it just would be nice to have a fairly developed new plant.

Pa Snip wrote:Hello Dilettante and welcome to the board.

When my sage outgrows the area I want to give it I just divide it with a spade, leaving the main plant undisturbed and using the trimmings wherever I want them. Although at present excess gets composted since I don't want any more growing.

Thank you I'm going to give it a go when it dries out a bit outside. On a related note, I have noticed today my sage has developed a strange smell. Almost acidic and menthol-like. Is that normal for this time of year? I don't think I've noticed it before. The plant looks healthy.

Sorry i must start checking what i have wrote, as it should have read, shouldn't, not shoul.

oldherbaceous wrote:Sorry i must start checking what i have wrote, as it should have read, shouldn't, not shoul.

Not to worry II knew what you meant.

I've never even heard of sage smelling like menthol... but then again, I've only been growing it 2 years myself, so I've not had much time to stop and smell it...

A quick google doesnt turn up anything though :/

dan3008 wrote:I've never even heard of sage smelling like menthol... but then again, I've only been growing it 2 years myself, so I've not had much time to stop and smell it...

A quick google doesnt turn up anything though :/

Me neither. I mean it's not really menthol smelling but sniffing it a lot gave me that same cool feeling around my eyes etc. I don't know. Can't describe it. The menthol was the feeling, the smell was horrible, like lemony acidic unpleasantness. I don't know. It was maybe a bit tacky to touch as well actually come to think about it

I dont use much sage as it's such a strong smell, but it is very good for sore throats if you steep a few leaves in boiling water and then gargle with it.

You shouldn't have any trouble dividing it and hard and soft wood cuttings usually take easily. I've put a few on a steep sunny banking as ground cover as the flowers are lovely blue and it is evergreen (usually).

PLUMPUDDING wrote:I dont use much sage as it's such a strong smell, but it is very good for sore throats if you steep a few leaves in boiling water and then gargle with it.

You shouldn't have any trouble dividing it and hard and soft wood cuttings usually take easily. I've put a few on a steep sunny banking as ground cover as the flowers are lovely blue and it is evergreen (usually).

Thanks. I'm going to give it a go, and try layering a long stem as well. I think I've never realised how strong and strange the smell is. I used to really like it but not so much now. Still, it tastes good.