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ellenr22

help with my Sage

I bought a common Sage plant (Salvia officinalis) at the supermarket 2 weeks ago.
Maybe I erred in transplanting it, bec. it was a large plant in a tiny pot. I transplanted about 1 week ago.

I am waiting for my plant light arrangement to arrive, so perhaps it is the lack of sufficient light which has caused my sage to - wilt, leaves turn gray.
It looks terrible.

All my other plants (ivy, thyme, rosemary, succulents) have managed to survive in my north window, with some additional artificial light. Not thrive but survive.
And in the supermarket the Sage had only fluoroscent light from way up.
But it looked so good when I bought it!

Any ideas if I can save this plant?

No picture, but my description should suffice.

thank you.

Comments (6)

  • jerseygirl07603 z6NJ
    9 years ago

    Wilting leaves could be transplant shock. Does it need a drink? I have a potted sage that summered outside and came inside for the winter. I find with our dry heat, it needs frequent watering. Mine is in a very bright south-facing window and the new leaves are very small. Hoping it lasts the winter so it can go outside and thrive again. Can you give yours more light somehow, until you get your add'l artificial light?

  • ellenr22 - NJ - Zone 6b/7a
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Watering indoor plants is such a challenge for me! I read and read and ask questions, and sometimes one gets contradictory information.
    When I transplant outside, or plant new ones - I always water a lot, til it gets established, but I am so afraid of over-watering houseplants.

    yes indoor heating - all my plants get dried out.

    I think maybe the pot is too big, cuz I have read it is not good to transplant from a tiny pot to a larger one.

    alas, I cannot provide any additional light. Worse comes to worse, I can try another plant from the supermarket, once my grow lights arrive.
    I love the smell!.

    Even tho yours have a south window. from what I've read, you should still supply artificial light.
    this website has info on herbs and lighting. (at the end they talk about supplemental lighting)

    good luck, and thanks.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Herbs and light

  • rina_Ontario,Canada 5a
    9 years ago

    Common sage is winter hardy in your area I believe.
    I find that growing plants like that indoors is little tricky sometimes.
    It may like some dormancy - I am just speculating here. I tried that with chives & while they are easy to grow, they never grew as well as outside.
    I pot up a clump of chives in fall. Leave them outside to freeze for a while, then bring in & they start growing really well. In my zone, I'll bring the pot in probably in couple of weeks. The new growth is really healthy & vigorous. I use it a lot.

    Not sure, but you may try something similar.
    You could try to take a cutting or two if plant is large enough just to have some inside.
    Sage likes dry banks and stony places, usually in limestone areas and often where there is very little soil according to some info I found. So make sure it's not overwatered.

    They usually look much better in stores (if fresh shipment) since they came from greenhouses where they had much better growing conditions; grown from seeds or cuttings.
    After few weeks/months in supermarket it probably won't look so great either (unless they really know how and are able to keep them healthy).
    Rina

  • tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
    9 years ago

    I agree with Rina. Your plant would much prefer a winter's rest outdoors than battling indoor conditions that promise formidable issues for the plant. The plant actually NEEDS a cold winter's rest in order to do well in the next growth cycle.

    Al

  • ellenr22 - NJ - Zone 6b/7a
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Rina: yes common sage over-winters here.
    This was an experiment.
    I have heard too much about the difficulty of keeping herbs inside thru the winter, in the best of conditions, to expect success. And mine is not the best of conditions.

    but for a couple of bucks I decided to take a chance. Actually what gave me the idea for this experiment is that late in Agust or Sept I had taken some Rosemary cuttings inside, to enjoy their smell for as long as I could.

    I was surprised when they put out roots. So then I decided to try other herbs, - I've got in water apple mint, & peppermint. And when I saw Rosemary thyme and sage in the super I couldn't resist. So far, the thyme & rosemary are doing ok. From what I've read the biggest issue with herbs is sun (which is why they do so well in my garden - full sun) so I'm trying to keep them alive til my grow light arrives.

    Where I used to live, I kept many herbs over the winter in the driveway, in pots up against a brick wall, in almost total sun. Thyme, sage, lavendar survived that way. I loved going out in the dead of winter and smelling them.

  • rina_Ontario,Canada 5a
    9 years ago

    ellen

    I agree, I love the aroma of herbs too.

    I have huge pineapple sage potted in pot that I brought inside since it had (& still has) many blooms. It started blooming in very end of August.
    But being so huge, I really don't have room for it. I'll cut it down & overwinter in unheated space; I hope it will survive. I'll try to root few cuttings just to be sure. I have couple of small lemon balms (volunteers) that hijacked some space with other plants, I'll do same with them - probably keeping 1 inside & 1 in the cold. They are super easy to grow from seeds & self-seed; I love the scent & leaves added to tea.

    The rosemary is another finicky one for me. I have killed few trying to overwinter in the past. I know now that I overwatered them. I have 1 plant now going on 4th year. Looks good now, it's in the bsmt under lights (couple of 100W CFLs, daylight - 6500k). But will see how it will do.

    Rina