Harvesting culinary sage for the kitchen is simple with these tips .
Denny Schrock
If you’regrowing culinary sage , chance are you desire to use it in the kitchen . To do so , you ’ll have to glean it first , but trim pieces off a industrial plant you ’ve rear can be intimidate . Here ’s how to harvest salvia including a few helpful tips to guide you .
Credit:Denny Schrock
Selecting Culinary Sage
While many member of the genusSalviaare democratic in the garden , it ’s commonly the vulgar or garden sage(Salvia officinalis)and sometimespineapple sage(Salvia elegans)that are used in the kitchen . Garden salvia is a staple herbaceous plant for many crepuscule dishes , such asroast bomb with citrus and sage , Cucurbita pepo - sage white cheddar cookie , orpumpkin , barley , and sage soup .
Many salvia plants , likeRussian sage , are intend to be cosmetic . Theharvesting methodshere piece of work equally well for all types of culinary sage .
Harvesting Sage Leaves
harvest home salvia can be as simple as cut down a few leaf to chop up and cast out in a soup . In fall , larger harvesting can be preserve to bring the sapidity of the herb garden to dishes all winter . When harvest sage , use scissor grip – or a sharp thumbnail and index – and take one leaf at a time . Snipping directly into a small basketball hoop makes gathering larger amount of money sluttish . When harvesting an integral stem , cut it off just above a leaf node .
Young leaves can be left on the prow , even when used in the kitchen . However , former leaves gain from get rid of the radical , which can start to get ruffianly . Harvest only a third or less of the plant life at a fourth dimension to keep salvia healthy . The exception is if you ’re doing the last crop of fall ( trimming the plant back for winter ) or plan on replacing the plant due to historic period .
Timing the Harvest
Since you ’re harvesting only the leaves , not a fruit like an apple or a love apple , there is no specific window when sage is ready or ripe . The time to harvest is when the leave-taking are full - sized and tidy . Young plants should be permit to grow a bit before harvesting . old plants can and should be harvested frequently to keep them producing new , soft , healthy botany .
Like many herbs , sage is best harvest in the morning after the dew has dried for peak smell . The oils that give sage its wonderful aroma and flavor are at their in high spirits in the former dawn .
Sage can be harvest whenever there are enough leaves on the plant life . Fresh fresh ontogeny is the tastiest and most aromatic , and frequent harvests keep the flora in vegetal modality and stay or forestall florescence . While the peak of culinary sage types are adorable , they can soften or cut the flavor of the leave . If you apply sage often , which you might after receive fresh garden - grown herbs , keep two or threesage plants in a containerand turn out your harvests .
Credit:Bob Stefko
Bob Stefko
Preserving Harvested Sage
While a few parting nipped here and there are easy to practice , larger fall harvests or bountiful summer clippings from many plant can be preserved for later function . Not only is this one of the comfortably - smelling labor you ’ve ever done , it ’s well-heeled . While sage is usually dried , it can also be fixed . Whichever method acting you choose , stack away the herbaceous plant in an airtight container out of the luminance for the best smack and foresightful living .
Drying Sage
Drying sageis soft no matter which method you choose . Sage is properly dried when the leaves are brittle and light to crumble . A few method to get you started include :
Do n’t hang herbs to dry near your range . The rising dirt - laden breeze will cake the herb , make a sticky mess .
Freezing Sage
Fresh herbs — including sage — can be frozen . It ’s super simple and yield amazing results . Rinse the herb and pat them ironical . Lay them in a tenuous layer on a baking piece of paper lined with lambskin paper ( so they do n’t freeze to the tray ) and pop them in the Deepfreeze for an hour . take out them out , put them in an airtight bag , and force all the air out gently with a rolling pin tumbler . You ’ll have a monotone , easy - to - shop bag of sage ready for late use . It keeps well in the deep-freeze for a couple of months .
