Witches guide to SAGE
Ok so I had to do this post after having a small argument with a friend. (White) Sage is fantastic. It’s aromatic, It enhances intuition, it’s used for cleansing and clearing, but… here is the big “but”, if not used properly when cleansing or clearing a home, room, or crystals it can be a pest. And can cause unintended mayhem. My cousin who has been a Witch since she was 10 (She’s currently 71) cautioned me greatly in using sage, she loves the herb, (growing it is a ton of fun) but most people don’t know how to properly and safely use sage.
USING SAGE:
Sageing a home is a ritual, it’s not some act where you burn a smudge stick and wave it around going from room to room. People tend to think that doing just that you will cleanse a place of negative energy or spirits. But it doesn’t work that way. You need to put intent into it. You need to have a clear mind while doing it, you can’t be distracted, try closing your eyes and counting down from ten, call on your guides and angels to help put positive energy and intent into what you are doing; that the act you are about to do, will bring peace, serenity, and balance to your home (or crystals). Once you have cleared your mind and have the positive vibes going, start smudging! Start at the entrance of your home, trace the doorway and move to the handle (this is important, it will help repel negative energy from entering your home), from here, move to the corners and work your way clockwise through your home, getting every nook and cranny, every shadowy place (it’s best to light candles and have the lights on while doing this, putting black tourmaline in the 4 main corners of your home will boost good vibes and put up protective wards during this process). Don’t forget to use positive affirmations while smudging each room “Happiness, love, and positivity fill this room” as an example. Don’t forget to get window’s saged (all corners). Get every cupboard and drawer and closet, don’t forget to be thorough! Once you have cycled through the place, make your way to the back door (If you don't have a backdoor then go back to the entrance where you started). Sage the corners of the door again, and the door handles one last time while saying your affirmation. For the best results (I’ve had to do this in a friends house he had a poltergeist) have a friend or partner walk with you while you sage, ringing bells or singing bowls after each room has been thoroughly saged. I know it sounds like a lot of work, but this is the only process I’ve found that works 100% of the time to purge negative energy or spirits.
GROWING SAGE FROM A SEED (and out of season):
Latin: Salvia officinalis
Family: Lamiaceae
Difficulty: Easy but slow
Season and Zone: Warm to hot season, Full Sun, Hardy
Timing: Start indoors mid-February to mid-April. Transplant out or direct sow starting mid-April. Starting indoors may be more reliable, particularly if using bottom heat and maintaining optimal soil temperature at 15-21°C (60-70°F). Seeds should sprout in 2 to 3 weeks.
Companion Planting: Sage repels both the cabbage moth and the carrot rust fly, so it’s a great all-around companion plant in the vegetable garden. Do not, however, plant it near cucumbers, which are sensitive to aromatic herbs.
Ok, so this is a bit of a toughy. I don’t have the greenest thumb… it’s more like a black thumb because I can never get anything to grow. Now if you want something to grow, ask my Grandad, he once grew an almond tree out of a half-eaten seed purely out of spite against someone. One time he grew MJ just to prove a point. Anyways the point is I can barely grow chives and chives are super easy to grow.
Here’s the lowdown on White Sage, it’s a perennial, which means once you grow it and plant it in your garden after its matured, you won’t have to plant it again because it will come back each year. A single plant can last decades. It’s a hardy plant, very hard to start it, but once it’s grown it’s even harder to kill. it has a 20-30% chance of germination from seed which makes it hard to grow, and because it takes so LONG to grow you need to start before the last winter frost.
But I found a way to cheat the system…
Usually, you start Sage indoors, about 6-8 weeks before the end of winter… so usually in February (if it’s from seed if you want to do it the traditional way). If you plant from a cutting also start indoors. Now, here is the thing about sage, it is a bitch to start from seeds which is why most people use cuttings, it’s a hell of a lot easier, but I like challenges. Best thing to do if you grow from seeds is to freeze the seeds for about a week before you start to the germination process. Once a week is over take the seeds our and wash 3-5 (if you want a single plant) in filtered water. This is because Sage has a 20-30% chance of germination. Wash and rinse the seeds a couple of times and then put them in a Tupperware container filled with water, leave them for about 12 hours, rinse and change water and leave for another 12 hours. After this you might notice that there is this clear jelly on a couple seeds, one might have even sprouted a little root (aww) take these seeds, rinse them one more time and wrap them in a moist paper towel (like when you grew bean sprouts in grade school). Put the wrapped up seeds back into the container (which should be empty of water, you don’t want to drown then little suckers), and place the lid on loosely. Leave it in a warm place (like in a window that gets a lot of sun or near a heater) for a few days (3-5) and actively add a little bit of water to keep the paper towel damp.
Once you see some little roots poking out of the seeds, get a small planter and place the germinated seeds in about 5mm under the surface of the soil.
The thing about Sage is that it’s pretty similar to succulent plants. It thrives in hot dry summers, needs little to no watering after its sprouted (NEVER OVER WATER YOUR POOR SAGE BABY) and actually thrives in coarse soil with fewer nutrients. It needs tons of sun, especially while a seedling, so I recommend purchasing a plant light. (I got a really nice small one off of Amazon for 20 bucks total) Once it’s sprouted it needs daily mistings (yes get s squirt bottle and mist that baby) and constant light (this a plant light). Nurture it with positive vibes and lots of love and you will have your very own sage plant! After a few weeks of growing and maturing, you can replant it in a garden or into a larger planter.
During the winter, cut back the leaves, and cover it (if it’s in the garden). If you have it indoors, keep the temperature regular and don’t let it get too hot or cold or it will kill your plant, especially if it hasn’t fully matured yet (which takes 2 years from a seed).
Pests: Slugs and spider mites can be a problem for Sage, so remove weeds, remove badly infested plants by putting into a plastic bag and trashing them, and use neem oil in lightly infested parts to get rid of pests.
Disease: The leaves are susceptible to fungal infections like mildew or verticillium wilt, so in order to avoid this, do not water from overhead, but use a dropper to water straight to the roots. Also space the plants evenly apart (about 25-30 cm) so there is proper air circulation. When growing indoors, keep a fan blowing in the room to let the plant breathe.
HARVESTING:
Harvesting Seeds: You’ll know that the seeds are ready to be harvested when the blooms are brown and completely dry. Gently roll the bloom between your fingers until the seeds fall away, place them in an envelope and then into a ziplock bag and freeze (for next season).
Harvesting Foliage: Now this is the fun part! You can now make your very own smudge sticks! Just take the foliage (leaves) and cut them from the plant, and make a thick stick shape with them, wrap them with embroidery floss or twine, and hang them in a window to dry. When the smudge sticks are dry they are ready to be used!
(if anyone has any more to add to this post feel free! knowledge is power after all and sharing is caring!)
