An aromatic perennial herb in the mint family, culinary sage (Salvia officinalis) makes an excellent companion plant in both the herb and vegetable garden. It deters several common garden pests, and its lovely flowers attract pollinators and other beneficial insects. Sage gets along better with some plants than others, though, so keep reading to learn which are the best (and worst!) companion plants for sage.
Culinary sage grows up to two and a half feet tall with soft, ovate, gray-green leaves, though cultivars come in different sizes and may have a purple or golden hue. In early summer, sage sends up short spikes of lavender, two-lipped flowers.
Native to the Mediterranean region, sage grows best in well-drained soil in a sunny location. It will tolerate poor soil and drought once established, but it does not like wet feet. Good air circulation is essential for healthy sage plants.
Best Companion Plants for Sage
Keep in mind the growing habits and preferences of sage when choosing where and with which plants to grow it. Because it doesn’t like to get too wet, consider planting it on the edges of beds when growing it with vegetables and other plants that need more moisture. Plant this perennial herb with other perennial herbs from the list below, or grow it in a dedicated bed in the vegetable garden and plant new annual companions around it each spring.
1. Cabbages
All members of the cabbage family — including broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, collards, kale, and kohlrabi — enjoy the company of sage. This is because sage repels cabbage worms, among other common brassica pests. It is also said to make cabbage more succulent and to improve its flavor.
2. Carrots
Sage is also a hero for carrots, as it deters the dreaded, destructive carrot fly. And since carrots take up so little room, it is easy to sprinkle carrot seeds around a sage plant, even in a small space. Just take care not to uproot the sage when harvesting the carrots!
3. Oregano
A Mediterranean herb like sage, oregano shares many of the same growing requirements. It also needs full sun and poor to average, well-drained soil. If you prefer to keep your perennial herbs in a dedicated herb garden, make sure to group like plants together, such as sage and oregano.
4. Rosemary
Another perennial Mediterranean herb, rosemary is another great addition to the herb garden along side sage and oregano. Alternatively, if your carrots suffer from significant carrot fly infestations, plant rosemary and sage together with carrots, as both herbs repel carrot flies.
You can also eat rosemary flowers.
5. Strawberries
This may seem an odd pairing at first, but both strawberries and sage are short-lived perennials. Plus, sage deters some insect pests that like to munch on strawberries, and its flowers attract pollinators, which are important for strawberries to set fruit. Some gardeners also claim that sage makes strawberries more flavorful!
6. Thyme
Thyme is — you guessed it — a Mediterranean herb, so it grows well with sage, oregano, and rosemary. It also repels cabbage worms, which means that if you plant both sage and thyme together with cabbage (or other brassicas), you will have double the pest protection for that crop.
7. Tomatoes
For tomatoes plagued by flea beetles, try planting sage nearby to repel those tiny hungry insects. And as with strawberries, sage flowers attract pollinators that visit and fertilize tomato flowers so they can produce fruit. Sage can also act as a groundcover around the tall tomato plants, shading the soil to improve moisture retention and suppress weeds.
Tips for growing delicious tomatoes.
Worst Companion Plants for Sage
Unfortunately, sage does not get along well with all garden plants. Here are a few plants to avoid growing together with culinary sage.
1. Cucumber
Cucumbers dislike growing near most aromatic herbs, as the herbs can stunt their growth. Sage, for some reason, is among the worst offenders.
2. Fennel
Fennel just does not grow well with others, due to its allelopathic quality. In other words, it releases a toxic substance that inhibits the growth of other plants, including sage. If you like fennel (which has many excellent uses), plant it in its own dedicated patch.
3. Rue
Rue can also inhibit the growth of sage, and it doesn’t get along with the cabbage family, either. Try growing rue near a fig bush instead, as the two make excellent companions.
Whether grown in the herb garden, the vegetable plot, or even the strawberry patch, sage has many great friends, and it will happily help out by deterring pests and encouraging beneficial insects. And you can benefit directly, too, by enjoying the earthy flavor of its leaves in many recipes.
