Greek Sage Dying
Answered by: Inge Poot
Question from: Elisabeth Callaway
Posted on: October 30, 2001

I have had two lovely Greek sages from Richters. Each attained about 3 feet in height and put out lovely, hummingbird-attracting blue flowers. Scrumptious! Each has now died – one after a summer AND winter (rainy season), the other after a winter and spring. I would like to know:

(1) What is the average length of life for these plants?

(2) After the plant is well established, how often should I water?

(3) Any further special considerations for these plants?

Most perennials live about five years, but there are more exeptions than conformers! You could propagate cuttings of the plant and keep them indoors over the winter to overcome your less than ideal winter and early spring conditions. You would have to mimic the Greek climate to make them survive out of doors. This means they would have to be kept on the dry side during the winter – and probably over the summer as well. I suspect your plants rotted from overwatering during the wetter months. Water only when the top centimeter of the soil becomes dry.

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