- Russian sage is a striking undiscovered cut flower that draws butterflies and bees.
- Perfectly complements other low-water plants like lavender, sedum, and ornamental grasses. It also gets along well with succulents with bold leaves like big agaves and aloes.
- In addition to xeriscapes, hillsides, and rock landscapes, Russian sage blends in with deer-frequented, Mediterranean-themed gardens.
Where should Russian sage be placed?
Russian sage can be planted using a few tips that will aid in the plant’s establishment in your garden.
Place your planting first. For the Russian sage to flourish, full sun is necessary. Plants tend to flop open as stems stretch for sunlight when given a little shade. A stretch along a driveway or an area with high sun that gets as hot as the area between a sidewalk and a street are good choices. Russian sage enjoys heat and sunlight.
When planting Russian sage, keep in mind that this lovely plant dislikes two things: high humidity, and soil that remains wet all year. Select a planting location with alkaline, dry soil or ordinary, well-drained soil. Both soil types are compatible with Russian sage. Plants often become slack and floppy in overly fertile soil. Insert hoop stakes or support stems with stakes and string in this situation.
Plants mature at a height of 3 to 5 feet and a spread of 2 to 4 feet. Russian sage grows in clumps, so provide the plants some room to expand by placing them about three feet apart or three feet away from other plants in the garden.
At your preferred plant store, keep an eye out for containers of Russian sage. Russian sage can be planted any time between early spring and six weeks before the first frost, but late spring is the best time. The earth is now warm, and plants should begin to grow swiftly. If you decide to plant Russian sage later in the summer, make sure to water the soil frequently as the young plants grow.
There are numerous types of Russian sage for sale. The straight species can reach heights of 3 to 5 feet and widths of 2 to 4 feet. Russian sage known as “Little Spire” is a scaled-down kind that grows only 18 to 24 inches tall and wide. Russian sage known as “Blue Spire” has stems that may grow up to three feet tall and wide and is known to grow more uprightly than other varieties.
In the correct circumstances, Russian sage can self-sow and can also spread via rhizomes. Gardeners claim that this perennial bloom can occasionally be invasive. The National Invasive Species database does not, however, report or list it as such. Keep an eye out for spreading stems in the garden. As you find them, pull and cut them.
What kind of friend would Sage enjoy?
Sage is a beneficial companion plant that also keeps pests away. Sage attracts pollinators when allowed to bloom. Sage works well as a border for vegetable plots because it can develop into a bush.
- 1. Brassicas: Place sage in close proximity to plants in the cabbage family, such as broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, kale, and kohlrabi. Brassicas are attacked by black flea beetles, cabbage loopers, cabbage worms, cabbage maggots, and cabbage moths, all of which are repelled by sage.
- Sage deters the carrot rust flies.
- 3. Strawberries: Sage can help ward off pests and improve the flavor of strawberries.
- 4. Tobacco plants benefit from sage’s ability to repel flea beetles and draw in helpful insects. Combine sage with cilantro or dill, both of which are spider mite repellent, if spider mites are your primary tomato pest. Calendula or borage can help tomatoes with tomato hornworm problems by repelling the pest without damaging the plant.
- Sage is one of the few herbs that grows well with rosemary, according to 5.Rosemary. For a spicy herb garden, consider planting sage and rosemary together.
What can I grow using Russian sage and denim?
Russian sage can be a beast in the landscape, happy to overgrow its neighbors and rule the roost, as anyone who has ever cultivated it will attest. We are therefore very happy to present to you this newer type, which is as polite as a Sunday school child. It stands tall all season without leaning on anyone and is just as floriferous as its cousins, if not more so. It only needs a minimum of 6 to 8 hours of sunlight each day and a small amount of water during dry spells. This perennial is the real “plant it and forget it” variety!
HOW TO GROW ‘DENIM ‘N LACE’ PEROVSKIA
Find a place in your landscape that is somewhat dry and gets a lot of sun. You ought to sow some Russian sage there. Save your energy for more needed plants as a result of its strong constitution, which means it likes not to be pampered. This one can stand up to the wind, salt spray, thirst, sun, and heat on its own.
Know that this perennial will not enjoy the extra step if you like to add compost and other nutrient-rich substances to the soil before planting. It will actually thrive in less fertile soils with lower levels of organic matter. The only prerequisite is that the soil be well-drained; alkaline soil is preferred. The roots of this plant don’t like to be moist for a long time, especially in the winter.
Pick an area that gets at least 6 to 8 hours of sunshine per day. Even in warm climates, Russian sage does not require any shade. It may stretch and lean due to excessive shade, moisture, or rich soil.
Russian sage should be planted in the spring to give it time to build its extensive, woody root system before the onset of winter. If planting later in the season, mulch the plant’s base with two to three layers to protect the roots during the first growing season.
When you pull the plant out of the pot, if the roots are tightly round one other, loosen them up a little to disrupt the “root memory.” By doing this, they will be encouraged to expand rather than keep growing in a circle.
Make sure the rootball of the plant is level with the top of the surrounding dirt before placing it in the hole. After that, re-fill the hole with the removed soil. To get rid of any significant air pockets around the roots, firmly press it down with your hand.
To help the dirt settle, water the plant one last time. It will require a little more water during the first season as it establishes itself than it will in following years. As soon as the plant’s roots are established, it will be able to seek out the moisture it needs from the soil, becoming independent.
Russian sage requires very little maintenance once it has been planted in the proper location. This perennial really requires little maintenance.
The most crucial thing to keep in mind when caring for this plant is not to spoil it. It can die from excessive feeding or watering. Your plant is either receiving too many nutrients, insufficient sunlight, or excessive water if it is yellowing, stretching, or flopping.
Watch the buds on its woody stems begin to swell in the spring. It’s time to prune when it’s clear which portions of the plant are exhibiting new growth and which aren’t. Cut the stems back to the first green bud if no new leaves appear close to the tops of the stems. If a stem isn’t exhibiting any new growth, it can be totally cut out.
Every spring, put a layer of compost around the base of the plant if you garden in thick clay soil and wish to keep the soil texture improving. When adding the additional soil, be careful not to bury the crown. No more plant food is required because it will supply all the nutrients the season will need.
Leave your Russian sage plant standing in the fall (don’t cut it back), and when the new growth comes in the spring, prune as mentioned above.
Russian sage is rarely bothered by pests, including deer, due to its fragrant foliage and woody stems.
When choosing what to plant alongside your new Russian sage, start by looking for plants that benefit from comparable growing circumstances.
Specifically, vegetation that favors full sunlight, low moisture content, and lean soil.
You could opt to plant ‘Denim ‘n Lace’ alongside perennials that bloom sooner, like ‘Cat’s Pajamas’ catmint, ‘Color Spires’ salvia, or ‘Midnight Masquerade’ penstemon because it flowers from July to early fall. They will add color early in the growing season and look lovely against the Russian sage’s silvery-green foliage.
Plant “Denim ‘n Lace” alongside other perennials that bloom at the same time, such as Color CodedTM coneflowers, PyromaniaTM red hot pokers, and Rock ‘n Grow sedums, to provide a burst of color all at once.
Plant something taller and of a different color behind ‘Denim ‘n Lace’ to truly let the sky blue blossoms stand out. Russian sage looks particularly lovely with colors like yellow and purple. It might pair well with the Summer Wine ninebark, Kodiak Black diervilla, or Sunshine Blue II bluebeard, which has gold-leaved plants.
top 3 reasons to grow
Beginning in July, this perennial blooms prettily nonstop for months with hardly any maintenance.
Pollinating bees and perhaps a few hummingbirds stop by these flowers for a lunchtime snack almost every day.
‘Denim ‘n Lace’ won’t flop upon its neighbors or take up too much space in the yard, unlike earlier Russian sages.
Love the way “Denim ‘n Lace” Perovskia sparkles? Shop online or at your neighborhood garden center to find it.
Does Russian sage have a lavender-like aroma?
The blooms are actually rather little, bluish-purple in hue, and have an upper petal with four lobes and a smaller lower petal. Darker striations run from the upper petal into the tube of the blooms. A crisp white color fills the tube. On Russian sage, the calyx, a tube that shields the flowers from harm before they bloom, is frequently what seems to be the blossoms. In the case of the Russian sage, the calyx is lavender blue with color and covered in rough white hairs. These add to the overall floral show and are kept on the plant for a considerable amount of time.
Russian sage is worth cultivating for the silver-green leaves in addition to the flowers. The edges of the leaves can be serrated or wavy depending on the plant’s location, where the foliage is produced, and its variation. Rub or crush the Russian sage plant to release its strong fragrance from all sections. Some individuals say it smells like sage and occasionally includes lavender scents.
Is sage a suitable plant companion?
SAGE: To ward off cabbage moths, beetles, black flea beetles, and carrot flies, grow it as a companion plant with broccoli, cauliflower, rosemary, cabbage, and carrots. Avoid planting near rue, onions, or cucumbers. Black flea beetles and cabbage moths are repelled by sage.
Mosquitoes are repelled by Russian sage.
WMBF-CONWAY, SC – Don’t use too much bug spray if you’re having a party on the patio over Memorial Day weekend.
Many of the plants that might deter mosquitoes are currently highly popular at Conway’s Plants Direct Nursery.
The nursery’s proprietor, Randy Gaskins, recommended ten plants to keep mosquitoes at bay.
Initially, wax myrtle. When the leaves are brushed together, the plant emits a faintly fragrant smell.
Because it’s a native, Gaskins added, it’s very affordable to use as mosquito control in the area. The plant thrives in pots and can be used as a hedge in the front or back yards.
Rosemary, second. This plant is well recognized for giving any dish made at home taste, but it can also keep insects away.
It’s a terrific container plant, so Gaskins advised using pots of it around your patio where guests would be congregating for a party.
Bee Balm comes next. Bees might be drawn to it, but not mosquitoes. The plant has several distinct hues and a lovely, fragrant blossom. Gaskins claimed that it also functions as a repellant.
Society Another repellant is garlic. It smells like garlic, as the name would imply, and deters insects as a result.
Although Lemon Verbena and Russian Sage are both used in cooking, mosquitoes are deterred by their different aromas.
Lavender is likewise well-liked, particularly inside, but according to Gaskins, it also acts as a repellant.
According to Gaskins, the Dusty Miller plant has attractive foliage color that aids in mosquito repulsion.
The most well-known and productive plant, according to Gaskins, is citronella. Rub the leaves together, and the fragrance is exactly like a citronella candle.
According to Gaskins, the better it dissipates the stench the more you rub it and someone brushes against it. “The plant looks excellent in a pot outside or planted by a deck, patio, or backyard.
Gaskins advised people to get rid of pots, buckets, and anything else holding standing water to prevent mosquitoes. He continued, “It negates the purpose of having plants that repel mosquitoes.”
Mums (Chrysanthemum spp.).
Mums are by far one of the most well-liked fall flowers, despite being considered somewhat harmful to dogs, cats, and horses. If ingested, these animals may exhibit dermatitis, hypersalivation, incoordination, vomiting, diarrhea, and other symptoms.
Red Maple (Acer rubrum).
Red maple trees are frequently at their most colorful and stunning in the autumn, but horses are not supposed to eat their leaves. After consuming red maple leaves, especially wilted ones, a horse may have a variety of symptoms, including the destruction of red blood cells (anemia), weakness, dark urine, breathing difficulties, abortion, and death.
Ginkgo Trees (Ginkgo biloba).
Thankfully, male gingko trees are not poisonous to pets because they have beautiful yellow fall foliage that many people like. However, ginkgotoxin, a methylpyridoxine, is present in the seed of the female tree and is poisonous to animals. Animals that consume it may vomit, get agitated, or experience convulsions. Dogs might bring the unfavorable fragrance into your home if they roll on the fruit because female gingko tree seeds are poisonous and also have a foul odor. Both dangers can be avoided by selecting a male gingko tree for your yard.
Rayless Goldenrod (Haplopappus heterophyllus).
This gorgeous shade of yellow is safe for cats and dogs, but it is poisonous to horses.
Horses can experience clinical consequences that are fatal if they consume one to ten percent of their body weight in the plant. Coordination problems, muscle tremors and weakness, an increased heart rate, cardiac arrhythmias, fluid buildup and swelling of the neurological system, excessive perspiration, and difficulty swallowing are just a few of the symptoms that can appear after two to three weeks.
Russian sage is it intrusive?
Many gardeners are on the hunt for plants that can not only survive in dry, poor soils, but also thrive there in an effort to create environmentally friendly landscapes that require the least amount of maintenance. Given all that it contributes to the landscape in terms of color, texture, pollinators, and presence, Russian sage ought to rank quite close to the top of that list. Although it is not a native plant, if you give it the well-drained conditions it requires, it won’t spread quickly and will remain where you plant it for many years.