Uncovering the secrets of medicinal sage

Salvia officinalis is a very beautiful shrub with velvety leaves of an unusual gray color and blue-violet flowers. Being a native Italian, it is successfully cultivated all over the world. This is a spicy culinary seasoning, a source of essential oils and a real plant doctor, and all parts of the plant have a healing effect. There are many species, the most famous traces of which are Clary sage, it is grown for essential oil and used in medicine. And medicinal sage, which is used not only for treatment, but also in cooking - we will talk about it further.

Growing

This spice is successfully grown not only in the garden, but also at home, the main thing is to observe two conditions: water in moderation and do not allow direct rays of the scorching sun to hit. A perennial variety will delight you for several years. For the first 5-6 months, the sprouts will have enough capacity the size of a small plastic cup. Seeds germinate not earlier than in 3 weeks, and possibly in 1-1.5 months. When the sprouts get stronger, they are transplanted to a permanent place in a pot with a volume of about one and a half liters. Sage is conservative - choose a place for it in advance and try not to move the pot with the plant, as this can affect the intensity of its growth. To make the bush more lush, it is pinched at a height of 5-6 leaves, this stimulates the development of lateral shoots. In the future, you can propagate by cuttings, for this, a twig about 10 cm long must be cut off from an adult bush, all the leaves except the upper ones must be removed from it and placed in water. The roots will appear in two weeks, and when their size reaches 2-3 cm, the plant can be planted in the soil.

In the sage garden, you need to choose a sunny place and take care of the drainage layer. It is also important to remove weeds in a timely manner, loosen the soil. It does not tolerate drought, and excessive humidity attracts snails, spider mites and other pests, so it is very important to determine the optimal humidity. Pests usually bypass essential oil herbs, but there are gourmets who prefer them. The name of each of them begins with the word "sage": mining moth, weevil, tick, scoop. Plants are sprayed with infusions of garlic or onions with the addition of liquid soap, or drugs of biological origin (bitoxibacillin, lepidocid). Wood ash will help with snails and slugs. With excessive watering and stagnant water, mold may appear, in this case the bushes are sprayed with a sulfur solution.

Useful properties of medicinal sage

The shrub is very beautiful and looks wonderful on an alpine slide. In cooking, it is a part of the famous "Provencal herbs" seasoning, as well as an independent seasoning for meat, cheese and vegetables. Spiced powder is used in the preparation of some types of beer. But above all, it is popular as a medicinal plant. Sage-based preparations are used to treat diseases of the upper respiratory tract. They relieve inflammation in the throat, have antimicrobial effects and help in the treatment of coughs. The broth is good for bleeding gums. Infusions are used to treat kidney disease, gastritis, neurasthenia, insomnia, ointment is used to treat sore joints. In cosmetology, decoctions are used in skin and hair care, and sage infusion helps to reduce bags under the eyes.

Many experts believe that medicinal sage is one of the best stimulants for the immune system, and also improves attention, memory and performance. Like all herbs, it actively produces phytoncides. Plant a sage bush on the windowsill - the air in the house will be cleaner, and your health is stronger!