If the sage droops, you must act. Various causes can be responsible for this. In this guide you will find out how to prevent wilting sage and get the plants going again.

In a nutshell

  • wilts due to various causes
  • must not be too wet
  • dangerous root rot possible
  • Avoid over-fertilization
  • protect against leafhoppers

Sensitivity to wetness

Sage (Salvia) is a herb that easily copes with prolonged drought. For this reason, sage may droop due to excessive humidity. It doesn't have to be rot, but mint plants (Lamiaceae) often drop their leaves if they're too wet for a period of time. There are various reasons why the plants could be too wet:

  • overwatered
  • too small planter

Fortunately, these problems can be fixed with little effort. If the pot is too small, all you have to do is repot the plant and choose a larger container. A high flower pot with a diameter of at least twenty centimeters is particularly suitable for sage. This is sufficient for various Salvia species. If instead it is a sage plant that has been watered too often, you simply need to reduce the watering. Water only when the top layer of substrate has dried. You can find out by finger testing:

Sage does not tolerate waterlogging.
  • Use index finger or thumb
  • carefully press into the top layer of substrate
  • Check substrate for moisture
  • only water as needed

Hints: Overwatering can also occur if you live in a rainy region. Be sure to use a permeable substrate to prevent waterlogging.

Dangerous: root rot

While a pot that is too small and watering too often can quickly improve, expect root rot if the soil is too heavy. Sage needs a loose substrate that protects against standing water. If it is too heavy or even compacted, the water cannot drain off and puts the plant under a lot of pressure. In the worst case, the dreaded root rot occurs, which quickly pushes even healthy specimens to their limits and lets the sage droop its leaves. The salvia does not only wither because of this disease. Also look out for the following symptoms:

  • flagging growth
  • Substrate smells musty
  • Yellowish discoloration of leaves

If this condition lasts too long, you absolutely have to do something about it, otherwise the plant will die off completely. You need to remove the sage from the wet substrate and check the roots. Remove any that are rotten or dried up and give the bucket a thorough clean. Also remove dried leaves. Then prepare fresh substrate. The following characteristics are suitable for Salvia plants:

  • low in nutrients
  • sandy
  • chalky
  • humorous
  • permeable and loose
  • gravel as a drainage medium

Notice: Replace the soil in the appropriate spot with fresh soil if it is an outdoor specimen. The putrefactive bacteria can remain in the soil for a long time and infect other crops.

over-fertilization

Over-fertilizing can be another reason for your sage to droop. Salvia requires few nutrients, depending on the form of cultivation. If you keep the plants outdoors, you need to enrich the soil with mature compost in spring and autumn. Container specimens are fertilized every 14 days from mid-March to mid-August with an organic-based liquid fertilizer that should not contain too much nitrogen. Excessive amounts of nitrogen will cause the sage to droop its leaves. It is sufficient to provide the plant with new substrate and then to fertilize less. Other symptoms of over-fertilization are:

  • weaker leaf aroma
  • Leaves turn yellow
  • soft leaves

Pests: combat leafhoppers

Not only mistakes in care can be the reason why your sage plant wilts. Pests can be a big problem for the herb if you don't control them. Leafhoppers (Typhlocybinae) can attack the plant and cause great damage. The symptoms are:

  • hanging leaves
  • white to yellowish leaf discolouration
  • Leaves fall off (in case of severe infestation)
Eupteryx notata. Source: AfroBrazilian, Eupteryx notata 03, crop from Plantopedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

In addition, the cicadas themselves are recognizable. They feed on the cell sap of the plants, which weakens the sage and causes the leaves to droop. There are several methods you can use to save your plants. Since you probably keep the salvia plants as a crop, you should avoid using insecticides. Use yellow boards or sticks to catch the animals. If that is not enough, you can use your own mixed remedies and remove the affected leaves and shoots. A remedy made from neem oil is very easy to make:

  • 1 liter of water
  • 5 ml neem oil
  • 1.5 ml Rimulgan (improves oil solubility)
  • fill in spray bottle
  • spray affected areas

frequently asked Questions

Why do several sage plants wither at once?

If you have planted more than one specimen in a pot or in the same bed, the reason is usually too little space. Salvia species need 40 to 60 centimeters of free space before the next specimen. If they are too close together, the leaves will droop.

Can they be watered too infrequently?

Sage plants tolerate drought very well and can easily do without moisture for long periods of time. Nevertheless, drought stress can occur, especially in newly planted or transplanted specimens, if they are not watered enough.

What has to be considered especially with bucket sage?

If you only keep sage plants in pots, they must not be exposed to a permanent draft. This gets to them over time and they let the leaves droop. This protective measure is particularly important in winter.

Category:

Vegetable garden