Baby Sage

Pests & beneficial insects

🐛 Prone to: Aphids

Aphids

Aphididae

Curled leaves, sticky honeydew and ants on patrol — usually with something already eating them.

.

Attract Hoverflies

Hoverflies

Syrphidae

The adults only drink nectar. It is the larvae that eat the aphids.

, Lacewings

Lacewings

Chrysopidae

Golden-eyed adults that mostly drink; larvae that hunt like small alligators.

, Ladybugs

Ladybugs

Coccinellidae

The one predator here where the adults hunt as hard as the larvae do.

, Parasitic wasps

Parasitic wasps

Braconidae, Ichneumonidae and relatives

Pinhead-sized, stingless, and lethal to aphids and caterpillars from the inside.

to keep them in check — plant African MarigoldGreat, AngelicaFair and AniseGood nearby.

🌼 Beneficial companion — draws Hoverflies

Hoverflies

Syrphidae

The adults only drink nectar. It is the larvae that eat the aphids.

, Parasitic wasps

Parasitic wasps

Braconidae, Ichneumonidae and relatives

Pinhead-sized, stingless, and lethal to aphids and caterpillars from the inside.

that help control Aphids

Aphids

Aphididae

Curled leaves, sticky honeydew and ants on patrol — usually with something already eating them.

,

on neighbouring plants.

Growing from seed

Start Baby Sage indoors about 8 weeks before your last frost. Seeds usually come up in around 21 days. Move seedlings out once the danger of frost has passed, in full sun, spaced about 60 cm apart. Expect the first blooms in roughly 100 days.

Keep track of the seeds you own.

Companion Planting

• 
  Coral Bells
  

  Coral BellsExcellent pair

  • ❧Coral Bells attracts Hoverflies and Parasitic wasps, which prey on the Aphids that attack Baby Sage
  • ❧Baby Sage draws Bees and Bumblebees and more that improve pollination for both
  • ❧Coral Bells acts as living mulch, keeping soil moist and weeds down around Baby Sage
• 
  Wild Garlic
  

  Wild GarlicExcellent pair

  • ❧Wild Garlic attracts Hoverflies, which prey on the Aphids and Thrips that attack Baby Sage
  • ❧Wild Garlic acts as living mulch, keeping soil moist and weeds down around Baby Sage
  • ❧Baby Sage gives Wild Garlic sheltering shade in the heat of summer
• 
  Chervil
  

  ChervilExcellent pair

  • ❧Chervil attracts Hoverflies and Lacewings and more, which prey on the Aphids that attack Baby Sage
  • ❧Chervil acts as living mulch, keeping soil moist and weeds down around Baby Sage
  • ❧Baby Sage gives Chervil sheltering shade in the heat of summer

How to grow Baby Sage

1. Sow8 weeks before frost
2. Germinates21 days
3. Space60 cm apart
4. GrowFull sun
5. Harvest~100 days

Water: Low · Height: 120 cm · Soil: Well-draining, sandy — drought-tolerant