Plant

4" White Sage "Saliva Apiana"

$9.99

CARE

Growing white sage is unlike growing other types of plants, but with the right care, you will not have much trouble getting it to thrive. It is a plant that is native to California, but it can easily grow in zones five through nine with the right growing conditions. In fact, it can grow to be three to eight feet tall. To really thrive, this is a plant that needs the following:

Soil Requirements – When it comes to soil requirements for white sage, you are going to want a well-draining soil that does not hold a lot of water. Sand and similar soil types are ideal for this plant, but it can also tolerate richer soil as well that will drain the water well.
Light Requirements – This is a plant that will only really grow in full sun. It does not do well in shade, so when you are growing it, make sure that you choose a location that gets sun for the majority of the day. In addition, if you live in an area where the temperature drops under 20 degrees on a regular basis, then you may have difficulties growing the plant.
Watering Requirements – Though, this is a plant that does well in dry conditions, it does need to get a certain amount of water to grow, especially when it is first transplanted. In general, you will want to give your white sage plant about ½ of an inch to an inch of water a week. Once the plant has been growing for two years, it will often find all of the water that it needs on its own.
Feeding Requirements – This is a plant that does not require fertilizer to grow; in fact, it will actually do better in soil that has low nutrients as it grows. If you want to add a bit of fertilizer to the plant, then you can lightly coat the soil with mushroom compost to boost the amount of nitrogen that your plant gets.

IMPORTANCE OF NATIVE PLANTS

California’s varied climate can support a wide variety of plants from around the world. However, our state’s unique and beautiful native plants are often overlooked in garden design. Instead, water-intensive exotic plants that do not support the local ecology often taken the place of California native plants in people’s gardens.

You can enjoy many benefits while bringing in the beauty of California into your own garden by using water-wise native plants. Some of these benefits include:

Water Savings: A sustainably designed, drought-tolerant native garden can use 85 percent less water per year than a traditional landscape with turf and high-water use plants. Also, once native plants are planted, a well-designed drip irrigation system is more efficient than traditional sprayhead irrigation and saves watering costs. Once established, many California native plants need little additional watering beyond normal rainfall.

Maintenance Reduction: A water-wise California native garden can reduce maintenance dramatically once it is established. Eliminating the need for mowing and fertilizing lawns, applying pesticides and fertilizers, and frequently watering thirsty plants leaves you more time to enjoy your garden and other activities.

Wildlife and Biodiversity Increases: Adding native plants helps create functioning ecosystems in the garden by attracting the native insects and wildlife that depend upon these plants. Native plants and animals have developed relationships with each other, and research has shown that native wildlife prefers native plants over non-native plants. Native pollinators can improve fruit and vegetable production in your home garden, and beneficial native insects, reptiles, birds, and small mammals can manage pests such as mosquitos, ticks, and aphids.

Landfill Waste Reduction: The reduction in landscape maintenance, such as mowing a lawn, means that less green waste will be produced per year. Because many cities and homes are not set up for composting, most green waste is not composted. Gardening with native plants means less waste going into landfills.

Pesticide Use Reduction: Native plants have not only developed their own defenses against many pests and diseases, they can also attract beneficial insects and animals that attack pests. Reducing or eliminating pesticides keeps toxins out of our waterways and soil, improves environmental and human health, and allows natural and beneficial pest controllers to thrive.

Connection to a California Sense of Place is Enhanced: A garden planted with species unique to California creates a strong sense of place and helps connect you more deeply to the natural world. Including native plants in your garden connects you to the unique biological web created by the environmental history and culture of the land your home sits on. These small patches of habitat become part of a larger collective that nurtures and sustains a living landscape that not only enhances a sense of sanctuary for you, but for the plants, insects, birds, and other animals that have always lived there.

By gardening with native plants, you can enjoy many benefits – including water savings – while giving your home garden an appealing look that reflects California’s unique natural landscapes.

ABOUT GROWING WORKS NURSERY

Growing Works is an innovative, California native and drought tolerant plant nursery established to provide job training, employment, and horticultural therapy to people with mental health challenges.

The nursery helps fulfill an ever-present local need for high quality, drought-tolerant California native and Mediterranean plants and succulents. Growing Works is based on a thriving and sustainable business model where plant sales, job training services, and donations from supporters contribute to its success.

Curbside Pickup or Local Delivery Only