Grebo

Is any one an expert on sage ?
I am trying to grow some in pots, I have 3 small plants on the go & two of them have white fluffy patches on most of the leaves, these I am watering 'manually' once a week. The third is close to a sprinkler & gets a small amount of water twice a day, definitely the healthiest looking plant & is starting to bud, but also has just started to show the odd white patch, they are all in the sun most of the day, I keep pinching off the bad leaves but it keeps coming back, any suggestions as to what I am doing wrong ?
I have read that the patches could be mildew, that seems unlikely, but then I am no gardener.

Suzi

Alectryon

Sage is not tolerant of over watering and likes full sun for most of the day.

snikpoh

The white 'fluff' sounds like a form of mildew. I would stop watering until the pots are nearly dry - and then sparingly.

mikelincs

Yes, sage is a very drought tolerant plant and grows wild in many of the driest areas of the world, it can get by on very little water.

Retired in Euskadi

Mildew is about the only fungal disease that you can "scrape away" with your fingers .
If you can, then you've been over watering, like the others have said.

rugbymatt

Are the pots sat just on the ground? If so, put them on a small bed of shingle... I will say though, my sage has white fluff on it as well and I water mine only when the pot is so light its obviously dry (always let dry scrub herbs dry out completely between waterings) Same sages have a downy fluff on them, be careful thats not what you are looking at.

If its mildew just rub it off, carefully, and if you want to control it organically (and why wouldn't you since you will be eating it) then mix one part full fat milk with 9 parts warm water and mix well, spray the leaves with it and improve drainage. No real harm will be done and if, as you say, one of them is budding well then you have to be doing something right. My mantra for all scrubby herbs is to treat them as hard as you possibly can.

Bigbhudda69

Is this a new plant thread ? if not sorry for post.
Any clues what the plant is on either side of the container, it's as tough as old boots, goes without water for four months and looks dead yet after a good water comes back within a day, amazing.

Grebo

Thanks for the sensible replies, yes I do try & keep then as dry as possible 2 pots have those plastic pot bases underneath so I guess I should put some gravel in then.
It's real strange that the odd plant with the most water, looks the best but it probably does have the best drainage as well
I will try the milk trick thank you.
Need the sage for the hairy bikers somerset chicken dish

Suzi

sujee

It looks very much like Houseleek to me. Will tolerate anything but hates frost.

mikelincs

I think this is one of this species, can be green or black leaves.

http://www.thesucculentgarden.com.au/aeoni.html

Grebo

Yes really weird plant, we have some in the garden, can get quite bushy.
Bits break of if you look at it, but lie on the ground & stay alive, they don't seem to actually need any roots. Ours change from red to green depending on how much water they have & have a long flowering shoot covered in little yellow flowers.

Suzi

Bigbhudda69

Grebo, Mike, Sujee,

Thanks for your replies, mine has never flowered as far as I know as I have never been around long enough.
Yes Grebo, they are like little aliens laying on the floor growing after breaking off !!

Mike, that certainly looks like mine which has the green leaves, thanks for the link, will have to have a read up.

Sujee, never heard of houseleek either, again will have to do some research, not sure how I will find them when I go back this time as there have been some pretty severe frosts in the mountains, so after 4 years they may no longer be with us .

Keep well all.
BB.

Bigbhudda69

Hmmmm..... Somerset chicken, must have missed that one.

Bigbhudda69

Well, what a team, ask and you shall be given.

this is what I found after your kind info.....

http://www.maltawildplants.com/CRSS/...m_arboreum.php


muchas !

Grebo

Oh yes.
http://www.goodtoknow.co.uk/recipes/...merset-chicken
Squillions of calories

Suzi