It starts with tiny black spots on leaves, no bigger than a pinhead. If the leaves are losing some color or turning yellow they need more light. Sage (Salvia officinalis) is a short-lived perennial herb grown for its aromatic leaves. All of this is from information I found online and not my experience. TooManyWeeds87 Seedling. As the fungus develops, those black spots on leaves are ringed with yellow. If your sage is an adult shrub, it can withstand -30 degrees winter temperatures, if properly covered. It is a fungal disease. What might this disease (or diseases - the mint looks like rust but I've not heard of rust affecting thyme) be, and how can I treat it? They are all turning brown from the bottom inside the bushes. Not all sage varieties are culinary; the most popular kitchen sage is called Salvia officinalis. fish_4_all, Mar 12, 2010 #2. As a soil-borne fungus, it's present at all times, even deep winter. How to Grow Sage Zones. Up until that time they grew well and flowered. It grows spikes of spring flowers in different colors, including purple, blue, white, and pink. It's so strange. Susan, the black leaves on my B&B's happend after half the growing season. Sage is a hardy perennial with pretty, grayish green leaves that like as good in a perennial border as they do in a vegetable garden. Sage is a perennial garden herb popular to many as an easy plant to grow. I planted them two years ago and they have been doing great until just recently. I hope it helps. Black spot leaf disease shows itself first with black spots appearing on the leaf, then with rings of yellow as the spots grow, until the leaf turns entirely yellow and then falls off. Sage leaves are curling under. Hello Everyone! There are several causes for this, one simply being old age. As it develops, entire leaves will be coated with the fungus and it leads to leaf drop and deformed new growth. Like rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis), also from the Labiatae family, sage prefers a light fertilizer and for the soil pH to be between 6.0 and 7.0. The leaves on all my garden herbs (mint, sage, oregano, thyme, lemon balm) get yellow-brown speckles from late spring, which by late summer almost entirely cover the leaves. In the early stages, it looks like dusty white spots on the upper surface of the leaves. The oval leaves turn vaguely purple in full sun, and the compact growth habit makes it perfect for containers or small areas. Hello, I am not sure if this is the right place to post about this because although it's an herb its in a terrarium. Sage thrives in well-drained, slightly acidic soil and full sun or light shade. Soon the entire leaf turns yellow and falls. Sage grows well in zones 5-9. Wed Aug 22, 2012 5:20 am. Treating Black Leaf Spot Fungus. Getting rid of black leaf spot must be a two-pronged attack. Sage plant turning black. Common green sage is hardier than other varieties, so try growing it before any others if you don’t have an ideal climate. As for nurseries not harding off their plants, they should have a sign posted at the register that plants should be protected for a few days before … It forms a shrub up to 2 feet high with gray-green leaves and attractive lilac flowers. If left untreated, black spot spreads rapidly and weakens plants severely. I made two terrariums and the one that the leaves are turning black in gets no air (it has a solid lid). So when, on the rare occurrence, the soft perfumed leaves wilt and even shrivel, it can be alarming to the home gardener. I haven't done anything different with them. I am in Houston and have about 7 Texas Sage bushes in front of my house. Sun and Soil Requirements To measure the soil’s pH, you can buy a pH reader from your local garden store. Powdery mildew on garden sage appears as the temperatures increase in late spring. 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