Make Your Own Sage Smudge Stick

You know those cute little bundles of sage you see at Whole Foods, trendy boutiques, and crystal shops? I’m always tempted to buy them, but I have a hard time spending $15 or $20 on something I’m going to burn.

I just so happen to grow tons of sage in my garden for its organic pest control abilities, so I decided to try my hand at making my own sage bundles for free. It's actually really easy, and the bundles come together in just a few simple steps. People are always asking me how I use up all my herbs, and now this is one of my favorite ways to ensure I can enjoy sage all year long—not just in my kitchen but around my entire house.

Whether you're here to make sage bundles as part of a cleansing ritual or just a fun project that smells amazing, here's all you need to make your own DIY sage sticks.

Supplies to Make Your Own Sage Smudge Stick

Here's what you'll need:

Twine (the thinner, the better; you don't want to smell the twine burning instead of the sage)
Several sage stems (if you're not growing your own, make sure to buy organic)
Pruners or scissors

Pro Tip:

You can also add other aromatic herbs to your sage stick to change the fragrance experience. Sydney, one of our Gardenary team members, has gotten really into her sage bundles lately, and she likes to add dried rosemary or thyme to the core of the bundles. You could also do basil, bay leaves, chamomile, eucalyptus, lavender, lemongrass, or peppermint.

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How to Harvest Sage Leaves for Your Sage Bundle

There are two types of cuttings you can take from sage plants: soft cuttings and hard cuttings. Soft cuttings are found on the tips of stems and bend pretty easily. Woody cuttings will be tougher and look more like skinny tree branches. You'll want to take only soft cuttings for this project because you'll need your stems to bend.

Cut about a handful of stems for this project.

Pro Tip:

If you're harvesting in the middle of your growing season, make sure to cut right above a leaf node and take no more than a third of the plant so it'll keep on producing. If, however, you're close to your first frost, you can cut more heavily because your plant will soon die back for winter. (No need to fear. She'll come back strong next year, I promise.)

Steps to Make Your Sage Bundle

Step One: Prepare the Sage Stems

Pull off some of the lower leaves from each stem. (You can use these in your next recipe!)

Trim each stem so that the base is nice and straight and roughly equal in length to the others.

I've tried making these sage bundles a couple of different ways now. I've found it's best to split your little sage bouquet in half and reverse one half so that you have leaves and stems on both sides. Otherwise, you end up with a sage bundle that's really thick on one side and paltry on the other (see the picture below of one of my early attempts).

Step Two: Tie up the Bundle

Take your twine and wrap it around the middle to secure the stems. Tie a little knot, and leave one end of the twine long.

Take one side of the little sage bouquet and fold it toward the middle. Repeat with the other side. Begin wrapping the twine around the stems. Don't worry if leaves are poking out. Your sage bundle will become more aesthetically pleasing as you go, and you can take care of any wayward leaves at the end. At first, you're just trying to get the form.

Continue wrapping your bundle with twine, tucking more leaves in as you go.

Once your little bundle is all wrapped up, tie a knot with your twine.

Step Three: Make the Finishing Touches

Take a pair of pruners or scissors and prune any leaves that are popping out of your roll.

Place your sage bundle in a cool, dry, and dark area. (Sunlight will bleach the leaves and remove some of the aroma.) Allow the bundle to dehydrate over the next few days. You want the leaves to feel dry and brittle before you burn your bundle (otherwise, it might smell like a certain illegal and less-pleasant-smelling plant when burned). In the picture below, you can see the difference in color between a fresh bundle and ones that are ready to smudge.

How to Smudge with Sage

Start by lighting one end of your sage bundle. The dried leaves will catch fire, burn for a couple of seconds, and then extinguish. Blow softly on the lit end until the bundle begins to glow and produce smoke.

Place your sage bundle on a glass, ceramic, or clay dish to catch ashes. Use your hands or a small fan to disperse the smoke (and the incredible aroma) around your space. This is when you should picture yourself releasing negative thoughts or getting rid of bad energies in your life. (I like to smudge sage every morning when my teenagers come down for breakfast. Just kidding. They're great people.)

Make sure to keep an eye on your sage bundle until it has burnt out on its own.

Sage Smudge Benefits

Sage has many benefits when it's burned. Of course, sage has long been used as a part of spiritual ceremonies. It's considered a tool to help you heal, reflect, reconnect with your intuition, or get rid of bad juju. There's actually a very mild psychoative in sage called thujone, which supports the part about connecting with your intuition.

Other Benefits of Burning Sage

Sage has antimicrobial and antibiotic properties. Burning sage can prevent bacteria, viruses, and fungi from spreading.
The compounds in sage that give it its aroma (cineole and camphor) deter mosquitos by messing with their sensory receptors.
There's not really research on this one, but burning sage is said to release negative ions. That means it neutralizes positive ions like allergens from pet dander, dust, and mold. If you have a respiratory condition like asthma, burning sage regularly could be useful, but wait until the smoke has cleared from the room before entering.
Burning sage can lift your mood and relieve stress by activating certain receptors in our brains. I know that just rubbing some sage leaves between my fingers can calm me down. Sage makes me feel like everything is going to be okay, even though I have five Zoom calls in the next 30 minutes.
Other compounds in sage may help with insomnia. As someone who began struggling with sleep issues in midlife, I've actually taken to drinking sage tea every night before bed.
Burning sage may sharpen your memory and focus.
Sage produces a lovely fragrance, so you don't have to turn to synthetic fragrances to make your home smell nice.

Enjoy Your FREE Sage Bundle

This is such a great way to use up a ton of sage from your garden! Also, the bundles turn out so cute and make perfect homemade holiday or birthday gifts for friends and family! How fun would it be to add a little tag that says, “From my garden to you, to scare all the bad people out of your life!”? I'm going to make sage bundles for all my two friends for Christmas.

So don't let any of your herbs go to waste at the end of your growing season. Make yourself some cute little sage bundles instead. Dry them, burn them, and feel awesome all winter long.