There are many kinds of "sage." Not all that have the name "sage" applied to them are for culinary use. Do you know exactly what type of "sage" you planted? Four feet in a year sounds a bit too large for Salvia officinalis, which is the standard culinary variety, especially in a northern zone.

FataMorgana

Dwarf sage, S. officinalis 'Nana', could conceivably get that large in one year if conditions are right, although mine usually take 2 or 3 years to get only 3 feet across. It tends to grow more laterally rather than up. The lateral branches can also root and form new plants. Culinary sage, S. officinalis, generally responds well to hard pruning. The best time to do this is in the early spring, just as the leaves start to bud. Cut back to 2 or 3 buds. This will keep the plant in check a bit and prevent it from getting all woody and unsightly in the middle.

I just cut several gangly, potted, S. officinalis 'Woodcote' back by about one-half a couple of weeks ago and they are doing pretty well now.

It wouldn't hurt to post a picture just to verify your plant's identity.

F. DeBaggio

Here's a photo. I thought it was salvia officinalis. This was taken a couple weeks ago, and they've grown quite bit larger since then.

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You're COMPLAINING??

Salvia officinalis can get to around 1.5 metres tall and about the same wide. Other salvias get much larger than that.

Clearly you're doing something right!

From the picture it does look like S. officinalis, a culinary sage.

Must be the plants like you and the site you have them planted in. Count yourself lucky. Harvest away - I find they grow better, look better with regular harvesting. I never hard prune mine but I regularly harvest mid summer up to the frosts. Just pinch or clip out the terminal part of each branch as far back as you ascetically desire stopping just before a nice healthy leaf bud pair. Those buds will grow and make your plant nice and bushy, increasing your harvest. Never harvest more than 1/3 of the living plant and wait for the plant to regrow before harvesting again.

Sage dries well. Extra makes nice gifts for friends and family.

FataMorgana

You might have Bergartten sage - which is a Salvia officinalis variety. I find that sage will grow much bigger than regular sage. The leaves look a little larger as well, which is typical of Bergartten. Yup, trim and use that sage.

Since I have not been a child for MANY decades, I do not know which sage my grandmother had in her garden. She called it garden sage. I do remember that it was the size of a small shrub, was always covered with honey bees, smelled wonderful, and tasted even better in her homemade scrapple. That bush (yes it was that big) is one of my memories from Pop and Grannie's farm in the summer. Keep pruning - it will keep producing.

Thanks so much. I pruned a lot yesterday and bundled and hung them to dry - barely made a dent! As you no doubt noticed, I'm new at this and didn't know I'd have this much. Not complaining, though - just surprised. :)