How to Grow Winter and Summer Savory Herb Plants

Tree Branch

About Growing Savory Plants in Your Herb Garden

While not as common in the home herb garden, Savory herb plants are a welcome addition. Native to southern Europe, this herb is a member of the mint plant family. They are best known as a culinary herb. The plant is good-looking and produces an attractive flower.  Growing Savory is easy. You will find them in a herb garden, a flower bed, or grown in containers, indoors or out. Try growing Savory as an indoor houseplant.

It has both medicinal and culinary applications. The shoots, leaves, and branches are ecible.

Plant height: Grow 12 – 24 inches tall.

Hardiness Zones: 1 – 11

Annual, Perennial, Satueja Montana

Types of Savory

There are two types:

Winter Savory – This plant is a perennial. It has a stronger flavor and makes a pretty landscaping plant. Winter Savory grows 6 – 10 inches high and spreads out up to 2 feet. Flower colors include lavender, pink and white. This type is often grown indoors in containers during winter months.

Summer Savory – Summer Savory is an annual. It grows a little taller on upright stems, producing lilac flowers. The flavor is milder than winter savory.

Medicinal and Culinary Uses

Medicinal Uses:

This herb has been used for a wide variety of digestive system applications, including colic and flatulence. It is also used for diarrhea, nausea, sore throats, and menstrual disorders. A sprig of the plant can bring fast relief for bee stings.

Culinary Uses:

As a culinary herb, savory is used with chicken and turkey stuffing, in sausages, and salami and egg dishes.

Savory Plant Propagation

These plants are grown from seed. Directly sow Savory seeds into your garden. Sow seeds early in the season and cover lightly with soil. For perennial varieties, plant them where they can grow undisturbed for years.

Also, you can start seedlings indoors 6 – 8 weeks before the last frost in your area.

Note: We recommend a heated germination mat, to increase the speed of seed germination. Also,  the germination rate is higher.

Final Plant Spacing: Space seedlings, or thin plants 16-18″ apart.

Days to Germination: 7 – 10 days.

How to Grow Savory Herb Plants

Savory is easy to grow. They prefer full sun and hot climates. They grow well in average soils, but prefer them to be well-drained.

Water the plants during dry periods and droughts, once a week. Add a general-purpose fertilizer once or twice a season.

Harvest leaves after the plant is several inches tall. Do not over-harvest perennial winter varieties. At the end of the season, Summer varieties can be harvested by pulling and drying the entire plant.

Ideal pH: 6.5 – 7.5

Insect and Plant Disease Problems

Insect and disease problems are infrequent.

Also, see: 

Plant Problems – causes and cures

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