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Savory is a spice and kitchen herb with a strong taste of its own, both fresh and dried. It can be cooked or used fresh with raw vegetables and salads. Read here how to grow savory properly.
In a nutshell
- annual summer savory (Satureja hortensis) and biennial to perennial winter or mountain savory (Satureja montana) are the best known
- minor deviations in growth, cut and seasoning
- no major differences in care
- Sow from April to May or in August (either in seed containers or outdoors)
- direct planting out of purchased young plants is also possible (planting distance: 30 x 30 centimetres)
location and soil
When growing savory, location and soil conditions are particularly important. It loves warm, wind-protected and full sun locations. The sun provides the special aroma. Ideally, it stands alone, as it will self-seed and could affect the growth of other plants.
Both summer (left) and winter savory (right) love sunny spots.
- Soil should be well drained and slightly calcareous
- with a pH between 5.7 and 7.2
- Summer savory loves light, nutrient-rich and humus-rich soil
- Mountain savory prefers barren, nutrient-poor, well-draining soil
- for growing on dense, loamy subsoil, improve permeability
- with pumice, quartz sand or zeolite
Care Instructions
Below is a guide to properly caring for the savory once it has been successfully grown. This is how you water, fertilize, cut and overwinter Satureja properly.
watering and fertilizing
The water requirement of this herb is rather low. Both species cope much better with dry conditions than with wet conditions. In most cases, the natural amounts of rain are completely sufficient. Additional watering should only be done in the event of prolonged drought and on particularly hot summer days. Potted savory needs to be watered more often depending on the location. The best time is when the top two centimeters of the substrate have dried. Savory is also very frugal when it comes to nutritional requirements. The annual herb can be fertilized with some compost in spring, the winter variant with horn shavings.
Winter savory appreciates a gift of horn shavings.
Tip: Sometimes it can also make sense to enrich the soil with a little lime.
To cut
summer savory
No complicated pruning is required to grow this savory species. However, if you want to stimulate growth and leaf formation, pruning before flowering is a good idea. It is sufficient to shorten the stems by about ten centimeters. This makes sense even if the tops of the savory start to droop towards the ground due to the heaviness. Towards the end of the season, the entire plant is cut down to the ground.
winter savory
- grows stronger and woodier than summer savory
- regular cut therefore part of the care
- best time for this around April
- Cut the cabbage back to a hand's breadth or two above the ground
- Also remove aged, damaged and frozen shoots
- clean up dead leaves
- If necessary, cut again in autumn
- up to about ten centimeters above the ground
- Plant grows more branched and bushy
- Regular pruning prevents excessive lignification
Tip: Basically you should be careful not to cut into the old wood. If it does happen, the plants will need some time to recover.
hibernate
Overwintering is also part of the care. Summer savory has to be planted or sowed anew every year. While winter savory is considered hardy, it should be protected from severe frost, especially in harsh locations. To do this, it is enough to cover the herb with fir brushwood, fleece or leaves. Potted specimens need a little more protection. Without it, the bale could freeze through quite quickly. To prevent this, place the pot in a bright and cool but frost-free room. This can be a shed, a garage or the stairwell.
propagation
There are three different methods you can use to propagate savory:
- sowing
- cuttings
- division
Sowing Instructions
Sowing is particularly useful for summer savory. The seed used should be as fresh as possible, otherwise it can happen that it germinates only sparsely or not at all. This applies to both your own and purchased seeds. Savory is sown directly on the spot from April to June, depending on the weather. Alternatively, you can prefer it in seed trays.
Savory seedlings in seed tray
- first loosen the soil thoroughly
- If necessary, mix in some compost
- sow in rows, minimum distance approx. 25 cm
- draw small grooves for orientation
- Distribute seeds in it and press lightly
- Seeds belong to the light germs
- therefore only lightly covered with sand or earth
- pour carefully and keep moderately moist
- Germination temperatures between 15 and 20 degrees
- Germination time two to four weeks
- Prick out as soon as the first leaves appear
- keep a distance of 20-30 cm when planting
Tip: Since the seeds are very fine, it can be useful to use a small sieve to distribute them. In order to be able to harvest for as long as possible, it is also advisable to sow follow-on seeds about every two weeks.
About cuttings
- ideal way of propagating winter savory
- best time in July and August
- cut one or more semi-lignified cuttings
- about eight to ten inches long
- remove the bottom leaves first
- then place the cuttings in a glass of water to root
- then bring it to a bright and warm place
- Root formation usually after a few days
- finally plant rooted cuttings in small pots
- Overwinter young plants in the house in the first year
- outside until the following spring
Tip: Propagation of the perennial herb is generally recommended every two to three years, as it loses vigor over time. Incidentally, summer savory can also be propagated via cuttings.
division
The best time to divide is in spring. To do this, dig up the plant in question and divide it into two or more parts with a spade or a sharp knife. Each of these parts should be at least the size of a fist. Now they are planted individually in their final location and the whole thing is well watered.
harvest and storage
In general, winter savory can be harvested almost all year round, summer savory from summer to autumn. As a general rule, savory should be harvested after planting, before and during flowering. The essential oil content is before flowering highest and the herb accordingly most aromatic. The aroma already fades during flowering.
Dry savory
Once harvested, the herb can be used fresh or dried for longer storage. No aroma is lost through drying, on the contrary, it becomes even more intense. If it is dry, you can put it in sealable jars in a dark and dry place about 1 year long store.
Tip: To dry, bundle savory sprigs together and hang them in an area that is airy and protected from the sun. Alternatively, you can also use an oven or dehydrator. In any case, the temperature when drying savory should NOT exceed 40 degrees Celsius.
diseases and pests
Wrong mildew
It mainly occurs on annual plants. The formation of white spots on the underside of the leaves, which continues to spread, is characteristic. Affected plant parts should be removed immediately and generously and disposed of. promise help Lyes from whey and water (1:1) or from milk and water (1:5). The plants are sprayed several times with this.
To combat powdery mildew on savory, mix the right proportions of water and milk, pour the liquid into an atomizer and spray the herb regularly.
gray mold
Affects already weakened plants. First, glassy, pale spots appear on the leaves and flowers. Later, a gray layer of mold covers the plants, leaves and shoots die off. Here it is Remove the entire plant advisable, because the mycelium survives on the plant.
cicadas
From around mid-May, white, gray to silver-colored shiny puncture marks can be seen. The leaves look mottled, the green color is gradually being lost, necrosis is developing. A radical pruning after harvest can decimate an infestation. Otherwise offers the Use of neem preparations on.
Black bean aphid
It sits on the plants in large black colonies. There is also honeydew on which sooty mold can settle. The lice can also transmit the bean yellow mosaic virus. Suitable for fighting natural predators such as ladybugs and lacewings as well neem oil and canola oil preparations.
frequently asked Questions
Is there anything to consider when planting?Yes, if you want to grow savory, you should be careful not to plant it where it was already or wait at least four years before planting it again. This is due to the incompatibility of this plant with itself.
Which savory is good for balcony boxes?The creeping mountain savory, a smaller ornamental form, is particularly suitable for this. It grows flat and pillowy, its leaves are smaller, it has a good aroma and is also pretty to look at thanks to its bright white flowers.
Can you also dry savory with flowers?Yes, that is possible without any problems, the taste is only a little milder then. Incidentally, the summer savory flowers from July and the mountain savory between August and October.