Make some room in your garden for aromatic and easy-to-grow savorya versatile herb and pollinator powerhouse.
Thats a shame because the herb packs a delightful peppery flavor punch.
Its also drought-tolerant, deer-resistant, and easy to grow.
Scott Little.
Winter savory is a perennial plant with stiff foliage and a more pungent flavor.
In the kitchen,savory is an easy substitutefor marjoram, rosemary, sage, or thyme.
Both summer and winter savory require full sun and well-drained soil.
Scott Little.
Beyond that, they have slightly different preferences.
Winter savory is a woody perennial that can be cut back after the growing season is finished.
Summer savory lives for only one year but has been known to self-seed.
Either would make a delightful addition tocottage gardens,container gardens, and flower beds.
Savory is also an obvious choice for aMediterranean gardenorherb gardenwhere complementary fragrances can mingle.
Choose a planting location that receives full sun and hasmoist, well-drained soil.
Scott Little.
Sow a new crop of savory every 3 to 4 weeks to ensure a continuous supply of fresh foliage.
Dig a hole approximately the same size as the planting container.
Remove the plant and loosen the roots gently with your fingers.
Credit:Matthew Benson
It fares best in environments that mimic those climates as well as full sun and well-drained soil.
Both summer and winter savory are fairly drought-tolerant once established.
Water summer savory just enough to keep the soil evenly moist during the summer months.
Cynthia Haynes.
Winter savory prefers occasional deep watering over regular light watering.
Winter savory can survive temperatures as low as 25 F butshould be protectedor brought inside in lower temperatures.
Summer savory will die with the first frost.
Credit: Dean Schoeppner
Fertilizer
If grown in soils rich with organic matter, savory needs little if any fertilization.
Pruning
As an annual, summer savory does not need pruning.
However, regular harvesting will encourage new growth.
Stephen Cridland.
You should also trim away dead, dry, or yellowing leaves as they appear.
To keep winter savory robust, harvest regularly and trim spent blossoms, yellowing leaves, or diseased branches.
Also, as winter savory gets older, it develops woody growth that produces foliage with poor flavor.
Prune away the woody stems to encourage young, vigorous stems to develop.
Potting and Repotting
Both summer and winter savory work beautifully in containers.
Plant your savory seeds or seedlings in amoist, well-drained potting mix.
Container-grown savory (both summer and winter) may require more frequent watering and feeding.
Water deeply at least once or twice a week.
Savory can handle a little drought but dont allow it to dry out completely.
Plan to repot your container-grown winter savory every 2 to 3 years or whenever it outgrows its pot.
Pests and Problems
Savory has no major issues with pests or diseases.
That said, overly wet or waterlogged soils can cause root or crown rot.
Sow the seeds immediately or store them in a cool, dry place for up to one year.
Remove the leaves from the bottom half of the cutting and dip it inrooting hormone powder.
Plant the dipped end in a prepared pot filled with a moist 1:1 mix of compost and perlite.
Water well and place in a warm location with bright, indirect light.
Keep the soil evenly moist until roots are established (about 4 to 6 weeks).
It grows 10 inches tall and 12 inches wide.
Summer savory is typically harvested in the summer from seeds planted in early spring.
In some climates, it can be harvested within two months of sowing.
It bears pinkish flowers in summer and grows 16 inches tall and 8 inches wide in zones 5-8.
The mounding perennial bears lavender summer flowers and is hardy in zones 5-8.
Pink savory is highly aromatic and spicy with overtones oforeganoandthyme.
It tends to grow about 3 to 4 inches tall and 10 to 12 inches wide in zones 6-9.
Creeping savory leaves have a strong, spicy flavor (much like winter savory).
There are two common typesbush beans and pole beanseach with different forms but similar growing requirements.
In general, beans are tender annuals that prefer fertile, well-drained soil and full sun.
When grown near bean vines, savory can improve the growth and flavor of homegrown beans.
Savorys strong scent can also repel a variety ofcommon bean pests, including Mexican bean beetles.
Lavender is hardy in zones 5-9 and growsbest in neutral to alkaline soilwith a pH of 6.5 to 8.2.
Before planting,test your soiland make amendments if necessary.
In the garden, the calming scent of lavender pairs beautifully with the herbaceous aroma of savory.
Even better, both plants are deer-resistant and a major draw forbees, butterflies, and other pollinators.
Lavender Cotton
Lavender cotton(Santolina chamaecyparissus)is neither lavender nor cotton.
It is a rugged Mediterranean herb grown for its attractive silver foliage.
The low-growing hedge prefers full sun and well-drained, gritty soil in zones 6-9.
It is often found growing inrock gardensand formal knot gardens because it stands up well to frequent trimming.
Onions
No edible garden would be complete withoutonions.
From classic white onions totender green onions, Alliums areessential elementsin countless recipes.
They also require little space to produce a substantial harvest.
Like savory, onions require full sun and well-drained soil.
Despite a reputation for being fussy, most varieties are easy to grow in zones 4-9.
To make it easier on yourself, start with onion sets and plant savory nearby.
Savory plants repel many of the common pests that plague Alliums.
Some gardeners also believe that onions grown near savory have better flavor.
Like savory,most salviasare easy to grow, drought-tolerant, and deer-resistant.
Salvias are also quite popular with pollinators (especially hummingbirds).
Frequently Asked Questions
Both summer and winter savory can be harvested before and during flowering.
So, gather leaves as needed throughout the growing season.
Just keep in mind that peak aroma happens before flowering.
Winter savory can be harvested year-round.
But, like summer savory, it is most pungent before flowering.
Before winter dormancy, use shears or a sharp knife to cut your winter savory stems back by half.
Make your cuts immediately above a set of leaves to encourage the plant to branch and grow.
Yes!Air dry savory stemsby spreading them on screens.
Or, hang the stems upside down in a dark place with good air circulation.
When your leaves dry completely, strip them from stems and store the leaves in airtight containers.
The dried herb will last 1 to 3 years but lose flavor over time.
Stuff savory leaves into a jar and top it with room-temperature vinegar.
Use this seasoned vinegar as a marinade base for meats, such as ribs, chicken, and fish.
Or, chop the herbs and place them in an ice cube tray.
Fill the ice cube tray with water or olive oil and freeze overnight.
Once frozen, pop the cubes from the tray and keep them in a freezer bag for later use.
They will keep for up to 6 months.
