RHS Growing Guides
How to grow savory
Our detailed growing guide will help you with each step in successfully growing Savory.
Getting Started
Savory may not be the most widely known herb, but its small, peppery-tasting leaves have many culinary uses. It’s not generally sold in supermarkets, so the best way to enjoy it is to grow your own. There are three types to choose from: annual summer savory (Satureja hortensis) and two evergreen perennials, winter savory (S. montana) and creeping savory (S. spicigera). They are all easy to grow and need little attention.
Summer savory has a milder, more refined flavour, but is a short-lived annual
Month by Month
Jobs to do now
| J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sow | ||||||||||||
| Plant Out | ||||||||||||
| Harvest |
Choosing
Creeping savory has spicy-flavoured leaves and forms a low, spreading mat
Summer savory (Satureja hortensis) – this is an annual, so lives for just one summer. It’s usually sown in spring and harvested from mid-summer until it dies off in autumn. It forms a bushy plant about 30cm (1ft) tall. The leaves have a milder yet superior flavour to winter savory, but are harvested over a shorter period.
Winter savory (Satureja montana) – this is a perennial, so lives for several years. A shrubby plant up to 40cm (16in) tall, it is semi-evergreen, so keeps its leaves in mild winters, which means they can be picked all year round. It’s hardy, so will survive freezing temperatures but may shed its leaves, so in colder regions bring it indoors if you want to continue harvesting in winter. Its flavour is similar to but more intense than summer savory.
Creeping savory (Satureja spicigera) – a low-growing perennial herb only 10cm (4in) tall, spreading to 30cm (12in) or more. The tiny leaves are highly aromatic with a strong spicy flavour. It can survive winter temperatures down to -5°C (23°F) or lower.
For inspiration on choosing all kinds of herbs, visit the RHS gardens, where you’ll be able to see and smell a wide array of aromatic and richly flavoured herbs, and pick up useful growing tips.
What & where to buy
You can buy seeds of summer and winter savory in many garden centres and from online seed suppliers, particularly herb specialists. Young savory plants may be available in spring and summer from the same sources, although creeping savory may be harder to track down. A few varieties may also be available from specialist herb nurseries.
Buying young plants is often a more convenient option than growing from seed, especially if you’re short on indoor sowing space, as you don’t need many plants to ensure plentiful harvests. You can start picking lightly from bought plants almost immediately, whereas seed-raised plants take several months to reach harvesting size.
Recommended Varieties
Sowing
Seeds of summer and winter savory can be started indoors in spring. Sow thinly onto the surface of pots or modular trays filled with moist peat-free seed compost and don’t cover. Place on a bright windowsill to germinate, at a temperature of 18–20°C (65–68°F). Seedlings should appear within two to three weeks. Once they’re large enough to handle, move them into individual pots or modules, keep in warm, bright conditions and water regularly. They can be planted outside once they’re well rooted and growing strongly. See Planting, below.
Planting
Savory plants, either grown from seed indoors or newly bought, can be planted outdoors in late spring or early summer, either in the ground or in containers. Indoor-grown plants should be gently acclimatised to outdoor conditions by hardening off, before you plant them in the garden.
Planting in the ground – choose an open, sunny planting spot with free-draining soil that never get waterlogged. If your soil is heavy or stays damp, plant in a raised bed or a container instead, to provide better drainage. Plant savory at the depth it was previously growing and at least 20cm (8in) from other plants.
Planting in a container – choose a pot that’s at least 20cm (8in) wide. Fill it with peat-free soil-based compost, ideally with added coarse grit to improve drainage. Plant one savory plant in the centre, or choose a larger container and plant several, or put together a small collection of Mediterranean herbs that like similar conditions. Position the container in a warm, sunny spot, sheltered from strong winds.
Plant Care
Savory is easy to grow and needs little maintenance, apart from watering in dry spells, especially when newly planted. Harvest regularly to keep plants producing lots of fresh new leaves.
Watering
Water newly planted savory regularly until well rooted in, especially during hot, dry spells. But don’t overwater, as savory dislikes constantly moist or waterlogged conditions. Once established, winter savory and creeping savory are generally drought tolerant when growing in the ground, but plants in containers have less access to rainwater, so need regular watering through the growing season, especially in hot weather. For water-saving tips, see our guides below.
Mulching
Apply mulch, such as gravel or garden compost, around the base of savory plants to reduce drying out in summer and deter weeds.
Feeding
There’s generally no need to feed savory, but if you harvest shoots regularly, then an occasional feed of balanced liquid fertiliser will keep plants growing vigorously, especially those in containers.
Cutting back
Winter protection
If you want to continue harvesting winter savory and creeping savory during winter, move potted plants into a bright, cool but frost-free place in autumn and reduce watering until spring. Summer savory will die in autumn, so compost the plants and grow new ones from seed the following spring.
Propagating
You can collect and sow seeds of savory, especially annual summer savory, as this needs to be grown afresh each spring. It may also self-seed if you don’t trim it after flowering. Winter savory and creeping savory can be grown more quickly from softwood cuttings taken in summer.
Harvesting
Winter savory can be harvested almost all year round and has a stronger, spicier flavour
Winter savory and creeping savory can be harvested for most or even all of the year. In cold winters, they may drop their leaves, so if you want to continue harvesting, grow them in pots and move them indoors from autumn to spring.
Summer savory is best harvested before it starts to flower, when the flavour is stronger and sweeter. Cut back after flowering to stimulate fresh new growth for harvesting in late summer. As it’s an annual, summer savory dies in autumn, but the leaves can be dried for use in winter – hang up sprigs in a warm, dark, well-ventilated place. When fully dried, store the leaves in an air-tight jar.
Problems
When grown in warm, sunny, well-drained conditions, savory plants are generally healthy and trouble free. Winter savory and creeping savory should live for several years, while annual summer savory will naturally die off in autumn and should be sown afresh every spring.
Get involved
The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.