Savory: Sowing, planting and harvest calendar
When and how do you sow savory outdoors?
Check the species before sowing savory: Satureja hortensis is annual, while Satureja montana is perennial. Outdoors, wait for warm soil and mild weather without frost forecast for young shoots. In a cool climate, a small protected container makes early growth easier to monitor than sowing among established border plants.
Choose a sunny, well-drained spot. Remove weeds and prepare a fine surface without deeply digging the whole plot. Sow thinly on the surface and gently press the seeds down: light helps germination. Do not bury them beneath half a centimetre or more of soil. Water with a very fine spray so the seeds do not move.
Keep the surface slightly moist until emergence, without standing water. Steady temperatures near 20 °C are favourable; speed also depends on the seed lot. Once plants have several leaves, thin or carefully transplant overcrowded seedlings. Allow for mature width rather than using one fixed spacing for every species. Annual savory completes its cycle in one season, unlike a well-established perennial savory. Keep the two types labelled so their different cycles remain clear as they develop.
How do you plant savory?
How to harvest savory
