Aromatic herbs have been known and used by humans for millennia across nearly every civilization. The Chinese, Egyptians, and even the Sumerians left traces on the subject, showing that aromatic herbs have as much value in medicine as in traditional cooking. But to enjoy the culinary benefits of aromatic herbs like savory, you first need to know how to grow them. A closer look at savory.
Planting Savory – The Complete Guide
Savory (Satureja montana) is a common herb and a relatively hardy perennial that can be found widely in the sunny south of France and pairs well with all tomato-based dishes. Want to grow savory in the garden, on an herb spiral, or on a balcony? Follow our tips to get started.
Savory in the Ground
Savory can be sown from March to April by scattering seeds on a good-quality seedbed and covering them very lightly. Once the seedlings have 4–5 leaves, transplant them into a small pot until small roots emerge from the bottom. And there you go—all that remains is to plant them in their final spot.
Choose a sunny area and favor poor soil, perhaps one that’s gravelly and well-drained (that doesn’t hold too much water).
Savory on Your Balcony
As with ground planting, savory doesn’t need much to thrive. A pot of good size is necessary and in it you should place, at the bottom, clay balls or gravel to ensure drainage.
Finally, before finding its place on your balcony, keep in mind that if you take good care of it, your savory can reach up to 40 centimeters in height.
How to Care for a Savory Plant?
Savory is a plant that requires little, but you will need to water it well in its early days, whether in a pot or in the ground.
At planting or sowing, you will indeed need to monitor the soil to keep it moist until germination or root take, but after that you will only need to water occasionally.
When winter arrives, you can cut your savory back to about 10 centimeters (4 inches) above the soil and mulch heavily to help it withstand the cold, even though this plant can tolerate temperatures down to -17°C.
When your plant ages after several years, multiply it in spring by taking a portion of the clump and planting it elsewhere… And the adventure will begin again!
Harvesting Savory
Harvesting savory can be done year-round as you need it for cooking.
To have some in winter and to be able to preserve it, you will need to harvest from spring onward and at the appearance of the first flowers because that is when it will have the most flavor and will thus be most suitable for preservation.
Storing Savory
Savory stores very well when dried. Therefore, as noted above, harvest in spring by cutting whole stems to form a small bouquet. But don’t harvest the entire plant, or it may not be able to regenerate!
Tie your bouquet with a little wire, pulling tight to prevent it from coming apart during drying, which sees the green stems shrink in size. Hang the bouquet upside down in a dry place away from light.
Once well dried, place your savory—perhaps breaking your bouquet—to a glass jar that you will seal tightly and then store everything in a dry place shielded from light.
When you use it, be careful not to introduce moisture into the jar, as that could ruin your entire stock!
