Savory is an excellent seasoning, not only for beans and other vegetables, but also for many different fish dishes and even an ingredient in the popular herbs of Provence. Therefore, it should not be missing in a well-stocked herb garden.
How do you sow savory correctly?
Savory should be sown in loose, well-drained soil and in a sunny, warm location. The seeds are sown either outdoors after the Ice Saints or on the windowsill from April. Be careful not to sow the seeds too densely as the plant will later grow bushy.
Once or again?
Before you buy seeds, consider whether you want annual or perennial savory in your garden. As the name suggests, you have to sow the annual summer savory again every year. Mountain savory, on the other hand, is frost-hardy and sprouts again on its own in spring.
But that's not the only difference. Summer savory tastes a little milder and has softer leaves and stems than mountain savory. Since it does not become woody, it does not need to be cut back. Otherwise they are similar in terms of care. Still, it makes perfect sense to grow them both. So you can sometimes harvest the spicier, sometimes the milder version.
The preparations
Savory likes loose, well-drained soil. If the soil in your garden is solid and/or clayey, you can mix in sand or fine gravel so that the savory feels comfortable in your area. Also choose a sunny and warm location, if possible protected from the wind, then you will have a lot of fun with the spicy herb.
If you want to sow the savory outdoors immediately, it's better to wait until after the Ice Saints. But you can also plant it on the windowsill or in the greenhouse from April onwards. Don't sow the very small seeds too densely, the herb will later grow quite bushy on its own.
If you have difficulty sowing, try scattering the seeds with a small sieve. This can make your work a lot easier. Then press the seeds slightly to the ground without covering them with soil.
The most important things in brief:
- Summer or mountain savory?
- don't sow too densely, savory grows quite bushy
- Sowing on the windowsill from April
- Sowing outdoors only after the Ice Saints
Tips & Tricks
Don't sow the savory too densely, it will grow slightly bushy later anyway and will need some space.