Summer Savory (Satureja hortensis)
2 sources cited · Verified
Summer savories (Satureja hortensis) — Bushy hardy annual -- genuinely distinct from the perennial Winter Savory (Satureja montana) already in this catalogue….
Unlike an annual crop, the work here is front-loaded into establishment: get the planting and the site right and the same plants crop for several seasons.
Core growing advice on this page is checked against named horticultural sources — see References.
Soil & Growing Conditions
Growth Stages
Quick Facts
Harvest & Storage
Summer Savory Photo Gallery
References
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Light: full sun (6+ hours) essential, does not do well in damp soil or shade. Soil: high organic matter or loam; pH alkaline (>8.0); good drainage required, avoid wet conditions; prefers rich light soil with plenty of moisture, though not fussy. Spacing: 12in-3ft apart; height 1.5ft, width 1-3ft. Hardiness: USDA zones 2a-11b (grown as an annual regardless of zone). Propagation: stem cutting recommended (also grown readily from seed). Growth: annual, rapid growth rate, low maintenance; can be harvested within 2 months of sowing. Harvest: just before the plant flowers for best flavour; cut back as flower buds appear to produce a fresh flush of leaves. Pests/diseases: no known diseases or insect pests; rarely troubled by deer.
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Site: full sun, free-draining conditions, in ground or containers; open sunny spot, soil that never waterlogs; heavy soil needs a raised bed or container instead. Spacing: at least 20cm (8in) from neighbouring plants. Size: winter savory a shrubby plant up to 40cm (16in) tall (vs summer savory, bushy, about 30cm/1ft tall and wide). Harvest: winter savory harvestable for most or all of the year where growth persists, though winter growth slows considerably; strip leaves from stems, use fresh or dry by hanging in a warm, dark, well-ventilated place. Overwintering: hardy but semi-evergreen, sheds leaves in very cold weather, keeps them through winter in milder areas; for continuous winter harvest move potted plants to a bright, cool, frost-free spot (greenhouse or porch), or protect ground plants with well-ventilated cloches in high-rainfall regions. Pests/diseases: generally healthy and trouble free when grown in warm, sunny, well-drained conditions. Propagation: softwood cuttings from new growth in summer, or layer by pegging low stems into the soil in spring or autumn; cut back old shoots in early spring. Flavour: earthy, spicy, peppery (vs summer savory's milder, more delicate flavour).
2 independent sources are cited for this crop. Where they disagree - soil pH is the clearest case - every figure is preserved rather than averaged into false precision.
Frequently Asked Questions
What soil pH do summer savories need?
A pH of about 8–8.5. That span reflects genuine variation between the authorities we cite rather than a single agreed figure — the References section lists each source's exact range.
Plan next season before the problems start
Almost everything on this page resolves to your own frost dates rather than the calendar — the last spring frost moves by roughly two months between zone 3 and zone 10. The USA Garden Planner works from your zone so the timing is already decided before the season starts.
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Last verified 2026-09-04
Where To Go From Here
Take this crop from reading into a written plan for your own beds.
Plan the next step
Use the printable SoilCommander planner for your region to turn this guide into sowing dates, bed layouts and weekly garden tasks.