How to Grow Winter Savories

Growth Stages

Stage	BBCH	Notes
Sowing and planting	0	RHS: full sun, free-draining conditions, in the ground or containers, spaced at least 20cm (8in) from neighbouring plants; heavy soil needs a raised bed or container instead. NC State: propagate by seed or stem cutting, planted in early spring.
Establishment and pruning	3	RHS: cut back old shoots in early spring; propagate further by softwood cuttings from new growth in summer, or by layering low stems into the soil in spring or autumn. NC State: cut back at flower buds to encourage fresh leaf growth, remove dead wood in early spring; grows rapidly, medium maintenance.
Overwintering	0	RHS: hardy but semi-evergreen, sheds leaves in very cold weather, keeps them through winter in milder areas. For continuous winter harvesting, move potted plants to a bright, cool, frost-free spot such as a greenhouse or porch; in high-rainfall regions, protect ground plants with well-ventilated cloches.
Harvest	8	RHS: 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. NC State: harvest in summer when in flower; the plant lives for several years but is best replaced every 2 years to stay at its best.

Quick Facts

Factor	Value
Drainage	Free-draining, never waterlogged (RHS); NC State: sand or shallow rocky preferred, good drainage, occasionally dry, does not perform well in damp soil.
Lifecycle	Dwarf, sub-shrubby, hardy perennial -- genuinely distinct from the annual Summer Savory (Satureja hortensis), a different species RHS covers on the same combined "Savory" grow-your-own page but with clearly separate growing profiles. RHS: hardy but semi-evergreen, shedding leaves in very cold weather though keeping them through winter in milder areas; NC State gives a harder US number, hardy USDA zones 5a-10b.
Edible parts	leaves

Harvest & Storage

When to pick: RHS: harvestable for most or all of the year where growth persists, though winter growth slows considerably. NC State: harvest in summer when in flower; first harvest possible within 2 months of sowing.

Storage

RHS: strip leaves from stems, use fresh or dry by hanging in a warm, dark, well-ventilated place.

Winter Savory Photo Gallery

On a rocky site

Winter savory growing from a rocky site.

A flowering field

A field of flowering winter savory.

What the research guides add

Winter savory is the perennial of the two savories, with a stronger flavour than summer savory.

• A low-growing, shrubby perennial herb that can also serve as an ornamental border; it is grown from cuttings or seed in early spring and harvested in summer when in flower. (NC State Extension)
• It is easy to grow in sandy, well-drained soil with dry or medium moisture and full sun; it tolerates light shade but does not do well in damp soil. (NC State Extension)
• It can be harvested within 2 months of sowing. The plants live for several years but are best replaced every two years because they stop producing new growth as they age. (NC State Extension)
• It is a good companion for onions and beans, its flowers attract bees, and it is rarely troubled by deer. (NC State Extension)

Sources for this section

• NC State Extension: Satureja montana (Plant Toolbox)

Section researched and checked on 25 October 2026 by the SoilCommander Editorial Team. How we check facts: editorial policy.

Sources

The full list of 2 sources behind this guide (North Carolina State University Extension (Plant Toolbox), Royal Horticultural Society) is in the references of our UK guide to winter savory; they describe the plant itself, which is the same wherever it grows.