How to Grow Winter Savories | Planting & Establishment

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
Sunlight	6-8 hours direct sun
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

A dense flowering mound

A dense mound of flowering winter savory.

On a rocky site

Winter savory growing from a rocky site.

A flower spike

A winter savory flower spike.

A flowering field

A field of flowering winter savory.

Leaf detail

Close-up of narrow winter savory leaves.

A single plant

A single winter savory plant on rock.

A pink-flowered variant

A pink-flowered winter savory variant.

A flower cluster

A cluster of winter savory flowers.

Flowering plants

Flowering winter savory plants.

References

1. North Carolina State University Extension (Plant Toolbox) - Satureja montana (Mountain Savory, Winter Savory)

   Soil: sand or shallow rocky preferred; pH acid, neutral or alkaline; good drainage, occasionally dry, does not perform well in damp soil. Light: full sun (6+ hours), tolerates light shade, struggles in full shade; dry to medium moisture preferred. Size: 0.5-1.5ft height, 1-1.5ft width, needs 12in-3ft of space. Hardiness USDA zones 5a-10b. Propagation: seed or stem cutting, planted early spring, harvestable within 2 months of sowing. Growth: rapid growth rate, medium maintenance; lives for several years but best replaced every 2 years. Pruning: cut back at flower buds for fresh leaf growth, remove dead wood in early spring. Pests/diseases: no known diseases or insect pests; rarely troubled by deer. Harvest: in summer when in flower, used fresh or dried.

2. Royal Horticultural Society - Savory

   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.