🌿 Savory

Savory is a peppery, thyme-like herb, famous as the ‘bean herb’ because its flavour complements broad, French and runner beans so well, and is thought to aid digestion. Summer savory is a delicate annual, and winter savory is a hardy, evergreen, stronger-flavoured perennial.

Both are easy, attractive plants with small pink-white flowers loved by bees. They suit pots, edges and the herb garden.

Varieties to try

Summer savory (annual, finer flavour)Winter savory (perennial, stronger)Creeping savory (Satureja spicigera, groundcover)

Sow summer savory from April to May on the surface of fine, well-drained soil in a sunny spot, in rows 25 cm apart. Seed is tiny and needs light, so do not cover it. Thin to 15 cm. Seedlings appear in 2–3 weeks.

Winter savory can be bought as plants or sown similarly, then planted 30 cm apart. Both prefer poor, free-draining soil and full sun.

Top tips

• Don't cover the seed.
• Sow in poor soil.
• Choose a sunny site.
• Thin to 15 cm.

Water sparingly and avoid feeding. Pinch out the tips of young plants to encourage bushiness. Trim winter savory in spring to keep it neat and productive, avoiding cutting into old wood.

Few pests trouble savory. Slugs sometimes eat seedlings. Replace winter savory every 4–5 years when woody. Summer savory finishes after flowering in late summer.

Top tips

• Pinch out tips.
• Trim in spring.
• Don't overwater.
• Replace old plants.

Watch out for

Slugs on seedlingsRoot rot in wet soilAphidsWoodiness with age

Pick sprigs from summer savory from about 8 weeks, cutting the top 10 cm before flowering. Winter savory can be picked all year, though it is best in summer.

Hang cut stems in bunches to dry for winter use. Harvest on a dry morning.

Summer savory is best picked just as the first flower buds appear, when the oils are strongest. Harvest the whole plant at once, leaving a few centimetres, for a big batch to dry, as the plant does not regrow well after flowering.

Top tips

• Cut before flowering.
• Pick winter savory all year.
• Dry bunches.
• Pick in the morning.

Add a sprig to the cooking water for broad beans, French beans or lentils, and use in stuffings, sausages, stews, soups and with roast meat. The flavour is peppery, between thyme and mint. Winter savory is stronger, so use less.

Dried savory keeps a year in a jar. Fresh sprigs keep a week in the fridge. A sprig of savory is a great addition to herb vinegars.

Top tips

• Cook with beans.
• Use less winter savory.
• Dry for winter.
• Add to stuffing.