How to Grow Satureja Plants

Guide to Growing Summer Savory, Chilean Shrub Mint, and Wild Basil

The Culinary herb Satureja can be either grown as an hardy annual or as Perennial Satureja (Winter Savoury).

This page is dedicated to the annual variety known as Summer Savory.

Annual Satureja species range from 15 to 90 cm (6 to 36 inches) in height. They bloom from the middle of summer to autumn, with small double lipped tubular flowers of purple or white.

However, it is usually the fragrant greyish green oblongish leaves that Satureja plants are grown for.

The leaves of Summer savory have a peppery taste, and can be harvested at any time and used fresh.

If you want to dry the savory leaves, then it is best to harvest before flowering has occurred (start of summer), or after it has finished (autumn).

It is best to remove stalks and leaves, place in a paper bag, hang upside down, allow to dry, then store the summer savory leaves in a Tupperware container.

Satureja spicigera – Creeping Savory by peganum; Creative Commons.

Satureja multiflora – Chilean Shrub Mint by inao ᵕ; Creative Commons.

How to Grow Summer Savory (annual Satureja Plants)

It is best to sow Summer savory and other annual Satureja plants outdoors every four weeks to ensure a wide time-range in which to harvest fresh leaves.

The seeds of Summer savory should be sown on the soil surface, from just after the last frost at about 15 cm (6 inches) apart.

Ideally they should be grown in a sunny area that has good drainage, and a light yet rich soil.

Annual Satureja plants can also be started off indoors, sow the seeds into peat pots about a month before putting out (after the last frost of spring).

It should take about two weeks for Savory to germinate at 15 to 20 degrees centigrade (59 to 68°F).

Caring for Summer Savory

It is very easy to look after the Summer savoury plants outdoors, give them a light watering if the soil dries out.

If growing Satureja herb indoors, then be sure that they get at least six hours of sunlight, and water them every time the soil dries out (do not water regularly).

I hope that you enjoyed this guide on how to grow Satureja (summer) plants. You may also enjoy the following Gardener's HQ growing guides: How to grow mint and Melissa plants.