Mountain savory is also called winter savory. It originates from Africa, Southern Europe and the Mediterranean. It's a perennial, semi-evergreen herb. This semi-shrub flowers with light lavender-blue, pink or white flowers. It has dark green needle-shaped leaves. Mountain savory grows on rocks, slopes, dry banks and in old walls. It prefers chalky soil. It's an easy-to-grow plant that deserves a place in every herb garden. It needs about 6 hours of sunlight a day and well-drained soil. It's also suitable to make a hedge around the herb garden together with lavender.
It can reduce mildew and aphids in roses if grown together with roses. For beans, this plant keeps the bean beetles away. The leaves can be used fresh or dried in various bean dishes, soups, sauces, with meat, casseroles, Brussels sprouts, stews, salad dressings and for a little extra spice in salads. Both the leaves and flowers of Mountain savory are edible. Mountain savory is also used with chicken, turkey and lamb. Add it at the last moment because cooking with it causes a lot of loss of flavour. It can also be used with fish such as salmon, trout, mackerel and tuna.
Mountain savory is also used for various medicinal purposes such as: mucilage, improving digestion, treating bee stings and insect stings and as an antiseptic. It can also be used against flatulence, cystitis, nausea and diarrhoea. It shouldn't definitely not be used by pregnant women. Harvest the leaves and edible flowers in summer when the plant is in flower (from July). It can be used either dried or fresh. It's also possible to make an essential oil from this plant. This plant is very attractive to butterflies, bees and other beneficial insects. Semi-hardy perennial. Height: 20 - 40 cm.
Indoor sowing: March - April
Outdoor sowing: April - May
Germination: 14 - 21 days
Germinationtemp.: 18 - 20 °C
Sowing dept: shallow
Planting distance: 35 - 45 cm
sowing distance between the rows: 40 - 45 cm
Planting position: sunny, chalky, sheltered and well-drained
Flowering period: July - October
Harvest period: July - October
Sow indoors from March onwards. Because Mountain savory is a light germinator, the seeds need a lot of light and warmth to germinate. Sow in trays filled with moistened potting soil. Sow thinly and shallowly and don't cover the seeds. Keep warm and in a light place. Don't sow the seeds too close together as this will result in brittle, short plants. Harden off the plants in early May by putting them outside in the sun for about 10 - 14 days during the day. Plant the plants outdoors from mid-May, when there is no chance of night frost, in a sunny, chalky and sheltered spot with good drainage. Leave 35 - 45 cm space around the plants.
Sow outside from mid April, as soon as there is no more chance of night frost. When sowing in rows keep 45 cm space between the rows. Don't cover the seeds but rake them carefully in or press them gently into the soil. When the plants are 5 - 7 cm high they should be thinned out so that there is about 35 - 45 cm space around them. Mountain savory should be planted in a sunny, chalky and sheltered spot with good drainage.
Harvest the leaves continuously keeps productivity high. During flowering (from July) whole branches can be harvested which can be dried or frozen. Mountain savory can already be harvested after a few months. You can pick from July onwards, as soon as the leaves and stems are large enough. Remove weeds and prune the plants regularly. Pruning ensures that the plants eventually become woody. This means that the stems become hard and woody.
After 5 years, Mountain savory begins to go bad and heavily woody. This is the time to sow new plants or take cuttings from the existing plant. This is done as follows: in spring (April - May), cut off a young branch without flowers. Remove the lower leaves to prevent loss of moisture. Place the sprigs in separate pots filled with moist soil. Place the cuttings on the side of the pot. Don't let the cuttings dry out and give them sufficient water. Cover the pots with cling film or a plastic bag to prevent moisture loss. After this you will have made new plants that can be used for another 5 years.
You can use the leaves fresh or dried. Dry the branches with stems and leaves in a dry, well-ventilated place. After this, you can easily remove the leaves from the stems. Store in a tightly sealed plastic box/glass jar. Store in a dark, dry and frost-free place.
