Savory (Summer)
Other Common Names Include:
Pepper-wort, garden savory, bean herb
Latin Name: Satureja hortensis
Plant Family: Lamiaceae
Close Relatives: Mint, oregano, thyme, rosemary, winter savory
Uses and Markets: Culinary (e.g. flavouring meat and bean dishes, soups and stews); Essential Oil (e.g. personal care products); Medicinal (e.g. relieving bee stings, digestive issues)
Production Life Cycle in Ontario
Annual
Hardiness Zone
N/A
Special Notes
Summer savory has different cultural requirements than winter savory and the two crops should not be confused.
Propagation method
Most commonly by transplants from seeds; less commonly by direct seeding. Savory seeds are small and require light to germinate. Field seeding is difficult.
Greenhouse Seeding/Propagation Dates
March
Field Seeding Date:
May
Field Transplanting Dates
May
In-row spacing
30-45 cm
Between row spacing
60-80 cm
Optimal Soil temperature at planting
>10°C
Fertility
No current Ontario fertility recommendations exist. Research and recommendations from outside Ontario do not necessarily apply to Ontario growing conditions. Research from Iran showed an optimal nitrogen rate of 100 to 150 kg/ha. Click here for phosphorus and potassium application guidelines and for more information on specialty crop fertility.
Soil type
Sandy or sandy loam, well-drained.
Soil pH
6.5-8.2
Special requirements for growth habit
None
Optimal Temperature Range
10-20°C
Temperature sensitivity
Frost tolerant.
Irrigation requirements
Irrigation usually not required.
Days to harvest
70 days (direct seeded); 40 days (transplanted).
Specialized equipment:
None
Harvest
Harvest Scheduling
Multiple harvests from the same planting.
Hand harvest or machine harvest
Hand harvest
Quality parameters/grades
No established grades; Quality is determined by the market.
Additional Harvest Notes
Optimal quality occurs at or just before flowering, but savory for fresh use can be harvested at any time of year. Savory harvested for essential oil extraction is usually harvested once at the beginning of flowering. Harvest during cooler parts of the day to reduce moisture loss and cooling costs. Remove field heat as soon as possible after harvest.
Post harvest
Special handling/
None
Storage Conditions
Relative humidity (RH): >95%
Temperature: 0°C
Duration: 2-3 weeks
Specific pests observed on this crop in Ontario (observations based on limited experience with this crop)
Insects and Invertebrates: Leafhoppers
Diseases: None
Other Potential Pests: The following pests have not been observed on this crop in Ontario. However, they are either significant concerns for closely related plants in Ontario, or are reported on this crop in other production areas. This is not a comprehensive list of all potential pests. Not all of these pests will necessarily survive Ontario’s climate, but could potentially survive in a protected environment (e.g. greenhouse, storage facility).
Insects and Invertebrates: Spider mites, aphids, four-lined plant bug, leaf rollers, spittle bugs
Diseases: None
Comments
To date the following pests have been the most significant in Ontario: none. This crop is in Crop Group 19: Herb and Spice Crop Group and subgroup 19A: Herb Subgroup. This crop group is being revised and may change in the near future. For more information on Crop Groups, refer to the Pest section. Always refer to product labels, and follow all directions specified on the label, before applying any pest control product. For more information, consult an OMAFRA specialist. For pest control products registered on this crop refer to OMAFRA Publication 838.
None
- McKeown, A.W., C.J. Bakker and J. Schooley. 1998-2002. Herb Demonstration Garden, University of Guelph Simcoe Research Station, unpublished.
- Westerveld, S., Elford, E., Filotas, M. and J. Todd. 2010-present. OMAFRA herb demonstration garden. OMAFRA Simcoe Resource Centre, unpublished.
- McVicar, J. 1997. Jekka’s complete herb book. Raincoast Books, Vancouver.
- Sahzabi, A.A., Ashorabadi, E.S., Shiranirad, A.H., Bigdeli, M. and B. Abaszadeh. 2007. The effects of different methods and levels of using nitrogen on some quality and quantity characteristics of Satureja hortensis L. Iranian Journal of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants 23: 416-431.
- Sahzabi, A.A., Ashoorabadi, E.S., Shranirad, A.H., Abbaszadeh, B. and H.A. Farahani. The methods of nitrogen application influence on essential oil yield and water use efficiency of summer savory (Satureja hortensis L. ). Journal of Horticulture and Forestry 2: 52-56.
- Small, E. 2006. Culinary herbs, 2nd Edition. NRC Research Press, Ottawa.
