Winter Savory Seeds

Info: Rarely another spice is used more often with beans than savory. Winter savory (also mountain savory) comes from the mountains of southern Europe. In contrast to the summer savory it is cultivated for two or more years and is also somewhat stronger in the taste. Savory is aromatic and tart with a slightly spicy note and can even intensify the flavour when dried. The best time to harvest the leaves is right before flowering, because then the flavour is most intense. It is used for bean dishes of all kinds, bean salads or vegetables, but it also harmonizes with peas, lentils, potato and cabbage dishes, or it is used in herb butter and quark. In medicine it is used against digestive problems, headaches and sleep disorders.

Sowing & cultivation: Seeding and growing under glass from April indoors, or from end of may outdoors. Sow the seed thinly and cover them only slightly with soil ("light germinator"). Later the seedlings need at least 20 cm distance to the next plant. The plants need a sunny and sheltered place. The soil should be permeable and calcareous, avoid waterlogging. No fertilization necessary, since the plant is adapted to low-nutrient soils. Pour sparingly. For the perennial savory it is recommended to cut back in spring in order to encourage bushy growth.