Winter Savory in Zone 5a & 5b

Satureja montana

When to plant winter savory in zone 5b

Zones 5a and 5b share the same average frost dates in our data, so this page covers both.

Method: Start indoors: Start indoors from seed, then transplant outside. Winter Savory needs a head start most zones can't give it by direct-sowing alone.

Start indoorsMar 22–Mar 29
Direct sow / transplant outsideMay 17–May 24
Estimated harvestAug 15–Aug 22 (~90 days after transplanting)

Spacing: 4 per square foot (square-foot-gardening spacing). Mature height: 0.5-1 ft.

Winter Savory
Photo: Raffi Kojian via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0, cropped.

Winter savory is the perennial half of the savory family, a low, woody-based plant with a sharper, more resinous flavor than annual summer savory. The trade for that stronger flavor is a plant that survives winter outdoors in zones 4-8, coming back on its own rather than needing to be sown fresh every spring.

How winter savory fits zone 5's season

Zone 5b's frost-free window runs about 148 days, from May 10 to October 5. Winter Savory needs about 90 days from transplant to first harvest.

Good companions

No standout companions recorded yet for Winter Savory.

Where to buy winter savory seeds

See why we recommend these suppliers →

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See it growing

Search YouTube for "growing winter savory" videos → (a live search, not a hand-picked video; results vary and aren't vetted by us)

← Back to the full zone 5b calendar · Full companion planting guide · Full plant profile · Plan your beds in the Garden Designer →

Growing Winter Savory in USDA zone 5b

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Growing Winter Savory in USDA zone 5b: when to start seeds indoors, when to direct-sow, and when to expect a harvest.

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