Discover Easy Growing Savory
Summer and winter savory are two aromatic and easy to grow Mediterranean herbs that should be in everyone’s garden. Both have echoes of thyme and oregano, with just a hint of spiciness. Traditionally these two plants were grown near bee hives, providing nectar for honey production. They also are great companion plants, because their aromatic essential oils help mask the scent of other plants, making it difficult for pests to locate their targets.
Summer and winter savory are dissimilar in life cycle and appearance, so are usually grown separately. Summer savory, an annual herb, grows best in rich soil, full of humus and with good drainage, so is often grown along with vegetables in the garden. It can fit in at the ends of your rows of vegetables, where it will grow into a bushy plant about 18 inches tall. With its lanky stems and narrow leaves, it is not one of the most beautiful herbs. However, its texture will complement larger leafed annual herbs like basil. If you have a separate annual herb bed, plant it there, alongside basil, marjoram and parsley. Throughout the summer, harvest this herb as required, taking off the growing tips to encourage growth.
Summer Savory
On the other hand, winter savory is a hardy perennial herb, surviving in areas with temperatures down to -20F. It appreciates a less fertile but well drained soil, and can handle a moderate drought. With needle-like foliage that covers the stems quite thickly, it will grow into a thick mound about 12 inches tall. This neat bushy growth habit it makes a good edging plant. It can be planted with other perennial herbs like thyme and sage, or with your low growing perennials like dianthus and thrift. It even works well in rock gardens.
Start sumer savory from seeds, indoors in early April. Don’t cover the seeds, since they need light to germinate. The seeds germinate quickly and the seedlings can be hardened off and planted outside when the weather is reliably frost-free. Winter savory is slow to germinate from seed, so you may be better to buy a healthy nursery plant or two. They can be placed in the garden in either spring or early fall. Once it is growing in the garden, it is easy to propagate from cuttings or layering, and as it ages and becomes woody, it will need dividing.
Winter Savory
Neither savory needs much maintenance if you have provided the proper growing conditions. They are seldom bothered by insect pests or diseases. Summer savory will love a watering with fish emulsion to kick start regrowth after harvesting, but winter savory will thrive quite nicely all summer with just a little compost top dressing each spring.
Both savories are easy to harvest and preserve. Harvest summer savory throughout the summer and fall, and if you are going to preserve it for winter use, do so just before the plant flowers. Winter savory can be sheared any time, and the trimmings used right away or dried. Both savories are easy to dry, either in a dehydrator or by air drying. You can also remove the leaves from the stems and freeze them in bags. One other preservation method is to make a savory pesto by pureeing the leaves in a food processor with olive or safflower oil. Freeze the paste in ice cube trays, and pop the frozen cubes into freezer bags. You can then drop them into soups, stews or sauces.
How to Make A Christmas Herbal Wreath
Christmas wreaths are one of the first decorations many of us hang. A decorative and colorful wreath is a welcoming sight on the front door. This year, why not make your own wreath using some of the dried herbs and plants from your gardens. Take a big basket and your sharpest shears, and look for inspiration in your yard and neighborhood wild spaces.
Many combinations of textures and colors can be used to make a wreath to complement your front door. First look for plants that make good fillers – santolina, Powis Castle artemisia, oregano, lavender and variegated sage are good starting plants. These are all fairly supple, as well as having lovely scents. Cut your pieces about ten inches long, and lay them carefully in the basket so they don’t get mixed up and tangled.
Look for plants that will add accents and color, like the flower heads of late chrysanthemums, statice flowers, monarda, yarrow or pussy toes (wild antennaria). Find some with different textures, such as rosemary, fallen cones, trimming from shrubs such as escallonia or firethorn, with its red berry bunches.
Now, you will need a base for your wreath. You can find different wreath forms at your local craft store. They will usually be made of straw bound with wire, or of twined grape vines. Either type will work well. You will also need a sturdy wire for hanging the wreath, some shears, floral pins and needle nose pliers. Use the wire and pliers to make a u-shaped hanger, and insert it in the top back of the wreath form. Use the pliers to curl the wire ends into the base form securely.
Now, make full bundles of your filler and accent plants and fasten them together with floral tape or wire, and trim the ends evenly. Keep the accent plants on top so they are visible. Now pin the bundle to the base, starting about half way down. If your bundle of plants doesn’t completely cover the width of the wreath base, place two or three side by side.
Now, work around the wreath, covering the stem ends of the previous bundles each time. With the last bundles, make sure you tuck the stem ends under the foliage of the very first bundles. Now, hang up your wreath, and have a good look at it. See what needs to be tucked in, covered or trimmed to tidy it up. Use some of the smaller pieces left over, or some of the decorative items as accents tucked into spaces. If you want, add some colorful ribbon spiralling around the wreath or as a bow near the bottom, and you’re all done!
You can leave your wreath flat to dry, or hang it up immediately. Some shifting may occur if you hang it, so keep an eye on it. If it is cool enough outside, you can hang it on the front door right away, and it will welcome your visitors with color, fragrance and beauty.
How to Make Herbal Vinegars and Oils
It’s easy to make delicious herbal oils and vinegars from the herbs in your garden. Use these flavored oils and vinegars to add a different taste and zest to marinades and salad dressings. You can use the herbs either fresh or dried in making them.
The supplies you’ll need for making herb vinegar are as follows:
Sterilized glass jar, with lid, your home-grown, organic herbs, and the vinegar of your choice. Most vinegars can be used, but try to match the vinegar to the herb. More delicately flavored herbs go well with white or champagne wine vinegars, while a stronger-flavored herb like tarragon or rosemary would work well with a zesty red vinegar. Cider vinegar has a strong “bitey” flavor already, so you’ll have to compensate for that flavor when trying different flavor combinations of the herbs you want to use.
Prepare your herbs by harvesting them in early morning, and washing them gently and drying them thoroughly. Place them inside the jar and pour in your choice of vinegar. Fasten the lid tightly, and let your herb vinegar stand for about six weeks. Strain out the herbs and return the clear flavored vinegar to a clean and sterilized container. It’s now ready to use for cooking or salad dressing.
You can also use your organically grown herbs to make organic herb oil. Herb oil is excellent to use on salads and to add extra flavor for cooking. Organic herb oil also makes a fantastic dip for bread. Some herb oils can also make wonderfully fragrant bath oils, or depending on the oil you use, can also be used to moisturize your skin.
A word of caution, when it comes to herb oil – it must be kept refrigerated. Herb oil is an ideal medium for bacteria to grow in, including certain fatal bacteria. It is imperative you refrigerate your herb oil. Keep the unused herb oil from fresh herbs for no more than two weeks; after that, discard it. Mark a date on the jar so you know how long you have had the oil, and if it is left out of the refrigerator, throw it away!
With dried herbs, your herbal oil is much less likely to be contaminated with bacteria. If you prepare your herb oil with fully dried herbs; you can store the unused herb oil in the refrigerator for up to four weeks. Again, when the four weeks are up, throw it away!
To make herb oil you will need a sterilized jar or bottle with a lid, oil, and your home-grown, organic herbs (either fresh, frozen, or dried). Remember, if you use dried herbs, you’ll be able to store the unused portion in the refrigerator longer, and there is little chance of introducing bacteria or fungus, as there is with fresh herbs. If you’re going to use the herb oil primarily for cooking or salads, it’s recommended you use extra virgin olive oil. It is possible to use other oils such as almond, grape seed, sunflower and sesame oils. Never use mineral oil. Jojoba oil is a good choice if you plan to make a bath or cosmetic oil.
One method is to heat the oil gently in a double boiler, and add your prepared herbs. Do not allow the oil to get too hot, as it will change the flavor and quality of the oil. Let the oil and herb mixture cool, and leave it for about a week in the refrigerator for the flavor to disperse throughout the oil. Remove the herbs by straining the oil. Add a few drops of Vitamin E oil, and pour the flavored oil into the sterilized jar or bottle and screw the lid on tightly. Label the date and refrigerate. Whenever you use the herbal oil, make sure you return it to the refrigerator promptly.
As you can see, there are many uses for organically grown herbs. You will save money by not having to buy your favorite herbal vinegars at the store anymore. You can just make them yourself, as well a delicious herbal oils. You’ll also notice a huge taste difference by using your organically grown herbs in these two preparations, compared to store bought ones.
