When to Plant Savory in Cairns, Tropical Guide
Sow May to July. Right now in September it is out of season. The next sowing month is May.
Published · Last reviewed · By Garden Buddy
Growing advice is reviewed by hand. Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.
This Savory guide is written for the Tropical zone, which takes in Cairns, Townsville and Darwin. Somewhere else? Your postcode picks the right one.
Not your zone? Brisbane Sydney Melbourne Canberra Alice Springs Perth
Also handy: will it frost this week? and what grows in shade.
Two related herbs: Summer savory (S. hortensis) is an annual with a delicate peppery-thyme flavour, traditional with beans. Winter savory (S. montana) is a perennial evergreen subshrub with a stronger, more pungent flavour. Both are underrated in Australian gardens. Summer savory is the more versatile culinarily; winter savory is the more practical grower.
Planting Calendar for Tropical
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| - | - | - | - | D | D | D | - | - | - | - | - |
S = Seed Tray T = Transplant D = Direct Sow
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Current Growing Conditions
Soil temperature: 21.4°C (optimal range: 18–30°C) ✓ Ready to plant
Modelled from Open-Meteo forecast (Cairns), not a live sensor.
How to Grow Savory in Tropical Australia
When to Plant
Summer savory: sow Apr-Aug. Winter savory: not recommended.
- Soil
- Well-drained, light soil. Lean to moderate fertility. Both types dislike wet feet.
- pH Range
- 6.5-7.5
- Sunlight
- Full sun for both types.
- Spacing
- 25cm apart, 35cm between rows
- Watering
- Moderate. Allow to dry between waterings. Less water-demanding than parsley but more than rosemary.
Companion plants: Beans (traditional companion), Onion
Tropical Growing Tips for Savory
Recommended Varieties
- Summer savory (annual, grow in dry season)
- Winter savory marginal
Key Challenges
- Humidity
- Short window for summer savory
Pro Tips
- Summer savory as a dry-season annual only
- Container growing for winter savory if attempted
Harvesting Savory
When ready: Summer savory: harvest once 15cm+ tall, before flowering. Winter savory: harvest year-round from established plant.
How to harvest: Snip stem tips. Summer savory: cut entire plant at base when flowering begins for maximum harvest. Winter savory: light regular snipping.
Where to next
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Open the planting dashboard Join Garden BuddyCommon Questions About Savory
When do you plant savory in Australia?
It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:
- Tropical (Cairns): May to Jul
- Subtropical (Brisbane): Aug to Oct
- Warm Temperate (Sydney): Sep to Nov
- Cool Temperate (Melbourne): Sep to Nov
- Cold / Highland (Canberra): Sep to Dec
- Arid / Semi-Arid (Alice Springs): Aug
- Mediterranean (Perth): Sep to Nov
Does savory grow all year round in Cairns?
No. In the Tropical zone the planting months are May to Jul. Outside that window it either bolts, sulks or gets cut down by the weather.
Which zone am I in?
Type your postcode into the box under the heading and the page tells you, and links this crop in your own zone if it differs. Or look it up on the grow zone map. This page is the Tropical zone, Cairns is its reference city.