HERBS > OREGANO

IN THIS GUIDE

OREGANO GUIDES

oregano plant growing in the garden

plant

Oregano is a very utilitarian culinary herb and also a great companion plant .

Oregano is a herbaceous plant with which many citizenry are intimate in the kitchen – but oregano is not just useful in your kitchen , it can be handy in your garden too .

leaves of oregano growing outdoors

Chives and oregano

Overview

PreferredFull Sun or Partial Shade

ExposureExposed or Sheltered

Height0.5 – 1 M

pink flowering origanum vulgare

Spread0.5 – 1 M

Bloom TimeJuly – September

PreferredChalk , loam , sand

‘Aureum Crispum’ oregano leaves in yellow and green

MoistureWell - drain

pHAny

Oregano – Origanum vulgare – is a flowering herbaceous plant in the mint menage ( Lamiaceae).1Oregano – Origanum . ( n.d . ) . North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox . Retrieved March 21 , 2023 , fromhttps://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/origanum/common-name/oregano/

flowering ‘Kent Beauty’ oregano with beautiful light green and lilac flowers

Originally native ( and with strong connectedness to ) the Mediterranean region , it is now grown in gardens and has naturalised in many area across the temperate northern hemisphere.2Origanum vulgare . ( n.d . ) . Kew Royal Botanic Gardens . Retrieved March 21 , 2023 , fromhttps://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:453395-1

It is close refer to marjoram , another interesting culinary herb to debate growing in your garden.3University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources . ( 2022 , April).Oregano & Sweet Marjoram . regent of the University of California . retrieve March 21 , 2023 , fromhttps://sonomamg.ucanr.edu/Food_Gardening/Feature_Vegetables/Oregano_-_Marjoram/

“ pot marjoram are all in the oregano genus , ” partake in Dan Ori , a Master Horticulturist .

close view of Origanum vulgare compactum leaves

“ Sweet marjorams botanical name isOriganum majorana , and , as mentioned , what we normally   refer to as oregano isOriganum vulgare . “

This isa repeated herbaceous plant , though it is often produce as an annual in cold areas where it does not winter successfully .

In the kitchen , marjoram is often used dry out rather than fresh , when the spirit is more intense .

a permaculture herb spiral

It is a staple in Italian cuisine and is also commonly utilised in other Mediterranean cuisines and in Mexican preparation .

Pungent and solid savouring , it is popular in a range of dish antenna and is a various and useful ingredient to have on mitt when grow your own .

Why Grow Oregano?

One of the main reasons to grow oregano is so that you could use it in your kitchen , as a culinary herb .

However , Oregano is also an aromatic herb which can be a estimable familiar plant for a kitchen range of common crops .

It attracts a range of beneficial insect which help to defend balance and quash pest authority in an constitutive garden .

many oregano seedlings in moist soil

For example , it brings in predatory worm , which aid keep down sap - sucker populations .

What is more , oregano can also be an attractive plant – ithas beautiful blossom when in bloom , which not only pull wildlife but which also enhance the appearance of your garden .

Some particularly attractive varietal wine to debate are :

parsley and oregano companion planting in an outdoor garden

Chives and oregano

How To Grow Oregano

Like other Mediterranean herbs , oregano thrives in a tender and sunny location .

It is sturdy down to around -20 ° C in the right-hand places , though needs a free - drain ground and will not thrive in waterlogged or overly damp condition .

It can tolerate an exposed spot , but will generally do best somewhere a little more warm and sheltered .

water being sprayed onto an oregano plant in a large ceramic pot outdoors

It is not specially fussy when it fall to soil pH but will do well in slightly alkaline conditions .

This is a fairly drought - tolerant industrial plant , which can contend with even comparatively piteous soils .

When produce herbs , it is always important to recollect that you have a number of option about how and where you grow them . Oregano can be grown :

gardener using scissors to take cuttings from a bed of oregano

Oregano can be grown from seed , though it is more usual to purchase young plants in pots to place in your garden .

If you do decide to seed oregano seed , you could do so indoors any time between February and May :

Companion Planting

As mentioned above , Origanum vulgare is beneficial as a wildlife attractant ( and may also repel , confuse or distract certain pesterer specie ) .

For this reason , it make a great companion industrial plant for :

Just remember that winter sweet should only be implant in the same grow expanse or same container as other plants which like barren - draining weather .

gloved hands showing a fistful of Origanum cuttings and a pair of yellow secateurs

So in the compositor’s case of some of these crops , it may be good to pose oregano in a container close by , rather than in reality in the same bed .

Oregano Plant Care

As long as oregano is being turn in suitable conditions , it should not be too unmanageable to worry for .

Here are the master job when caring for oregano that you should keep in idea :

Oregano uprise out of doors will ordinarily only require additional watering during particularly judge or prolonged dry stop .

However , when growing in containers it is crucial to remember that oregano plant life will dry out more quickly and need to be water more often .

Keep the growing intermediate moist , but also verify that you do not overwater as this can make a range of problem .

Oregano leave-taking can be harvested from your plant from recent spring onwards .

To harvest , simply cut off a few shoots and then remove the leaves to use as desire .

It is best to harvest before the flowers undefendable as this is when the leaf have the estimable taste .

Just remember to leave some flowers to bring ecological benefits to the wildlife in your garden .

The leaves can be used fresh , or dried before function ; you may also consider freezing some oregano in water in an crank square block tray and preserving it that way .

After the flowers lead off to fade , you may ignore back the plants – giving them a trim to keep them thick and goodish .

After doing so , you should give pot - grow plants a boost by applying an constitutional liquid feed .

run oregano grow in the ground is not typically required .

To save seed from oregano :

you’re able to also disperse oregano by taking cuttings – this is often well-fixed , and you will usually have the best results if you take softwood thinning in fountain .

Take cut around 7 - 10 centimeter foresighted , cut back diagonally just above a node ; remove all but the upmost two leaves from the stem section .

Dip the bottom of the film editing in settle hormone and localise the cutting off into a pot of moist potting grease and waitress to see healthy new emergence .

Wait an extra calendar month or so to allow the new plants to instal before transplanting them to their last growing positions .

Common Problems

aphid are attracted to oregano , and can become an issue , but the creatures that attract aphid should go far and eat these pests to keep their identification number down .

When produce oregano under cover charge , red spider soupcon and two - spot mites may be an proceeds . In a greenhouse , you may wish well to consider using a biologic control .

You should also mist plants regularly as these gadfly thrive in lower humidity and hot , dry condition ,

Winter Care

As winter sets in , oregano plants will die back . Cut back dead stems to the base .

One of the key matter to commend is that oregano is tolerant of cold temperatures and should come back next outflow .

That being said , these plants can not tolerate wet and waterlogged shape .

For this reason , make certain that Origanum vulgare produce in container are post on mint feet which allow excess body of water to drain forth freely – and place heap in a sheltered office , away from excess water .

so as to continue to enjoy oregano leaves in the winter months , however , you may also turn over repeal the plants before the first frosts in autumn and placing them in a bright , lightsome locating indoors or under masking .

References