No garden (or kitchen) should be without this easy-care, flavorful herb.
Oregano can be either edible orornamental oregano, and both types come in several different varieties.
Culinary oregano is a multitasking perennial, both a fragrant addition to the garden as well as the kitchen.
Credit: Denny Schrock
Whichever pop in of oregano you grow, youll love oreganos clean, green foliage and casual mounding habit.
Small flowers appear in summer, which draw pollinators.
Oregano needs well-drained soil that can be acidic, neutral, or alkaline.
Credit: Denny Schrock
How and When to Plant Oregano
Oregano is best grown from nursery-grown transplants.
Plant oregano in the spring when there is no more spring frost in the forecast.
Daytime temperatures around 70 degrees are ideal.
Credit: Denny Schrock
Dig a hole about 1.5 times as wide as the root ball and at the same depth.
Place the plant in the hole and backfill with the original soil.
Tamp down the soil and water the plant immediately.
Credit: Jay Wilde
Keep it watered until new growth indicates that the plant is established.
Space oregano plants 8 to 10 inches apart.
It grows in a pH range between 6.0 and 7.5.
Credit: Denny Schrock
Once established, oregano is fairly drought-resistant.
It is sensitive to overwatering.
Only water it when it begins to dry out, then water it slowly and deeply in the morning.
Credit: Denny Schrock
If overwintering potted oregano plants indoors, water when the surface of the soil is dry.
Remove the mulch as soon as growth resumes in spring.
Potted oregano plants can also be overwintered in a sunny window indoors.
Credit: Denny Schrock
Fertilizer
Like many aromatic herbs, oregano grows best in moderately fertile soil.
If youve planted your oregano in average soil, no fertilization is needed.
Pruning
As summer progresses, oregano can start to look a little untidy.
Credit: Denny Schrock
Potting and Repotting Oregano
Like all herbs,oregano also thrives in containers.
Use a well-draining, general-purpose potting mix that contains perlite or vermiculite for good drainage.
Keep in mind that potted oregano, unlike plants in the landscape, needs more frequent watering.
Credit: Denny Schrock
The roots of potted oregano are prone to winter injury even if oregano is hardy in your climate zone.
you might also wrap the pot in bubble wrap or burlap to protect the root system.
Pests and Problems
Oregano is rarely bothered by serious pests or diseases.
Credit: Denny Schrock
Spider mites and aphids are common and can be treated with insecticidal soap.
Wet, poorly draining soil can lead to root rot.
Therefore, it is best to propagate oregano bydividing a mature plant, which also helps rejuvenate it.
Credit: Illustration by Gary Palmer
Division is best done in the early spring.
Dig up the entire plant with its root ball using a spade or shovel.
Gently separate the roots using your fingers so you have two or more healthy-looking sections.
Credit: Illustration by Gary Palmer
Harvesting
Begin harvesting oregano as soon as sprigs are 6 inches tall.
Harvest stems frequently to prevent the plant from producing flowers and to keep it from forming woody plant stems.
Pick leaves as needed throughout the growing season.
Their flavor fades after plants bloom so harvest before flower buds open.
The flavor of oregano stays strong after drying it.
When leaves are dry, crumble them from stems, store leaves in an airtight container.
Its leaves have an intense oregano flavor.
Late in the growing season, when the plant becomes quite woody, the flavor may become bitter.
Cut back the plant at that time to encourage tender regrowth.
Cretan oregano bears white to pale pink flowers.
Zones 7-11
Dittany of Crete
Origanum dictamnusmakes an excellent rock garden plant.
It has fuzzy gray-green leaves that form a mound 6-8 inches tall.
Like its green-leaf cousin, Greek oregano, it is edible.
Golden oregano is sometimes sold as creeping golden marjoram.
The plant grows 12-18 inches tall and wide.
Zones 6-10
Greek Oregano
Origanum vulgare hirtumoffers the best flavor for culinary use.
Like all culinary oreganos, it has white flowers.
It grows 6-10 inches tall and spreads 12-18 inches wide.
Zones 5-10
‘Jim’s Best’ Oregano
ThisOriganum vulgarevariety is noted for its variegated green-and-gold foliage.
The light green leaves are marbled with flecks of yellow.
It grows 6-12 inches tall and spreads up to 24 inches wide.
It was named by Jim Long of Long Creek Herbs.
Its leaves are dark green.
Flowers are white to light pink but not especially showy.
It grows 12-18 inches tall and spreads up to 24 inches wide.
This drought-tolerant perennial is great for dry hillside gardens.
Flowering shoots rise 18-24 inches above the spreading rhizomatous stems.
Clusters of pink blooms with purple-maroon bracts make ‘Herrenhausen’ an excellent fresh or dried cut flower.
The plant has dark green foliage with a purplish tinge.
The plant grows 18 inches tall and 18-24 inches wide.
Being a member of the mint family, oregano spreads just as prolifically but it is not considered invasive.
