Herb / Warm season
Oregano
Poor soil and hot sun make the strongest pizza herb
Plant out byMay 18zone 6
- Family
- Mint (Lamiaceae)
- Sun
- Full sun (6+ h)
- Difficulty
- Very easy
- Days to harvest
- 80-100 days
- Spacing
- 12 in apart, rows 18 in
- Pot size
- 2 gal pot (great in pots)
- Frost
- Hardy
- Start
- Either
- Water
When to plant
Showing .
Averages for a typical garden in the region. Your local frost dates may differ by 2-3 weeks, check a local source.Wait until Feb 9
In zone 6, start seeds indoors Feb 9 to Mar 9; plant out Apr 20 to May 18. Average last frost Apr 20, first fall frost Oct 20.
Units
The oregano by my back step gets walked on, mowed around and ignored, and it still comes back every spring. That toughness is the good news. The bad news is flavor. Rich soil, lots of fertilizer and too much shade make big soft plants that taste of very little. Greek oregano wants poor, sandy, well-drained ground and full sun, though a little afternoon shade is fine in hot climates.
Most people start with a nursery plant, because the seed is as fine as dust. To sow it anyway, press it onto the surface of the mix without covering it, since it needs light to sprout. Give it 6 to 10 weeks indoors before your last frost. The young plants go out once frost danger has passed, about a foot apart. In a bed, it is happy along the sunny edge where the hose rarely reaches.
Pots suit it well. A container at least 6 inches wide holds one plant, and terra cotta keeps the roots from sitting wet. Potted oregano needs a little feeding now and then, since nothing refills the mix. In the ground it is hardy to about zone 4 and spreads into a low mat around 18 inches across. Cut whole stems just as the flower buds form, when the leaves taste strongest. Leave a patch to bloom and the bees will find it within a day.
Things to consider
- Plants labeled only as common oregano are often mild. For a sharp, savory flavor, look for Greek oregano by name, and rub a leaf to smell it before you buy. Italian oregano, a cross with marjoram, is sweeter and suits tomato sauce.
- Clumps go woody in the middle after a few years. Johnny's Seeds suggests cutting out the old growth in late winter and starting over with fresh plants about every four years. Digging up and dividing a clump in spring gives you new plants for free.
- Spider mites and aphids go after stressed plants, mostly potted ones in hot, dry spells. A hard spray of water under the leaves knocks both back before they build up. Plants in the open ground rarely see much trouble.
Good neighbours
Pests to watch for
AphidsSpider mites
Questions about growing oregano
Should I let my oregano flower?
Flavor peaks right before bloom, so most cooks cut stems as the buds appear. A few flowering stems do no harm and feed pollinators. The leaves on those stems just turn milder. Shearing the plant back after bloom brings on a fresh round of tender shoots.
How much oregano can I cut at once?
Take no more than about a third of the plant in one go. An established clump bounces back quickly and can be cut several times a summer. Dry the extra in small bundles or freeze the leaves for winter. Sharp shears make clean cuts that heal quickly, and morning harvests tend to hold their scent best.
Can oregano grow indoors over winter?
It can, as long as it gets 5 to 6 hours of sun a day or sits under a grow light. A bright south window usually does the job. Water thoroughly, then wait until the mix is dry before the next drink. Expect slow, leggy growth until spring, then trim it back before it goes outside again.
Save this crop
Pin it to a garden board so it is there when planting time comes round.
Similar crops
Sources
General guidance for home gardens. Frost dates are averages for a zone or region; check a local source (in the US your county extension office) for local timing.