Tips on Growing Oreganohow to grow oregano Growing oregano, italian oregano, growing greek oregano,or your own types of herbs is a great way to not only save money but also get a lot of satisfaction. Herbs add additional nutrition to your meals and oregano is one of the best.
It is a great way to put extra vitamin K, iron, manganese, calcium, magnesium and vitamins A and C into your diet while you add flavor. Oreganos name means mountain joy and when you add it to your French, Mexican or Mediterranean cuisine, you will find it does bring extra joy to your meals. Types of Oregano There are several different types of oregano used for different styles of cooking. If you are making a Mediterranean dish you will want to purchase either the seeds or seedlings for O. heracleoticum or Oregano onites, both of which are considered Greek oregano. The oregano plant used in Mexican dishes isnot true oregano. Its scientific name is Lippia graveolens and it is often used to add more flavor to chili powder. You will find it slightly larger than Greek oregano or italian oregano . Finally, the oregano herb used in French cuisine is a sweeter variety. Common oregano, O. vulgare, has other names like pot marjoram or wild marjoram. It is oregano but differentiated as marjoram because of its sweeter, less pungent taste. The French and the English find this a delight to add to their cooking. Regardless of the variety you select, the growing instructions remain the same. When to Plant Oregano
Oregano is a hardy plant and will come back in the spring in zones 5 to 10. If growing oregano indoors or you plant it from seed, make sure that you plant after that last frost is expected. For those that want oregano throughout the year, plant in a pot earlier and let it germinate atop the refrigerator where it is warm. Once you it sprouts, harden the plant off. If you need to, bring the plant inside during a cold blast. Soil and Fertilizer The soil for most herbs, oregano included, doesnot need to be rich. In fact, many times the most flavorful herbs come from poorer soil. It does have to be loose and well drained. Oregano doesnot like to keep its feet wet. Watering and Sun As mentioned earlier, oregano doesn�t like wet feet but it does need moist soil. This thirsty plant requires full sun for the best growth. Pests Even though you may have a few spider mites or aphids on the plants, normally oregano, like many other herbs aren�t bothered by pests. This is one reason that many gardeners use herbs as companion plants. The fragrance deters the pests from their companions. Harvesting, Drying and Preserving When growing Oregano it needs to be harvested before it develops flowers. Once the flowers appear, the plant loses much of its potency. You can start cutting snippets from the plant as soon as it reaches a height of 4 to 5 inches. If you keep the ends pinched so it doesnot bolt, you can wait and allow it to become bushier and harvest all at once. Once harvested, either use immediately or dry. Dried oregano is far more flavorful than fresh. Simply tie the ends of a bundle together and hang upside down in a well-ventilated area until the herb is dry. Store it in an airtight container away from humidity.
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