Your Guide To Growing Oregano In Your House
Now that spring is here, you might be feeling motivated to do a little gardening. Try growing oregano indoors for an endless supply of aromatic herbs. Use it in pizza and pasta sauces or Greek and Mexican dishes to bring out major flavor.
Oregano will thrive happily in a pot on your windowsill. It is typically planted in the spring and grows quickly. Its oils have also been proven to contain antioxidants that may provide health benefits. It can grow up to two feet tall. The leaves are dark green, oval-shaped, and sometimes fuzzy.
How To Care For Oregano Indoors
Plant oregano indoors in the spring, around six to 10 weeks before your area’s last projected frost. The container you choose should have drainage holes and be made of unglazed clay.
This material allows excess moisture to evaporate. The container should be 10 to 14 inches across and six to eight inches deep.
The herb grows best in full sun, meaning at least six hours of direct sunlight daily, and well-drained, light, dry soil. The soil should not be too much rich as it can dilute the herb’s pungency.
Only about an inch of water is needed per week, as oregano can tolerate moderate drought. Let the soil dry out between waterings because overwatering can lead to root rot and other issues. It does not like high humidity and does not need fertilization.
What To Know About Harvesting Oregano
Once your oregano plant has reached four to five inches tall, you can start harvesting the leaves. Trim off the sprigs with the leaves you will use for cooking and leave the rest of the plant to continue growing. Oregano leaves are most flavorful right before the plant blooms in summer.
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That’s the best time to take sprigs for drying. You can still snip off leaves any time during the growing season. After the plant reaches about four inches tall, it will need regular pinching.
This will help the leaves grow back stronger and can delay flowering. Never remove more than one-third of the plant unless you are preparing it for overwintering.
There are several varieties of oregano, such as common oregano, golden oregano, and Greek oregano. Common oregano is usually what people use for cooking, while golden oregano is more of a decorative plant.
Oregano is a perennial herb, so it will return each year as long as it’s in the proper growing conditions. Its lifespan is around five years before it becomes too woody for a good harvest.
Some good companion herbs for oregano are bay, sage, and thyme, which have similar growing requirements. At first glance, thyme and oregano look the same, but oregano leaves are greener and broader, while thyme has narrower, gray-green foliage. Oregano also has a stronger, earthier aroma.
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