Oregano Plant
Growing Your Own Oregano Plant
If you are a fan of this wonderful herb, which often reminds most of us of Italian food, then you may want to consider growing your own oregano plant. It doesn’t matter if you have a green thumb or a black one, or if you’ve never touched a gardening spade in your life. Oregano is one of the simplest edible plants to start out with, as most herbs are! Granted, there is a process which you should know before diving into this project, but have no fear! We are going to walk through the steps for growing and harvesting (picking) your own oregano plant.
Where to Plant Oregano
Oregano is a flexible herb that can be successfully grown either indoors or outdoors. Deciding where to grow your oregano is important as you will need to decide whether you will be planting the seeds in a pot or in the ground. If you really want your oregano to flourish, it is best to plant it outdoors (or even in a pot that remains outdoors) where the oregano can receive full sunlight. This herb can grow in partial shade, but it may not grow as profusely as it would in full sunlight. The area in which you live in will have a large effect on whether you can grow oregano outdoors. In terms of USDA Zones, an oregano plant can grow in zones five through ten. This covers a pretty large area of the United States, although if you reside in Zone one through four, you are likely to have a better planting experience if you grow your oregano indoors where the environment can be better controlled.
Planting Your Oregano Seeds
Many inexperienced gardeners shudder at the thought of having to plant seeds, but the process really couldn’t be any easier than it is to plant oregano seeds. The seeds should be “started” indoors in order to have the healthiest germination. To germinate the seeds, you can use a seed tray or make your own using a plastic cup. Pour soil into the cup, if this is the method you will be using. Regardless of whether you are using a store-bought seed tray or a homemade cup, simply sprinkle the seeds on top of the soil and mist the area using a spray bottle. After about five to seven days, the seedlings will be ready to transplant to their permanent growing spot, whether it be outdoors or in a pot.
Transplanting Your Seedlings
If you plan to grow your oregano plant in a pot, bear in mind that this herb can grow as high as two feet tall. This means that the pot you choose should be large enough to contain the root structure of a 24-inch plant. Oregano isn’t very picky when it comes to soil quality, however it does need to have soil that is well drained. Whether you plant your oregano outside or in a pot, you will need to ensure that the area does not retain excessive amounts of water. For instance, planting the herb in a ditch or valley-like area of land will allow water to pool around the roots, resulting in root rot and the eventual death of the plant. If you are using a pot, choose one that has drainage holes on the bottom. A drain plate can be placed underneath to catch any excess water that flows through the drainage holes.
The seedlings should be placed about a quarter of an inch into the soil and watered straight away. Remember that a sunny area will produce the best harvest! If you want to plant more than one oregano plant, be sure to space them out about 18 inches from one another. As oregano tends to have a wide spread, this will allow plenty of room for the plants to spread out. Planting should occur in the early spring after the threat of frost is gone. Once your oregano plant reaches about five inches in height, you can pick sprigs from it. This will encourage the plant to produce more leaves.
As you can see, it doesn’t take vast experience in the gardening world to successfully grow oregano!