Caring for Oregano?

[ruff]

Folks,

I need some advice as how to care for Oregano plants. I bought them in little pots from Wilkinsons today after attempts of starting them off from seeds failed miserably. I've no experience with oregano. Do they like to be in the shade or sunny places, do they like a lot of water? Is it wise to leave them out in the garden or do they do better in the greenhouse(unheated)?

[chris]

My oregano seeds took *ages* to germinate. So much so, that I forgot I sowed them, and planted other herbs in the same pot. Once all my chives, parsley, and even rosemary(!!) had germinated from seed and had grown into decent sized herbs I noticed that the oregano was germinating. I even had carrots in that pot, that grew before I was able to get a few small leaves off the oregano. That said, mine did grow well - in partial shade (under a palm tree, in a pot) - so it had sun early morning, and late afternoon before the sun set. I mixed some sand in the compost, but I'm not sure that's necessary.

I forgot about the cuttings I took, as I wanted to dry them out - left them outside and only realised when it was too late!

[chris]

Growing Oregano - Herb Expert (UK) - just found that, seems it can thrive in most conditions

[Two_Sheds]

I have oregano all over my garden and all over my lotty - it's selfseeded everywhere, bladdy stuff

No care at all: it doesn't even get watered (it is Mediterranean after all)

[zazen999]

I threw a packet of seed in my bed outside the kitching door 3 years ago - and it's grown there ever since. I dug some up last year and put it in the garden, and recently dug some of that up and took to school as we got about 50 ish good chunks of it to go all round their garden.

It's been a roaring success here! Totally hardy - just cut it back when it dies back and it's already 8 inches tall this year.

Treat it too soft and it doesn't like it.

[valmarg]

Oregano/marjoram. One is annual, one is perennial. Which is which? I have a bed that one has died, ie the annual, and the other is growing away.

The lables have faded so I don't know which is which?

valmag

[zazen999]

Both Oregano and Marjoram are perennial in my garden. The one that died is likely to be Marjoram according to wiki.....not near my books or I'd look it up.

[valmarg]

No, they are both very similar. I ordered both oregano and marjoram from Seeds of Italy, and the illustration on the front of the packets is identical. Its only when you read the small print that you realise that they are different.?

If push comes to shove, whichever you grow will work well, particularly in a tomato sauce for a pizza topping. The herbier the better.

Sorry, can't put a smiley emoticon as they seem to ave disapeared.

valmarg

[TonyF]

I have it in a large pot, been in it for years, all I do each spring is take off all the dead bits from last year and then let it grow away, and it's out all winter so gets snowed on, frozen and rained on, never any sign of distress.

[Two_Sheds]

Sorry, can't put a smiley emoticon as they seem to ave disapeared.

You need to GO ADVANCED when you reply to a post, and they're there. Or use your keypad (colon plus a bracket = smiley or frowny, depending on which bracket you use)

Oregano/marjoram. One is annual, one is perennial. Which is which?

common oregano is Origanum vulgare
sweet marjoram is one type of oregano Origanum majorana (there are others too, eg mexican oregano)

I can't tell the difference between them (my sense of smell/taste isn't very sophisticated)

[Florence Fennel]

I have it in a large pot, been in it for years, all I do each spring is take off all the dead bits from last year and then let it grow away, and it's out all winter so gets snowed on, frozen and rained on, never any sign of distress.

Mine sounds the same as Tony's, but outside my back door in Yorkshire! Comes back every year and been in the same tub for three years. Don't think I've ever watered it.

[cupcake]

In my experience it's a plant and stand well back plant! I spent ages yesterday digging clumps of it up.