When to trim/prune oregano and thyme?

[Kestrel]

To be honest, I am unsure when to prune any of the woodier perennial herbs.

I have lovely plants of 2 types of oregano, 3 types of thyme, rosemary and several lavenders but they are getting too large and I am concerned about cutting into 'older wood' as the books say.

Advce on how and when to do this would be appreciated.

[veggiechicken]

Oregano dies back in the winter and shoots again in spring. I let mine die back naturally and give it the chop down to ground level in spring, after the frosts.
I won't attempt to advise you on the others as I just cut out bits as and when they're in my way!

[Rhona]

I cut bunches of oregano up to mid/late August to use through winter; never really prune rosemary, but treat it like bay and 'prune' all over by using it regularly, and evenly. I wish I could grow enough thyme to think about pruning it! Don't prune rosemary too hard, in my experience, and you could try taking some cuttings to root. Should be a possibility for the next couple of weeks (hope so as that's what I'm doing!). We prune the lavender in the last week or so of August, and cut down a generous third of it's growth.

[roitelet]

I chop my Thyme off several times a year to keep it bushy otherwise it gets leggy and woody.

[Thelma Sanders]

I'ce chopped the top 18ins off the top of my oregano (flowers and all) to dry for winter..
As already said it dies back completely over winter and I just cut the stalks off to tidy it then.
I just cut the flowering stems off my thyme and lavender when they flowers die back, and just take the tips off of this years growth at the same time
I don't prune Rosemary apart from the continual picking over the year

[Kestrel]

Thanks for all the replies - knew I could rely on you lot.
Good to know I can cut the oregano down as that is the most out of hand and I will trim the thyme and roesmary.

[Two_Sheds]

I'm deadheading my thyme and oregano at the moment: I don't want it seeding everywhere

Some of my lavenders have just finished flowering, and I've cut each stem down to a fresh new set of leaves (not into old wood, as you say)