If you want to add flavor to your cooking try growing oregano. This perennial herb is easy to care for, even for beginners.
Oregano is a fast growing herb with a long producing season. You can use the fresh leaves in recipes, or preserve them for later by freezing and drying them.
Learn everything you need to know for growing oregano plants, including their sunlight, soil, and watering needs.
You can also download a free oregano plants care printable from the project card at the bottom of this post.
Growing oregano overview
Oregano is a popular herb that is best known for its use in Italian recipes and Mediterranean recipes. It can be grown in containers or planted directly in the ground.
The table below gives an overview of oregano plant care.
| Common name | Oregano |
| Botanical name | Origanum vulgare |
| Family | Lamiaceae |
| Plant type | Perennial herb |
| Sunlight needs | Full sun |
| Soil requirements | Well-draining soil, amended with organic matter |
| Soil pH | Slightly alkaline to neutral |
| Bloom time | Mid to late summer |
| Hardiness zones | 4-10 USDA, depending on the variety |
| Native area | Mediterranean area, Central Asia, and North Africa |
| Toxicity | Generally safe for pets, but can cause stomach upset in large amounts |
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Tips for growing oregano plants
Ready to start growing fresh herbs? Check out these tips for a healthy oregano plant.
How much sunlight does oregano need?
Oregano prefers a sunny spot that gets 6-8 hours of sunlight daily. Some varieties of oregano, such as golden oregano, benefit from afternoon shade to keep the leaves from scorching.
If you live in USDA zones 7 and farther south, it is a good idea to provide all types of oregano with shade from the harsh afternoon sun.
Soil requirements and fertilizing needs for oregano
Plant oregano in a sandy or loamy soil that has been amended with compost or other organic matter. This will help the soil to drain more easily.
This herb prefers a slightly alkaline to neutral soil, with a soil pH between 6.0 and 7.0. You can test your soil’s pH with a soil pH meter.
Oregano does not need much fertilizing, particularly if the soil is amended. Over-fertilizing can diminish the flavor of the herb.
A light application of a balanced, slow-release fertilizer once in the spring is usually sufficient.
Temperature and humidity needs for growing oregano
Oregano thrives in warm temperatures. The ideal temperature range for growing oregano plants is 60-80°F (16-27°C).
It prefers good air circulation with lower humidity levels. High humidity can lead to fungal diseases such as powdery mildew and leaf spot diseases.
How often do I need to water oregano?
Oregano is relatively drought-tolerant. It requires about 1 inch of water each week.
This plant should be watered deeply but infrequently, allowing the soil to dry out between waterings.
The frequency depends on your climate, but a good rule of thumb is to water when the soil feels dry to the touch about an inch deep.
Take care not to overwater oregano, since this can lead to root rot.
How fast does oregano grow?
Oregano plants take about 6-8 weeks to become established enough for harvesting, and they reach maturity and full flavor in about 3-4 months.
Oregano grows quickly, reaching a height of 1-3 feet and a width of approximately 1 ½ feet.
The plant has a bushy and sprawling appearance. Some oregano types grow upright, while others have a trailing growth habit.
Tips for pruning oregano
Pruning oregano regularly encourages new growth and keeps the plant bushy and healthy.
You can either pinch off stems to use in recipes or cut them back with clean garden shears. When pruning, avoid removing more than one-third of the plant at a time.
Cut off any flowers your oregano produces. Letting the plant flower makes the herb taste bitter.
How to propagate oregano
You can easily propagate oregano from cuttings. These can be rooted in either soil or water.
Using hormone powder helps cuttings that are planted in soil develop roots quickly.
The best time for propagating oregano is in late spring or early summer.
A mature oregano plant can also be divided into smaller plants. This division can help make the plant healthier.
Types of oregano
Common oregano, also known as Italian oregano, has a strong, earthy flavor that is slightly bitter and peppery. However, Italian oregano isn’t the only variety of oregano.
Each of the varieties of oregano has its own distinct flavor. Some of which taste drastically different than common oregano found in Italian herb blends.
Below are some of the most popular oregano varieties with links to purchase plants to grow at home.
- Common (Italian) oregano – This is the most widely available type of oregano, typically found in most grocery stores.
- Mexican oregano – It is more potent and has a citrusy, licorice flavor.
- Greek oregano – This variety is more pungent, slightly bitter, with larger, darker leaves.
- Syrian oregano – It is strong and spicy with a slightly minty flavor.
- Cuban oregano – A type of oregano often used in Caribbean, African, and Asian cuisines.
- Golden oregano – This variety is milder, sweeter, and less pungent than Italian oregano.
- Ornamental oregano – As the name suggests, this type is grown for its visual appeal, rather than for cooking. It features attractive flowers.
Companion plants for oregano
Oregano is a great companion plant to many garden vegetables, such as kale, arugula, cabbage, tomatoes, and lettuce. It has a strong fragrance that repels pests, including cabbage worms, aphids, and mosquitoes.
You can plant it next to next to herbs like basil, thyme, sage, and rosemary because these herbs all have similar growing conditions.
Does oregano come back every year?
Oregano is a perennial herb, meaning that it comes back year after year, even in cold climates.
Depending on the variety of oregano grown, it is typically cold hardy in USDA zones 4-8.
In colder climates, oregano normally dies back in the winter. However, the roots will remain dormant and resprout again in spring.
In warmer climates, it will remain evergreen and continue growing all year long.
Pests that affect oregano
Oregano is rarely bothered by pests. However, keep an eye out for aphids, thrips, and spider mites.
If found, you can remove these by hand or spray them with water to remove them. They can also be treated with neem oil.
Oregano care tips printable
If you’d like a reminder on how to care for oregano plants, you can print out this oregano care sheet as a high-resolution image. You can also get it from the project card at the bottom of the post in a slightly smaller size.
Share this guide for growing oregano on X
If you enjoyed learning how to grow and care for oregano, why not share this guide with a gardening friend? Here is a post to get you started:
Would you like a supply of fresh oregano at your fingertips? 🌿 Head to The Gardening Cook to learn how to grow, care for, and harvest this must-have kitchen herb! #GrowingOregano #HerbGarden #HerbGardening #KitchenHerbs… Share on XPin these growing oregano tips
If you would like a reminder of this post on how to grow oregano, pin this image to one of your gardening boards on Pinterest to reference it later.
You can also watch this YouTube slideshow video about growing oregano plants!
Admin note: This post on how to grow oregano first appeared on the blog in July 2013. I have updated the post to add all new photos, an oregano care tips printable, and a video for you to enjoy.
Oregano Care Tips Printable
Oregano is an easy-to-care-for herb that is often used in Italian and Mediterranean cooking.
This printable shows how to grow oregano.
Print it out and save it for reference later.
Materials
- Printer paper
Tools
- Computer
- Printer
Instructions
- Load your computer paper into your printer.
- Using the print function on this card will print a list of oregano care tips that fills about 3/4 of an 8.5 x 11-inch sheet of paper.
- Choose portrait layout and, if possible, "fit to page" in your settings. Doing this will fill the entire page.
- Alternatively, you can use this link to print the oregano growing tips as a high-resolution image, using the print feature in your browser window.
- After you get this list of tips for growing oregano, you can save it to use later.
- Please note: Free gardening printables take a long time to make. This list of oregano care tips is for personal use only. If you are sharing this list (and thank you for that!), please link directly to this post and not to the actual image. We appreciate your help in supporting the site. This gardening printable may not be used for any retail purpose or mass distribution.
Notes
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Ron Manser
Saturday 29th of May 2021
I am interested!