Oregano is a must-have herb in a culinary garden, oregano is easy to grow and perfect for beginners. Started in spring, oregano grows well in containers or even as ground cover along a path. Here’s how to plant, grow, and harvest oregano—plus how to use oregano!
Belonging to the mint family, or Lamiaceae, oregano is a woody perennial plant. It’s a robust herb with a peppery bite and a minty aroma. In the Greek language, the word oregano means “joy of the mountain” and it’s certainly a popular herb for any Mediterranean cuisine.
Oregano adds savory flavor to pizza, tomato sauce, and really anything tomato as well as cooked summer vegetables such as zucchini and eggplant, a Greek salad, kabobs, roasted potatoes, white beans, a vinaigrette, and any egg dish.
The perennial herb produces long trailing stems which looks pretty spilling over a container or as a bright green leafy ground cover, especially along a path. White flowers bloom in late summer.
Oregano also makes a good companion plant in the vegetable garden.
For more information on how to grow oregano click the following hyperlink to Farmers Almanac Oregano.
For other resources please click on Gardening Know How's Oregano link.
(Origanum vulgare) This is a beautiful and delicious herb that also offers many medicinal uses. Great for Italian and Greek cooking! Pungent and flavorful, oregano can be enjoyed either fresh or dried in many dishes. Try it in homemade pizza sauce or as an alternative take on traditional basil pesto! Start seeds indoors, Surface Sow and gently press seeds into soil. Light required for germination. Prefers hot, dry site, somewhat alkaline soil. For drying, harvest when flowers just begin to bloom.
(Origanum syriacum is also known as Majorana syriaca) Za’atar is an ancient herb of the Middle East, and it shares its name with a spice mix beloved in every Middle Eastern cuisine. Origanum syriacum is also known as Majorana syriaca, Syrian oregano and white oregano. It is a key ingredient in the spice mix, lending a complex and pungent flavor that contains hints of oregano, thyme, and marjoram. Za’atar was also used in traditional medicine as an antiseptic. Start seeds indoors, Surface Sow and gently press seeds into soil. Light required for germination. Prefers hot, dry site, somewhat alkaline soil. For drying, harvest when flowers just begin to bloom.
Widely used in Italian dishes, tomato sauces, pizza, fish and salad dressing. Perennial in zones 3-9. Start seeds early indoors or outdoors after danger of frost.
Italian seasoning favorite. Widely used in Italian dishes, tomato sauce, pizza, fish and salad dressing. Perennial in Zones 5-10 we searched the world to find the best organic seed-Burpee fully guarantees that not a drop of synthetic chemicals was used to make these excellent seeds. Certified Organic Seed.
Great for drying and cooking. Italian oregano is one of the quintessential herbs for sauce and soup making. Having larger leaves than Greek oregano, it dries down easily but leaves retain a large surface area. Italian oregano also stays sweet and hearty through prolonged cooking periods.
Known as Golden Marjoram this an ornamental, but edible herb. Origanum vulgare Aureum a robust perennial creeper hardy to zones 5-9, small, pink or lavender to purple flowers stand out above the foliage in the summer, best for cottage gardens or rock gardens, pots, window boxes, and containers.
Green foliage is spicier than Italian Oregano. Used in salsa and chili dishes. As the name suggest, this pungent oregano has the bold flavors that are the building blocks of Mexican dishes. In addition, a good substitute for recipes calling for common oregano, though reduce amount by half of what the recipe calls for.
