Grow oregano it is a possible practice in our country, even if this medicinal plant is above all known for being spontaneous. It is very resistant and grows and spreads in the most inaccessible areas, in uncultivated and abandoned places, in stony soils or in the middle of stones.
Generally it prefers hilly and mountainous environments with altitudes ranging from 400 to 2000 meters above sea level and adapts well to different pedo-climatic conditions. The plant grows more luxuriant in soils rich in organic matter, loose or silico-clay. At the same time, however, it manages to adapt very well in extreme situations, even in the absence of nutrients.
Precisely by virtue of all these characteristics, being therefore very resistant, the plant can also be grown in a home garden and give great satisfaction.
In this article, therefore, we see how this is possible grow oregano organically in our garden, when it is the right time for harvesting and how to dry it correctly.
Grow oregano in the vegetable garden
For grow oregano in your own garden it is necessary, first of all, to start from seed. These are very small seeds, just think that a thousand of them weigh an average of 0.035 grams. Therefore direct sowing can be difficult and dispersive.
The advice is to use a seedbed made with 12 cm diameter plastic pots.
A tiny handful of seeds will be distributed in the small pot.
The ideal sowing period is at the end of winter. The young plants are ready for transplanting after about 60 days, when they are well rooted and about 10-15 cm in height.
The earth must be preferably loose and well worked, as well as fertilized with dry manure or pelleted manure.
In summary, to grow oregano, you need to follow the following steps:
- Making a seedbed of seedlings,
- Transplant them into the ground respecting the distance of 60-70 cm between one plant and another,
- Water when needed,
- Carry out weeding, especially in the early stages of growth.
The right planting layout for growing oregano
For grow oregano particular attention must be paid to positioning and plant distances. This aromatic and medicinal plant it is of the perennial type. For this reason it is good to place it at the outer edges of the garden, as a sort of hedge, or near a wall where you would not grow anything else. In short, choose a point from which it will no longer move, rather it will propagate.
In fact, once the oregano plant has taken root, it tends to spread naturally in the following years. It is therefore necessary to respect the right plant distances, which must be at least 60-70 cm between one plant and another.
The propagation of the mother plant
A cultivation operation to be done after the first year of growth is that of the propagation of the mother plant, which is enlarged to induce the propagation itself. A few plants are therefore enough to have a beautiful oregano bush over the years.
How to water oregano
As for theirrigation of cultivated oregano it is minimal. It should be done as needed only in the early stages of growth or in excessively dry periods. In the first year, a lot of attention must also be paid to the control of weeds, which cause the luxuriant growth of plants to stunt, stealing water and nutrients. So it is good to practice the weeding. In the following years the oregano, by propagating itself, limits its development by itself.
How to harvest oregano
Oregano at the maximum flowering stage
The moment of collection varies according to the uses to which the cultivation of oregano is finalized.
Plants intended for herbal and cosmetic use are preferable to harvest them in pre-flowering, which usually occurs at the beginning of summer.
If, on the other hand, the officinal plant is intended for the production of essential oil, the harvest must be done in full bloom. This is because the percentage of oil present in the flowers in this period is maximum.
Finally, it is good to collect the plants intended for food use when flowering is maximum, and the flowers begin to fall, therefore at the end of summer.
Being a perennial plant, oregano asks to be harvested by mowing the upper part. This allows the plant to restart in its vegetative cycle.
How to dry oregano
L’drying of oregano takes place after harvesting and is a fundamental step to keep the properties of the plant unaltered.
It is advisable not to expose the crop to direct sunlight, but to tie the branches and hang them upside down in a shaded and ventilated environment.
For keep the oregano once dried, we recommend using paper bags. These will go to collect the leaves and flowers that will gradually crumble to the touch.
To dry this medicinal plant, the storage area must be cool and dry. This will allow you to keep your wild or cultivated oregano for as long as you want.
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