Planting herbs in pots is easy and that is why it became quite common activity for plants lovers. When growing herbs in pots, oregano should be on the top of the list. Besides being easy to grow, oregano is healthy, aromatic, and have an amazing smell. Because of that smell, you can add it to any dish.
This member of the mint family just like its relatives, prefers warmth and grow best in cool climate where the temperature degrees are moderate. Therefore, if you live in a hot area, it recommended that you sow the seeds in winter or fall.
Now, we will list below the best Oregano varieties to grow in pots and steps how to grow Oregano in a pot.
Best Oregano Varieties to Grow in Pots
There are several varieties of Oregano and they differ in size, aroma, and taste. We managed to narrow the selection of the best varieties to grow into the hereunder list:
- Oregano Vulgare: This herb is the most common oregano species andit is also known as wild marjoram or true oregano. This oregano has a mild flavour and it grows fast and large.
- Sweet Marjoram: It is very similar to wild marjoram in its nature but there is remarkable difference which is the taste. This herb as the name suggests has a spicy and somewhat sweet and delicate taste
- Golden Oregano: This oregano variety is commonly used as an ornamental plant grown indoors. This creeping herb as a very eye-catching look due to its foliage in shades of gold.Its flavour is milder but as stated, this type of oregano is mainly grown for decorative purposes.
- Greek Oregano (Origanum Vulgare Var.Hirtum): This variety has an earthy and pungent flavour which make it the most popular herb to spice Italian and Greek Dishes. It is widely used to flavour meat, fish, and tomato sauce and pizza recipes.
- Syrian Oregano (Origanum Maru): This is a very remarkable variety that is different from all other varieties in this list. The Syrian Oregano also known as the Lebanese oregano is one of the tallest varieties. This herb grows upright instead of spreading around reaching up to 3 to 4 feet tall.
- Italian Oregano (Origanum X Majoricum): This is a hybrid of sweet oregano and common oregano. Since it’s a hybrid variety, its taste is like marjoram and the Greek oregano.
- Mexican Oregano (Lippia Graveolens): Unlike all the above varieties, The Mexican oregano belongs to the Verbena family and not the mint family. It has a strong and aromatic flavour, and it’s mainly used in Mexican cuisine.Since it is Mexican, it can tolerate heat and sunny conditions and it grows better in frost-free and warm climates.
1. Propagating Oregano
As we said before, growing oregano in a pot is easy for several reasons. One of these reasons is that you can grew this herb from division, cuttings or seeds. You can divide a part of oregano leaves and plant in a pot and it will grow or else you can buy a 3 to 5 inches long young stems of a healthy oregano plant.
However, growing Oregano from seeds is the most recommended way for best results. Oregano seeds are available on most nurseries and they’re infamous for their growth and production capabilities.
2. Choosing A Pot for Growing Oregano
The size of pot depends on the variety you have chosen to grow. Most varieties will need a pot of 10 to 12 inches in depth and width. These herbs usually reach more than 12-18 inches in height when they’re tall.
3. Soil
After getting the container now it is time to fill it with soil. These plants grow best in well-drained, light, and dryer soil. So, it would be ideal for them to grow in sandy loam. You can use regular potting soil adding 1/3-part compost or aged manure to enrich it organic matter.
4. Location
The location of your container is very important for the growth of your tasty herbs as they need a moderate sunlight exposure. Oregano are sensitive herbs and they thrive best in warm climate.
In winter make sure to expose them to at least 6 hours of sunlight but in summer, give them full sun at morning and shade them in the afternoon.
These herbs are ornamental so you could also please them somewhere indoor. You could use them for decoration and protect them from common garden pests such as aphids and spider mites.
5. Caring: Watering, Fertilizing, and Pruning
Avoid overwatering the oregano as their roots may drown and die. They don’t like moist soil as we mentioned, they thrive in dry soil. Therefore, water them only when the surface of the soil is dry. Don’t over water them as it will cause root rot.
Herbs are not heavy feeders and they don’t require fertilization. Most of them are regarded weeds so if you have already added compost or aged manure to the soil, don’t fertilize them. Fertilizers can change the flavour of he herbs so pay attention to the amount you apply.
Pruning is essential for your herbs to grow more bush. Pinch the top of the plant while its young keeping it its height between 4 to 6 inches. This will help your plant grow thick giving you more leaves to use.
6. Harvesting
You can pick any leave that is at least 4 inches tin height. You can pick many leaves, in fact, as much as the 1/3 of plant. Also, make sure to pick them before the plant flowers, flowering mans the plants will focus its energy on the flowers and this may change the flavour of the herbs. The leaves are edible fresh or may fry them and store them. Here is a picture of an Oregano ready to harvest:
If you have any questions, please leave them in the comments below and will answer them asap.