A perennial herb used in Italian dishes, closely related to Marjoram and easy to confuse the two.  Grown from division of the rhizomes, cuttings or seeds.

Harvesting Oregano

Pick fresh leaves to use as needed.  To dry, snip off stems and hang them up in a warm airy place, when dried strip the leaves from the stems and store in airtight jars.  Stems can also be placed into snap-lock bags and frozen for up to 6 months.  For more information on drying herbs see here.

Growing Oregano

Oregano is a sun lover plant, that requires free draining soil. To ensure survival and growth through winter, the plant will need full-sun and protection from winds by using peastraw or planting amongst a group of shrubs to act as a wind break. Grows well in pots which is a good option allowing you to move the plant into semi-shade for protection during summer and full-sun for growth in winter.

 Using Oregano

Oregano matches well with tomato and meat dishes, so performs well in pizza, pasta and stews.  Tie together with thyme, sage and a bay leaf to make a bouquet garni and toss into a simmering casserole for a flavour boost.