Herb of the Month

Oregano

There are around fifty different types of ‘oregano’, including sweet marjoram, which is an oregano. Origanum vulgareis what is normally meant by ’oregano’ when cooking, and it’s this that you’ll probably want to grow. Having said that, you can also get specific Greek and Italian varieties of oregano (among many others!), so make a decision based on the sort of cooking you do. If you have enough space and use enough oregano to make it worthwhile, you can of course grow more than one variety.

Sweet marjoram is another variety of oregano. Grow it in much the same way as oregano, but note that it is much less likely to survive the winter (you may be successful if you bring it inside), and also that it prefers moister soil than oregano.

Growing

If growing from seed, cover the seeds only very lightly, as oregano seeds require a little light to germinate. It’s best to start them indoors if possible, as they’ll germinate faster in the warmth, but germination will happen eventually outside as well. Plant out when 5cm tall (harden off first if the seeds were germinated inside), with one plant per 20cm pot. You can also grow oregano from a cutting, in which case the best time to take it is in the summer; or you can grow it from a root division taken in the autumn.

As a Mediterranean herb, oregano wants well-drained, fairly thin soil, and full sun. It can tolerate getting a little dry, and indeed is more likely to struggle if it becomes waterlogged (water a little more copiously for sweet marjoram). It only needs to be fed once or twice in the season, as over-feeding can damage the flavour of the leaves.

Pinch the flowers when they appear to prevent the plant from bolting. If it does bolt, you can save the seeds and resow them the following spring.

Oregano is usually described as a half-hardy annual, meaning that it is unlikely to survive the winter. I’ve managed to keep oregano going for more than one season, though. If you have a cold frame, it should keep growing even if temperatures drop a little below freezing, and will recover in the spring. Without a cold frame, you may find, if you have a warm microclimate, that it will die back over the winter but regenerate in the spring (as has happened with my plant in the past).

Culinary uses

Oregano will taste best before the plant flowers, and you can start harvesting it when the plants are a few centimetres tall. If you cut stems off at the bottom, you’ll encourage the plant to grow more stems and thus to become more bushy (which is probably what you want for cooking purposes). Strip the leaves by holding at the top and running your fingers down the stem.

As a rule, oregano is used as a dried herb. You can dry your own leaves by picking on a dry day and storing them somewhere dry, dark, and warm until they’ve dried out. Store in an airtight container and use within six months. Sweet marjoram, with its more delicate flavour, may be a better choice if you want to use a fresh herb, and especially in salads; however, I regularly use oregano as a fresh herb and like the taste, so take your pick.

Oregano goes very nicely in Italian dishes and other tomato-based dishes. I often use it together with basil in tomato-based pasta sauces. You can also scatter dried oregano over potatoes when roasting them.

Medicinal uses

Oregano tea is said to help with a wide range of problems, including indigestion, bloating, coughs, bronchial problems, and headaches. To make an oregano tea, put two tablespoons of fresh herb, or one tablespoon of dried, into a non-metal pot, add a mug’s worth of boiling water, and allow to steep for around five minutes. Add honey and/or lemon to taste when you pour.

Marjoram has historically been used for relief of hay fever or sinus congestion symptoms, or coughs and colds. It’s calming and mildly antioxidant. Make and drink as a tea in the same way as with oregano.

A handful of dried leaves of either marjoram or oregano in the bath (put in a muslin bag and hang under the tap if you don’t want to have to clean damp leaves out of the bath when you’re done!) is relaxing and can help soothe tired muscles. Rosemary is also good for aching muscles, so try a sprig of both together.