Oregano
Common Oregano, Greek Oregano, Italian Oregano, Wild Marjoram
Vigorous perennial herb hardy in zones 4–10. Flavor is most intense in hot, dry conditions with lean soil — rich soil and excess water produce lush but bland leaves. Cut back by half after the first flush of flowering to encourage a second flush. Greek oregano has the strongest flavor for cooking. Dry or freeze for winter use.
- Germination
- 8–21 days
- Soil temperature
- 18–24 °C
- Harvest after sowing
- 80–90 days
- Spacing
- 20–30 cm
When to plant oregano
Start seeds indoors 8–10 weeks before your last spring frost, and plant out within 2 weeks after it.
Dashed line: typical last spring frost in zone 7 (Apr 5). Zone dates are averages; most of the UK is zone 8–9, central Europe 6–7 and the Baltics and Scandinavia 4–6. In the app, Tomatograph uses your garden's own frost dates.
How to grow oregano
- 1
Sow indoors
Press the fine seed onto the compost surface without covering it, 8–10 weeks before the last frost. It needs light to germinate, in 8–21 days.
- 2
Plant out
Plant after the last frost in full sun and lean, free-draining soil. Rich soil and generous watering give lush but bland leaves.
- 3
Cut back
After the first flush of flowers, cut plants back by half for fresh growth. Oregano is a hardy perennial that comes back each year.
- 4
Harvest
Pick sprigs from about 80 days, ideally just before flowering when the flavour peaks. Dry or freeze some for winter.
Growing conditions
Light
Full sun
Water
Low water
Temperature
-10–32 °C
Frost tolerance
Frost-hardy — tolerates frost
Days to maturity
70–90 days
Ideal soil pH
7–7.5
How Tomatograph watches your oregano
Tomatograph checks your local forecast every morning and only speaks up when one of these applies to your garden.
- First frost within 14 daysReminder to mulch the roots before winter.
- 3 days at 35 °C or aboveHeat-wave alert while plants are flowering or fruiting: shade and water early.
- Humidity above 80% for 48 hoursCheck for powdery mildew, which thrives in those conditions.
- Within a week of maturityHarvest-window reminder based on when you planted.
Oregano questions
- When should I plant oregano?
- Start seeds indoors 8–10 weeks before your last spring frost, and plant out within 2 weeks after it.
- How long do oregano seeds take to germinate?
- Usually 8–21 days at a soil temperature of 18–24 °C.
- How long until I can harvest oregano?
- About 80–90 days after sowing, depending on variety and weather.
- How far apart should I plant oregano?
- Allow 20–30 cm between plants.
- What grows well with oregano?
- Good neighbours include tomato, pepper, basil, squash.
Growing guide written by Tomatograph. Planting figures from openplantdb (CC0 1.0). Zone frost dates are averages from openplantdb (CC0 1.0).