Oregano (oregano) – cultivation, care
How and when to plant oregano (oregano) in your garden.
Common oregano (oregano, frankincense, oregano) is a perennial fragrant plant that grows in bushes 30 to 70 cm high. Thanks to strong roots, oregano is able to grow independently in the garden. Its leaves are small, ovoid in shape with a sharp tip. Flowering is found in a wide variety of shades, since today more than 20 decorative varieties of this plant have been bred. Oregano is used not only for delicious tea, but also as a medicinal herb.
Medicinal herbs: common oregano (oregano)
Planting oregano seeds involves the preliminary selection of a favorable place for the plant, where it will not only grow well, but also be able to accumulate nutrients in its leaves. The bed with oregano should be located in a well-lit area, since in the shade the plant will stretch excessively and will not be able to retain its aroma. At the same time, oregano is completely undemanding to the type of soil, as it can take root almost anywhere. But since we are talking about perennials, it is better to choose a site with nutritious soil, which is regularly moistened. Too dry or constantly wet areas will not suit the plant, as it may not grow or be reborn and become an ordinary weed. Also, since autumn, it is important to add manure or compost to the beds under oregano, if there are none, then even saltpeter will do.
Lavender comes in pink, purple, white, and even yellow.
How to plant oregano in open ground: a method of growing through seedlings
Most often, oregano involves growing from seeds, but it is recommended to sow them for seedlings. The fact is that the first sprouts of oregano are usually very weak, and they can be easily driven by weeds. Therefore, it is much more practical to grow seedlings in pots on the windowsill from spring, and closer to summer to plant them in open ground.
When and how to sow oregano
If oregano is grown from seeds, it is very important to guess over time when to plant. For seedlings, it can be sown in ordinary plastic pots or boxes as early as March. The sooner you do this, the stronger the seedlings will be for planting in open ground. During sowing, it is necessary to fill the pots with a nutritious soil mixture, which is best purchased at the store and mixed a little with ordinary sand. Be sure to sprinkle it with water from a spray bottle and compact it a little, then make rows and cover them with seeds. The first sprouts have to wait quite a long time – from 10 to 15 days. All this time, pots or boxes of oregano must be kept at a temperature of 20-22 ° C and on a well-lit windowsill. Many gardeners, when growing seedlings, also tighten the pots with polyethylene, but in the case of oregano, this is not urgently needed. Oregano, when sowing seedlings, will surprise you with its thin seedlings, which are even scary to touch at first. But over time, they will get significantly stronger and become similar to an adult plant.
How to care for oregano seedlings
Small seedlings are very sensitive to weeds that can expel them and drown them out. Therefore, even in pots, it is important to carefully inspect the seedlings and remove everything that is not oregano. If your sprouts turned out to be very intensive, then over time they need to be thinned out so that the seedlings can strengthen well. Also, do not forget to regularly water the oregano in pots, for which it is better to use a spray bottle. After all, with a large amount of water, you can wash off weakly rooted plants, and the moisture introduced during the spraying process is quite enough for seedlings. Be sure to keep the seedlings in the sun and turn them if you notice one-sided development.
Picking oregano seedlings
After 2-3 leaves appear on the seedlings, it must be dived, that is, planted in separate pots so that it can gain strength by the time it is necessary to plant oregano in open ground. You can dive seedlings into peat pots, which can then be planted in the beds. Already in mid-May, oregano will be ready to be planted in open ground. There is nothing difficult in this, the main thing is to choose a not too hot day for this and regularly add seedlings
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Small seedling bushes are planted in an open area after both the ground and the air have warmed up enough, usually in May. Approximately 20 centimeters of free space are left between the plants.
Less commonly, propagation of oregano by rhizomes is used. They are planted to a depth of 5 centimeters.
How to care for oregano
When caring for a fragrant perennial, it is important to find the optimal balance when watering, especially immediately after planting seedlings in the ground. The plant can die from stagnant moisture, but it also tolerates drought very poorly. The bushes are delicate, it is advisable to water them from a watering can with small holes. Regular “rain” is better than too much hydration from a hose.
Usually, oregano grows well in one place for up to 3 years, and the site needs periodic weeding, since oregano is sensitive to weeds. The leaves will be larger if the flowers are cut from the bushes, and the removal of part of last year’s twigs helps stimulate the growth of young shoots in the spring. During the budding period, oregano will be grateful for fertilizing with mineral fertilizers. She tolerates winter well, before the onset of cold weather, the bed can not be covered.
When to harvest butterfly (oregano)
Flowering lasts from July to September. It is during this period that the aroma is strongest and you can cut off the shoots for drying, but in no case pull them out. It is recommended to collect no more than 2/3 of the branches from one bush, then you need to let the plant recover.
The grass is dried by hanging in bunches or laid out on paper, but preferably not in a draft. By the way, in dry form, it smells much stronger. Then the plant preparation is put in a jar and tightly closed with a lid. So it can be stored for up to 2 years.
