Takes a hard frost. A perennial for zones 4 to 8. Start indoors 6 to 10 weeks before your last frost; plant out up to 2 weeks after your last frost; sow outdoors up to 2 weeks after your last frost. First harvest 56 to 90 days from planting.
Full sun to part shadeSome afternoon shade is fine
10–18 in apart
56–90 daysFrom planting out
pH 6.0–6.5Soil pH
HardyTakes a hard frost
Zones 4–8Comes back each year
Your dates
Put in your ZIP code to see when to start, plant and harvest oregano where you live, from your own frost dates.
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From seed to harvest
SowSeed goes inWeek 0
SproutFirst shoots showWeek 1–2
True leavesFirst real leavesWeek 3–4
Thin or plant outGive each plant roomWeek 6–10
Leaf growthLeaves fill outWeek 8–12
HarvestReady to pickWeek 14–22
How to plant and grow
Start seed or cuttings
Sow seed indoors 6 to 10 weeks before your last frost. Press it onto the mix without covering; it needs light. Seedlings vary, so cuttings from a tasty plant come truer.
Plant after frost
Set plants out or sow outdoors once frost danger has passed, in full sun or light shade and well-drained soil. Space plants 10 to 18 inches apart.
Go easy on water
Water in long dry spells and let the surface dry between waterings. Wet, heavy soil leads to root rot, and rich soil or extra fertilizer dulls the flavor.
Harvest before bloom
Once plants are established, snip stem tips as needed. Take the biggest cuttings just before flowering, when flavor peaks, and leave several leaf pairs.
Mulch for winter
After the soil freezes, cover plants lightly with straw or evergreen boughs. Pull it back when growth starts in spring.
Renew old plants
Plants turn woody and sparse after a few years. Divide or replant them every three to four years.
Common problems
Root rotDiseaseNo spray helps
What you'll see: Plants yellow, wilt and die back even though the soil is wet. Roots are brown, soft and few, and bean seedlings may rot at the soil line.
Prevent
Plant in well-drained soil; grow raspberries on beds raised about a foot.
Do not overwater.
Plant beans and peas in a new spot each year, and sow them only once the soil has warmed.
Start with healthy plants, and do not move soil from a sick bed to a healthy one.
Organic options
Remove and dispose of dying plants and clear crop debris after harvest.
Conventional options
None. Fungicides have not proven effective in home gardens; drainage is the fix.
Photo: “Aphids on Kale leaf” by Sanjay Acharya, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (cropped). The cropped version is shared under the same licence.
AphidsPest
What you'll see: Clusters of small, soft-bodied green, black or gray insects on new shoots and under leaves. Leaves curl, and a sticky film may coat them.
Prevent
Check leaf undersides each week; a few aphids do little harm.
Pull nearby weeds, such as wild mustards, that feed aphids.
Grow flowers for lady beetles, lacewings and hover flies, and avoid broad sprays that kill them.
Organic options
Knock aphids off with a strong spray of water.
Insecticidal soap or horticultural oil on leaf undersides, repeated as the label allows.
Neem oil, or OMRI Listed pyrethrins (without piperonyl butoxide).
Conventional options
Malathion or permethrin, if the crop is on the label. These also kill the insects that eat aphids.
Bee caution: Don't spray open flowers. Spray in the late evening, when bees aren't flying.
Avoid broad insecticides; they kill mite predators and can start an outbreak.
Organic options
Hose leaf undersides hard, often.
Insecticidal soap or horticultural oil on leaf undersides, repeated as the label allows.
Release predatory mites once pest mites are present.
Conventional options
Same as organic. Broad insecticides often make mites worse.
Bee caution: Don't spray open flowers. Spray in the late evening, when bees aren't flying.
Photo: “Deroceras reticulatum” by Bruce Marlin, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (cropped). The cropped version is shared under the same licence.
SlugsPest
What you'll see: Ragged holes in leaves and fruit, and shiny slime trails, mostly after damp nights.
Prevent
Clear mulch and leaf litter close to plants so the ground can dry.
Start early; do not wait for a heavy infestation.
Organic options
Sink shallow containers of beer to the rim; empty and refill them often.
Iron phosphate bait scattered on the soil around plants. Look for OMRI Listed products.
Conventional options
Same as organic: iron phosphate bait is the pick for food gardens, being far less harmful to pets and wildlife.
Read and follow the product label: it is the law. It sets the rate, the crops it is for, and the days between spraying and picking. Products registered vary by state; for organic growing, look for products allowed under the USDA National Organic Program (OMRI Listed). We name active ingredients, not brands or rates.
The link opens this growing guide, so anyone can read it and look up their own planting dates.
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Sow
Sprout
True leaves
Thin or plant out
Leaf growth
Harvest
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