Just as growing your own vegetables to cook with, there is nothing quite like growing your own herbs to use to flavor your cooking. If you are a cook who enjoys using herbs in your recipes, consider how much more tasty it will be to add your own freshly grown herbs snipped from pots on your windowsill garden. Among the several species of oregano used in cooking, the one recommended for kitchen use is Origanum heracleoticum. Commercially available dried oregano you purchase at the grocery store may contain any number of species of oregano and even unrelated plants, so that is why you haven’t been too impressed with its flavor in your cooking. Growing your own is definitely the best way to go. Not only do you find out which best suits your palate, but you can choose the specific, pure and natural one to compliment other ingredients.
The desirable species of oregano you will want to grow in your herb garden are: Origanum heracleoticum, Origanum vulgare, and Origanum majorana. Other more commonly known names for Origanum heracleoticum are Greek oregano, winter sweet marjoram, or Italian oregano. Common names for Origanum vulgare include European oregano, wild marjoram, and winter marjoram. Origanum majorana is sweet marjoram, also a species of oregano.
Purchase plants or seeds from a reliable source. Plant in full sun and well-drained soil after danger of frost has passed in the spring. Space your herb plants or thin seedlings to stand about nine inches apart. If you want the plant to be dense, trim the plants back just before they flower. Depending on the species, oregano takes approximately five to six weeks to bloom after planting. If you allow some of the flowers to produce and drop their seed, you can keep your oregano patch fresh, vigorous, and wild. Some oregano can grow two feet high and as full as a small bush if you let it. When in bloom, it can be quite beautiful. However, to keep the bed quality high, remove three to four year old plants. A portion of the plant can be brought indoors for your windowsill herb garden, especially if you want to use it for cooking during the winter months.
Harvest the oregano leaves as you need them. Just before the flowers bloom is when the flavor is best. To dry oregano, hang harvested sprigs in an airy, low-lit location until the leaves crumble easily in your hand, then store in an airtight container. Dried oregano leaves keep their flavor well in storage, unlike some other herbs. Also, try freezing fresh sprigs in zippered plastic bags. The flavor is still strong; but remember to press as much air from the bag as possible.
