Content
Oregano, or oregano (origanum vulgare) is a perennial herb that has medicinal properties. The aromatic leaves of the plant are widely used in Mediterranean cuisine along with mint, basil and rosemary. The plant is also valued for its high content of ascorbic acid, antioxidants and essential oils. This culture also has high decorative qualities. Therefore, if you plant oregano in your garden plot, you can have not only an aromatic spice, but also a beautiful flowering bush.
Oregano is a honey plant
How to plant oregano seeds in open ground
A common way to plant oregano is to sow the seeds directly into the ground. But for everything to go well, you need to follow some rules.
Landing dates
Oregano seeds should be planted in open ground when the soil to a depth of 15 cm warms up to a temperature of +15-18 degrees and the threat of spring return frosts has passed.Therefore, in the southern regions, sowing is recommended in early May, and in the central and northern regions - at the end of this month or at the beginning of summer.
Preparing seeds for sowing
Before sowing, it is recommended to soak oregano seeds for a day in a solution of Epin or Zircon. This stimulates growth processes and strengthens the immunity of future seedlings. After this, the oregano seeds must be slightly dried until characteristic flowability appears. And then plant them, since they are no longer suitable for further storage.
Since oregano seeds are small, experienced gardeners recommend mixing them with sand before sowing. This will greatly simplify the procedure and promote their uniform distribution on the soil surface.
Soil preparation and site selection
Oregano is one of the undemanding crops. The plant loves sun and warmth, but reacts poorly to stagnant moisture in the soil. Therefore, to plant oregano, you should choose an open, well-warmed place with loose soil. In this case, the acidity level of the soil should be low or neutral.
Oregano can grow on poor soils, but then it will not be able to grow lush green mass. Therefore, it is recommended to not only dig up the area in the fall, but also add it to the soil for each square meter. m. 5 kg of humus, 40 g of superphosphate and 30 g of potassium sulfide.
Oregano grows well in loamy and sandy loam soil. However, it is permissible to plant it in heavy clay soil after its preliminary preparation.To do this, you need to add twice as much humus to the soil, and also add 10 kg of sand per square meter. m. And if necessary, to reduce acidity, you should also add 200 g of dolomite flour to the same area in the fall.
Without oregano you cannot get a real Greek salad or Italian pizza.
Sowing rules
With the arrival of spring, the bed intended for oregano needs to be loosened and the surface leveled. If there are lumps, they should be broken up. All this preparatory work will help improve the uniformity of seedlings.
Seeds should be planted in furrows 1-1.5 cm deep. They should be done at a distance of 25 cm. Before sowing oregano, the furrows should be watered generously and wait until the moisture is completely absorbed. Then you should plant seeds mixed with sand. After this, sprinkle them with soil, compact them slightly, and put a layer of peat on top, which will retain moisture in the soil.
Oregano seeds germinate 10-14 days after planting in open ground
Growing oregano through seedlings
Experienced gardeners practice growing oregano using seedlings. This makes it possible to obtain well-strengthened seedlings by the beginning of the season and speed up the collection of herbs.
In this case, growing oregano from seeds should initially be done at home. The optimal time for planting seedlings is the end of February or the beginning of March. To sow, you should prepare wide containers 10-12 cm high. They must be filled with nutritious soil consisting of turf, humus, peat and sand in a ratio of 2:1:1:1.
The soil should be leveled and well moistened before planting. After this, sow the seeds evenly and sprinkle them with a layer of soil 0.5-0.7 cm thick.At the end of planting, you need to moisten the soil on top with a spray bottle, cover the container with glass or film, and then put it in a dark place with a temperature of +22-24 degrees.
After the seedlings emerge, which usually happens within a week at home, the container needs to be moved to the windowsill and the mode reduced to +20 degrees. This will prevent excessive growth of the above-ground part and stimulate root development.
As soon as the sprouts get a little stronger, they need to be adapted to external conditions and the film removed. Further care consists of periodic dosed watering with settled water. As soon as the seedlings have four true leaves, they should be picked into separate cups. And a week after this it is necessary to carry out the first feeding. For it you need to use mineral fertilizers intended for seedlings, which are sold in a specialized store.
You can transplant grown seedlings to a permanent place in open ground in the second half of May, once the soil has warmed up sufficiently and the threat of spring return frosts has passed. Planting of seedlings should be carried out at a distance of 20 cm so that they fully develop and do not compete for moisture and nutrition.
Oregano seedlings grow slowly at the initial stage of development
Caring for oregano in open ground
To grow oregano in the country from seeds or seedlings, you need not only to plant it correctly, but also to provide further care taking into account the requirements of this perennial crop.
Watering
Oregano plantings need to be watered only in the absence of seasonal rains. To do this, use settled water at a temperature of +20-22 degrees. Irrigate in the evening using a watering can with a sprayer.
During hot periods, to prevent plants from suffering from lack of moisture, it is recommended to lay a 3 cm layer of mulch between the rows. For this, you can use humus or peat.
Fertilizer
In the first year after planting oregano, there is no need to fertilize the plants if all nutritional components were added at the site preparation stage.
Fertilizers should be used from the second season. To do this, in the spring at the beginning of the growing season, it is recommended to use organic matter or nitroammophoska. In summer, oregano can be fertilized only after flowering to maintain the frost resistance of the bushes. During this period, you should use superphosphate (40 g) and potassium sulphide (25 g) per bucket of water. The consumption rate is 1 liter of nutrient solution per plant.
Weeding and loosening
To successfully grow oregano in the garden after planting in a permanent place, you need to regularly weed at an early stage of seedling development. Otherwise, the tender oregano sprouts will not be able to fully develop due to weeds.
It is also important to loosen the soil between rows in a timely manner. This will prevent moisture stagnation and maintain air access to the roots.
Oregano bushes bloom fully in the second year after planting.
Wintering
There are about 55 different types of oregano. They differ not only in the height of the bushes, color, but also in the level of frost resistance from -15 to -30 degrees. Therefore, when choosing, you need to pay attention to this and take into account the climatic conditions of the growing region.
Adult oregano bushes do not need special preparation for wintering. Only young seedlings need to be covered in the first season after planting.To do this, at the base of the bushes you need to lay mulch from humus in a layer of 5 cm to prevent hypothermia of the root. With the arrival of early spring, the insulation must be removed, otherwise the bushes may dry out.
Transfer
Oregano belongs to the category of long-lived plants. In one place, a bush can grow up to 15 years. But experienced gardeners recommend replanting the plant every 5-7 years, since the older the perennial, the fewer useful components there are in its above-ground parts.
It is recommended to transplant to a new location in early autumn or spring. The procedure is carried out according to the standard scheme. When planting, it is not recommended to bury the root collar of the perennial, as this will negatively affect the development of the bush. In the future, you need to ensure that the soil at the base of the perennial does not dry out, which will speed up the plant’s adaptation to the new location.
Trimming
In the first year after planting oregano, it is recommended to prune only single flowers that form on the plant. This will redirect the perennial’s forces to the development of roots and shoots. You should also periodically clear the bushes of broken and dry branches. This crop does not require formative pruning.
Reproduction methods
To successfully grow oregano, you need to know not only the rules for planting and caring for oregano, but also how this plant can be propagated. Indeed, in the future, the perennial will need to be regularly rejuvenated in order to always have healthy spicy herbs on hand.
Dividing the bush
You can get new oregano seedlings by dividing overgrown bushes that are at least 4 years old.The procedure is recommended to be carried out in the spring at the beginning of the growing season. This will allow the “delenkas” to get stronger during the season and prepare for the upcoming winter.
To do this, you need to dig up the mother plant and carefully divide it into several parts with pruners or a knife. Each of them should have well-developed shoots and root processes. Immediately after dividing, you need to plant the seedlings in a permanent place and water them abundantly.
Before dividing the bush, garden tools must be disinfected
By layering
You can also get young bushes of oregano using layering. To do this, at the end of May or early summer, select well-developed side branches and bend them, deepening them 5 cm into the soil, and then secure them with staples. Only the tip of the shoot should be left on the soil surface.
Throughout the season, it is necessary to keep the soil slightly moist to promote root formation.
You can separate stronger cuttings from the mother bush after a year.
Conclusion
Knowing how to properly plant oregano seeds in open ground and for seedlings, any gardener can grow this spicy herb. But in order for young seedlings to get stronger and grow, they need to be provided with proper care at the initial stage of development. In the future, when the oregano bushes get stronger, they no longer cause much trouble.
