Growing Oregano in Tasmania

Oregano is a beautiful, easy-to-grow ground cover that fits easily into landscaping or the veggie garden. It originates in the Mediterranean region, so it thrives on hot dry summers, but if you make sure it has proper drainage it can do well in the Tasmanian climate.

Oregano like poor, well-drained soil. Don’t over feed or overwater it.

This versatile herb likes light, well-draining soil, so there’s no need to add compost or manure. Oregano won’t do well in a spot with poor drainage, so if drainage is a problem in your garden, then a raised bed or container is the way to go. Remember to pop some pebbles or small stones into the bottom of your containers to improve drainage.

Oregano is most often grown from seedlings or small plants, but it can be grown from seeds. The seeds need light to germinate, so simply sprinkle them over the soil and keep them damp until the plants are established.

Oregano can be grown from seedlings or propagated from softwood cuttings. Either way, keep them well watered for the first few days to help them settle in well.

Pick from your plants often. It’ll encourage them to grow more vigorously and to fill out. Oregano may start to grow less well after four or so years. If your plants begin to look tired, replace them.

Don’t over-water. You only need to water when the soil is dry. Oregano is often planted in the sunniest, driest part of a garden, so remember to keep an eye on it during particularly hot weather and water if it’s looking thirsty.

Oregano does not usually need to be fertilized. Over feeding the plants will cause them to produce an abundance of leaves, but the flavour will be less intense.

Oregano does not need to be mulched. It prefers the soil to dry out between waterings.

Harvest as needed. Simply pick stalks or use scissors to cut what you need. The leaves can be used fresh or dried. You’ll notice that your plant won’t grow much in winter, but as soon as the weather warms up, they’ll have a burst of vigorous growth.