Exposure Full-sun
Season Warm season
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Origanum syriacum. CERTIFIED ORGANIC. This wild oregano has hints of thyme and marjoram mixed in for a complex, wonderful fragrance. It is low growing and compact at about 15-20cm (6-8") tall. Grow this aromatic herb in full sun in soil with good drainage or in containers. If the seeds are started indoors in early spring, it will be in bloom by mid-August, providing a magnet for bees. The plant performed really well in our summer field trials here at the farm, but as a perennial it is only hardy in Zones 9-10.
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Latin
Latin
Origanum vulgare subsp. hirtum ‘Greek’
Family: Lamiaceae
Difficulty
Difficulty
Easy
Season & Zone
Season & Zone
Season: Warm season
Exposure: Full sun
Zone: Hardy to Zone 5
Timing
Timing
Start indoors in plug trays from late winter to mid-spring. Starting indoors is more reliable than direct sowing. Use bottom heat to achieve a constant soil temperature of 15°C (60°F) for best results. Germination occurs in 7 to 14 days.
Starting
Starting
Oregano seeds are dust-like, so handle them with care. Prepare containers or plug trays using sterilized seed starting mix, and water the soil. Then try to evenly distribute the tiny seeds on the surface of the soil. Do not bury them. Using bottom heat will improve the overall success rate. As seedlings grow, keep soil on the dry side. Pot on as necessary or transplant to the garden in late spring to early summer.
Growing
Growing
Grow in a sunny and warm spot. Aim for 25cm (10″) between plants. Cut plants back after flowering to prevent them from getting straggly. As autumn approaches, divide some to bring inside over winter. Cut back the year’s growth to about 6cm (2½”) from the soil.
Harvest
Harvest
Pick the leaves throughout the season as needed. Oregano leaves can be dried or frozen. Store dried leaves or whole stalks in air tight containers away from bright light.
Companion Planting
Companion Planting
Oregano is particularly good for repelling cabbage moths, and it can be planted between rows of Brassicas for this purpose. Also good around asparagus and basil. When in bloom, oregano is highly attractive to pollinators.
More on Companion Planting.
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For over 35 years, we have upheld our strong reputation as a leading seed supplier, seeking out the highest quality untreated seeds for organic growing and putting them through rigorous independent testing. We built our company on the exchange of generational wisdom in a masterclass community of newbies and masters alike. Our world may have changed, but our commitment to our people, our customers, and our planet has not.
We’re a values-based business that has blossomed into a lifestyle ethos, with products that support seeders, feeders, keepers, and the tiniest of creepers. Our mission? To mobilize the next generation of gardeners with products that nourish soil and grow vigorous, sustainable gardens. We believe all plants should be grown without the use of chemicals, and that the seeds we supply are an important component of regenerative gardening.
We don’t just offer seeds, we offer experience, insight, and understanding. From timeless garden wisdom to new tech know-how, this is learning on the job: knowledge gleaned not from the pages of a book but from burying our fingers in the soil. We test, experiment, observe and adapt, never happier than when we get to share what we’ve learned with others.
Gardens don’t just grow seeds. They grow minds and imaginations, people and communities. Our vision encompasses both the micro and the macro. We eat locally, protect pollinators, teach people to grow from seed, and support regional biodiversity. We think big but act small and deliver unexpected impact — always with community and purpose.
At West Coast Seeds we believe in the power of small and that little can be large. Like the tiniest seed germinates to evoke incremental change with massive potential, so to can our community of gardeners and growers together. Gardeners are the earth’s stewards, planting seeds of creative declaration. The soil provides the canvas, we provide the seeds.
Start indoors in plug trays from late winter to mid-spring. Starting indoors is more reliable than direct sowing. Use bottom heat to achieve a constant soil temperature of 15°C (60°F) for best results. Germination occurs in 7 to 14 days.
Oregano seeds are dust-like, so handle them with care. Prepare containers or plug trays using sterilized seed starting mix, and water the soil. Then try to evenly distribute the tiny seeds on the surface of the soil. Do not bury them. Using bottom heat will improve the overall success rate. As seedlings grow, keep soil on the dry side. Pot on as necessary or transplant to the garden in late spring to early summer.
Grow in a sunny and warm spot. Aim for 25cm (10″) between plants. Cut plants back after flowering to prevent them from getting straggly. As autumn approaches, divide some to bring inside over winter. Cut back the year’s growth to about 6cm (2½”) from the soil.
Pick the leaves throughout the season as needed. Oregano leaves can be dried or frozen. Store dried leaves or whole stalks in air tight containers away from bright light.
