Oregano is one of the best aromatic herbs, native to the Mediterranean region. Harvesting oregano properly allows you to enjoy its flavorful leaves without harming the plant or needing to regrow. The best way to harvest oregano without killing the plant is to avoid cutting the stems too close to the base of the plant. If your oregano plant starts to produce flower buds, it’s best to pinch them off because they can reduce the quality of the leaves’ flavor and aroma.
Continue reading to learn more about harvesting oregano without killing the plant.
It is essential to know how and when to harvest aromatic herbs correctly because this will vary the quality and flavor of the aromatic herb to be harvested.
Oregano is a plant that is grown and cared for correctly and should be harvested all year round, that is why here you will learn how to harvest oregano without killing the plant and have a continuous harvest.
Table of Contents
When to Harvest Oregano (and How to Do It Without Killing The Plant)
When to Harvest Oregano? By the time the oregano plant is approximately 60 days after sowing and 6″ (15 cm) tall is a good time to harvest the oregano without killing the plant. It’s possible to harvest oregano when it is smaller, for example, at 4″ (10 cm). However, it could be damaging to its development. Therefore, to harvest oregano without killing the plant, you should never harvest when the plant is smaller than 4″ (10 cm).
To obtain a good aroma and flavor in oregano, it is best to harvest oregano in the morning after the dew dries. The more you gather, the more you encourage the oregano plant to continue to develop.
Oregano leaves and stems should be harvested all year round, but if you want to harvest oregano flowers, you should wait until the end of summer. Before the plant begins to flower, oregano leaves and stems are most aromatic.
Many people also consume the very aromatic oregano flowers, but to harvest the oregano flower, you must wait until the end of summer. You should also be able to obtain new oregano seeds if you wait for some flowers to dry out.
On warm mornings, the essential oils of oregano are more concentrated, and it is an excellent time to harvest oregano. In the first oregano harvest, do not harvest more than 1/3 of the oregano plant so that it recovers correctly. After a while, you should be able to harvest up to 2/3 of the oregano without killing the plant.
How to Harvest Oregano Without Killing the Plant
How to Harvest Oregano Without Killing the Plant? Harvesting oregano without killing the plant is very simple, you must first use sharp, disinfected scissors so as not to damage the oregano plant. I do not recommend pulling the leaves and stems of oregano to avoid damaging the plant.
In the first oregano harvest, do not pick more than 1/3 of the plant and give it time to recover. Then you should be able to harvest up to 2/3 of the oregano plant without killing the plant. Harvesting oregano will often encourage the plant to continue developing and growing properly.
Always start harvesting oregano from the top and allow a few inches (cm) for proper regrowth. After harvesting oregano, water the plant so that the oregano plant can recover faster.
Oregano does not grow well during the winter. Protect your oregano plant from frost and stop harvesting oregano 2 weeks before winter. If you live in a very cold climate, it is best to protect the oregano. In warm temperatures, you should be able to harvest oregano all year round without problems.
How To Store Fresh Cut Oregano
You have just learned how to harvest oregano without killing the plant. Now I will explain several ways to store oregano. How To Store Fresh Cut Oregano? A single oregano plant can provide plenty of oregano throughout the year. It is best not to water the oregano plant the days before harvesting so that the aromas are more concentrated.
Fresh-cut oregano should be kept in the refrigerator for about three days, but you should extend the shelf life of fresh oregano in the refrigerator in the following way:
- Wash the fresh oregano to be stored.
- Wrap the oregano in moist paper towels.
- Store oregano in the refrigerator. This way, you can store oregano for a week, even longer.
You should also place a few oregano branches in a jar with water and change the water every two days. Fresh oregano should be frozen, wash the oregano leaves and dry them a little. In a freezer bag, store the oregano and place it in the freezer. This way, you should be able to store the oregano for a year.
Thanks for reading this post about harvesting oregano without killing the plant.
