How to Grow Oregano from Seeds on a Windowsill

I want to share my experience on how to grow oregano from seeds. In our regions, it’s more common to hear the name Thyme or Marjoram, but it’s the same wonderfully fragrant plant as Italian oregano.

I am a big fan of pizza and appreciate Italian spices that give baked goods a unique aroma. My favorite “Italian Herbs” blend includes oregano, basil, rosemary, thyme, summer savory, and onion. Since I recently became obsessed with growing herbs at home, I decided to plant oregano seeds (also known as Thyme). This spice smells like my favorite pizza and spaghetti. In addition to its extraordinary aroma, oregano has a number of beneficial properties .

How to Grow Oregano from Seeds

To get a harvest of oregano from your windowsill, first and foremost, you need to choose the sunniest spot.
Soil: Oregano is not demanding, but it takes a while to germinate (about three weeks), so you’ll need to lightly moisten the soil every 3-4 days after sowing.
Cover the planting area (in this case, a pot or box) with plastic to prevent the soil from drying out. In the evening, let the soil breathe a bit by removing the plastic for an hour.
Oregano has a creeping and branching root system. If allowed to spread, it will send out shoots along the pot’s walls. Try planting in a narrow, elongated cactus pot.
Use drainage at the bottom, and you can add a bit of perlite and vermiculite (which helps loosen the soil and prevents it from drying out quickly). Sow seeds to a depth of 0.5 cm. The seeds are microscopic, so I sow them by the pinch. If all seeds germinate, you are lucky))), leave the strongest seedlings and thin out the rest.
Water seedlings very carefully and moderately. For all my little plants, I use a spray bottle (without pressing too hard to avoid breaking the delicate stems).
Watering: Water the mature plant every 2 days, with daily misting. On particularly hot days, water oregano daily, but avoid overwatering and waterlogging.

My Young Oregano Plant

When to Harvest Thyme

Harvest thyme before it flowers, and you can cut off the flowering buds to prevent the stems from becoming woody. After flowering, oregano will likely start to dry out and may even go dormant, preparing for wintering. In this case, place the pot in a dark place until the first sunny days. Lightly moisten the soil every 2 weeks. If you notice oregano sending out new shoots in the middle of winter, place it in the brightest windowsill.

My first attempt to grow oregano was a complete failure—two days after sowing, I had to leave for two weeks, and although my husband tried, he couldn’t follow some of the care instructions. I will try again.

Oregano Plant, Top View