Origanum majorana
If oregano is the star of the kitchen show , marjoram is the smart - but - quiet sidekick wait off in the wings .
Often disordered with its more democratic first cousin , marjoram is a stick out out herb in its own right . With a sweet , woodsy flavor , it cue me of a mild , sweet sage with a camphor aftertaste .
Sure , you may exchange the two herbs promptly in recipes if you ’re running low on one because they have a similar flavor profile .
Photo by Meghan Yager.
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But pot marjoram merit its own spot in your kitchen garden for when you need something a little more graceful with a milder flavor .
Like oregano , marjoram is ideal if you have a gay , juiceless fleck in the garden where water - loving industrial plant fail to flourish .
Photo by Meghan Yager.
Plus , the jolly purple or pink bloom will pull in pollinator like honeybee , bumblebees , and butterflies , which benefit your whole garden .
Ready to add this versatile herb to your yard ? Here ’s what I ’ll cover in this clause :
What You’ll Learn
What Is Marjoram?
Marjoram , Origanum majorana , look a flock like oregano , O. vulgare , and that ’s not a surprisal given that they ’re close relatives . Both are mintage of theOriganumgenus .
Just to throw matters , oregano is sometimes referred to as “ wild marjoram , ” and a third species , Cretan oregano , O. onites , is often call “ pot winter sweet . ”
O. majoranahas small , oval leaves , with a gray - green colour , and they are covered in diffused hairs . In the spring , if allowed to bloom , it has pink or purple blossoms .
Flavor - wise , oregano is woodier and more floral than oregano , with a slender short letter of pine tree . Oregano is stronger and spicier .
Marjoram tends to produce a bit less aggressively than oregano , and it ca n’t treat insensate weather condition as well as oregano .
Marjoram is a perennial inUSDA Hardiness Zones9 and 10 , but you may grow it as an annual in cooler region .
Plants strive mature dimensions of about 24 inches marvelous and 18 inches wide .
If ontogenesis is left unchecked , it will mail out rhizomes and reseed pronto , which means it can gradually take over an entire box of your garden .
Sometimes called sweet or knotted oregano , thismember of the mint familyis often included in the classic French blend ofherbes de Provence .
Cultivation and History
Marjoram is a historied herb that isnative to the Mediterranean , southwesterly Asia , and northern Africa . It has become naturalized in southern Europe .
Prized by ancient Greeks and Romans , ancient Egyptians also revere this herbaceous plant , and used it in their embalming outgrowth .
In 1557 , the illustrious English poet Thomas Tusser described marjoram as one of the 21 essential herbs for strewing in his instructional workFive Hundred Points of Good Husbandrie .
For those not in the know , herb strewing was the exercise of scattering aromatic plants around the homes of royalty in the United Kingdom to brood up unpleasant odour .
Anatomist Charles Estienne advocate grow marjoram in home gardens in his bookL’agriculture et Maison Rustique , one of the first publish works on husbandry , printed in 1564 .
Dutch settler brought this herb to New York ’s Hudson Valley , but it did n’t become widely known in the US until the mid-1900s .
It has been used as a sept remedy around the Western world to address indigestion , headaches , rheumatism , and toothaches .
late studieshave show that the indispensable oils inO. majoranacontain antioxidant , and may have antifungal , antibacterial , and anti - inflammatory properties .
Marjoram Plant Propagation
Marjoram is one of those plants that seems to put all of its efforts into successful reproduction . It sow easily , add itself to naval division , reproduces via cutting without tiff , and can even be layered .
Regardless of how you decide to propagate plant , make thesoil in procession by testing itto determine whether or not it needs fertilizer or adjustments . Marjoram want rich soil with near drainage .
It ’s generally a good idea to work in some well - rotted compost to loosen the ground and addnutrientsbefore planting .
By Seed
leave to its own devices , marjoram will self - seed readily . That should assure you how mere it is to start works from seed yourself .
Start seed indoorseight workweek before the last frost , or outdoors after all danger of frost has passed .
splosh seed onto a seed - set out mixing indoors in cum flat or in a container at least six inches all-inclusive and deep , and address gently with quarter of an inch of dirt .
Water using a spray bottleful to stave off dislodging the seeds . Keep the soil moist but not wet .
Outdoors , sow seeds when the daytime air travel temperature is around 60 to 80 ° F . Sprinkle seeds on fain ground and cover with quarter of an inch of soil . Keep moist .
You should see seedling emerge in about a week . Once plant are two inch marvellous , if originate outdoors , reduce them to six inches aside .
you’re able to transplant seeds started indoors after plants have been growing for about six to eight week . But first , you need to harden them off .
To do this , rig the pots outside in a sheltered location for an 60 minutes or two , gradually increasing the length of time over the course of a workweek .
By Division
exist plant should be divided in the fountain while the weather condition is cool .
Dig a hole six to 12 column inch spacious than the plant life in all counselling and one animal foot deep , and use a shovel to lift the root chunk out of the territory . Use clippers or agarden knifeto cut the plant in half , tooth root and all .
Put half of the industrial plant back in the ground and fill up around it with filth .
Transplant the other half of the plant to a prepared spot in the garden or a container . Give it a good drink of water to help root the dirt .
or else , you’re able to utilise a garden nigga or trowel to cut a section of the works , straight down through the roots , to bump off and transplantation .
Via Cuttings
Cuttings are best taken in the belated give or early summer . come up a goodish ramification that has n’t flowered and cut back a six - inch bit .
make a small pot with moist seed starting commixture .
contract the alkali at an angle to maximise the surface area of the stinger , and guarantee that it slides into the planting mass medium well .
Remove any leaf from the bottom third of the press clipping . This help to keep putrefaction and advance roots to emerge .
Dip the newspaper clipping in powdered root hormone and poke a muddle into the semen starting mixing with your finger or a pencil .
Insert the newspaper clipping and lightly pack the dirt into the muddle and around the base of the stem . order the pot in a suspicious location out of direct sunlight .
Keep the pot intermediate moist but not waterlogged . In two weeks , your press cutting should have developed tooth root .
To test this , give the cutting a gentle tug . If you finger resistance , it has carry radical and you may treat it like any other transplanting and flora it out into the garden or in a container .
By Layering
To distribute by layering , find a healthy branch at the outer border of the plant and pose it flat against the solid ground , keeping the end that is still tie to the parent plant intact .
bequeath two to three inches of the gratuity exposed , forget the branch in the soil about half an column inch deep and use a stone to keep it in place .
After a few weeks , the branch will develop a ascendent system and you’re able to clip it away from the parent plant before savvy it out .
Marjoram has shallow roots , so it ’s good to dig wide rather than abstruse while pull your young plant life out of the ground . You ’ll want to give it six inches in all directions and dig down about four inches .
Now you’re able to transfer your marjoram in prepared soil .
How to Grow Marjoram Plants
For near results , marjoram needs fertile , loamy soil . This herb favor a neutral pH around 7.0 , but it can handle a broad grasp , from 4.9 to 8.7 .
Marjoram does n’t necessitate a band of body of water . The soil should be well - draining and be give up to dry out about an inch down between watering . pissed feet are oregano ’s biggest enemy .
Though itcanhandle drought condition , for the undecomposed flavor , check that your industrial plant is water regularly .
These plants have shallow roots , so they dry out cursorily . This is n’t a problem most of the metre , but when the weather gets really live , you ’ll need to keep an centre on your plant .
A bit oforganic mulchlikeleavesandstrawcan help to retain wet in the soil .
Marjoram also involve a full sun localization , but will tolerate partial shade in particularly red-hot climates .
Cut the stem back after blossom in former summertime , to stimulate new growth .
If you want to leave efflorescence on the plant toencourage pollinatorsor to provide the flora to self - source , trim it back in the fall to keep its shape .
Prune in natural spring to remove weak or all in growth and to keep the works ’s size of it in check . It can get scraggly after several years if you do n’t trim regularly .
Growing Tips
Where to Buy
Most marjoram is sold under the name “ oregano ” or “ sweet oregano . ” It is sometimes possible to regain a variety with variegated leaves .
The classicO. majoranaspecies is usually available at your local glasshouse or garden center , or you’re able to buy online .
Sweet Marjoram
you could find seeds or a lot of three plantsavailable from Burpee .
Italian
O.xmajorana , often sold as Italian oregano , is a intercrossed cross betweenO. vulgareandO. majoranathat features smart unripened leave .
O.xmajorana
you could find oneself seeds in a variety of packet sizesavailable at Eden Brothers .
Managing Pests and Disease
Compared to some flora , oregano does n’t face a ton of problems with pests and disease . That does n’t intend it ’s only trouble - free , however .
Pests
Pests , rather than issues with disease , are likely to be your bounteous challenge when raise this herb .
The peach aphid ( Myzus persicae ) is a vulgar pest that have a go at it to attack marjoram . It ’s a tiny , immature , tear - drop shaped insect that fellate the sap out of flora , leaving behind a sticky core address honeydew in its wake .
A few aphid are n’t usually a case for concern , but a large plague can stunt emergence , and they may cause yellowing or necrotic spots to develop on plants .
control them is generally as easy as smash the plant withwater from the hoseto criticise them free . Do this every day for a calendar week to be trusted you ’ve get the population under control .
If things get bad , you canuse canola oil petroleum as a pesticidebecause it strangle the footling pest . Spray plant so that they ’re saturate , applying the oil colour to the leafage once a week for three weeks .
Learn more about how to manage aphids in your garden .
Cutworms ( Agrotisspp . ) chew through the base of plants , killing them . They ’re unremarkably active at night , which makes them hard to spot – until you arrive outside and find your marjoram plant lying on the terra firma .
It ’s crucial to keep the earth around your flora clear to avoid giving the worm a place to hide .
A layer of diatomaceous earthscattered around plants will help keep cutworm by .
you’re able to also make composition board collars to abnegate cutworms access to your plants . Get a toilet theme tube and switch off it in half . put it around the theme of each pot marjoram seedling , sinking an inch of the tube into the soil .
memorize more about how to manage cutworms in our pathfinder .
Spider Mites
Spider pinch attack a diversity of plant in the garden . The two - spotted wanderer mite ( Tetranychus urticae ) in special is the one you ’ll most normally see snacking on your oregano .
You ’ll commonly see the fine webbing on your plant life before you notice the bantam arachnids .
If an infestation is bad , the leaves may turn yellow-bellied and throw away off the plant .
The first argument of attack is to spray flora with a strong blow of water to knock them off . This is sometimes enough to keep the population small enough that plants do n’t bear .
You should alsoencourage lacewing and ladybugsto visit your garden , or you may purchase and innovate predatory mites , available from Arbico Organics .
While you may use insecticides to contain them , keep in mind that you execute the risk of killing off the beneficial louse in your garden .
Read more about control wanderer mites here .
Western flower thrips ( Frankliniella occidentalis ) are a vulgar pestilence that can get an unbelievable amount of harm . The millimeter - long worm have feathery , clean-cut wings and their color can set out from pale yellow to benighted brown .
An plague may cause leafage and blossom to become distorted , sunken , or to appear silvery . The insect draw the fluid out of the plant and can distribute disease .
Not only do thrips harm plants and channel diseases , they can also bite humanity , get skin irritation .
musing mulch are a good baulk , but if you end up with an infestation , insecticides are the only way to get rid of them .
If your works are struggling , but hanging on , it may be best to just let the insects do their thing . If an plague decline and your plant are suffer , use a spinosad - based insect powder .
Remember , you ’ll likely bolt down off beneficial insects in the operation , but sometimes it ’s the only alternative .
For more summit , take our thrips management guide here .
Disease
While I ’m busybodied combat disease on my other plants , my marjoram is generally off in the corner , happily growing , disease free . Every once in a while , however , you may ask to take on a fungous issue .
Mint rust , as the name imply , appears as rusty orange blisters on the undersurface of the leaves of winter sweet plants . The top of the leafage might have light yellowish spots .
Eventually , leaves may drop and the works ’s growth can become stunted , or it may even die .
This disease is triggered by the fungusPuccinia menthae . This fungus flourish in damp , humid conditions , and in area where works are crowded or have miserable atmosphere circulation .
That ’s why pruning to control the sizing of the herbaceous plant is authoritative . You do n’t desire plants maturate too cheeseparing together , or becoming too dense , as this slenderize airflow which will allow a buildup of humidity .
You should also water at the root word of plants in the sunup , so they have time to dry out over the form of the day .
While oregano plants do n’t necessarily want mulching , if you struggle with rust fungus in your garden , you may rate wood mulch around plants to prevent water from splashing on them .
Keep any wild mint plants well aside from your garden , because they can carry and disperse the disease .
If all that fails , you’re able to shave the plant back to the basis in the fall and give a fungicide to the stems and the ground skirt the plant .
front for one that contains Azoxystrobin , and apply it according to the maker ’s directions .
Harvesting Marjoram
If you are chiefly interested in harvesting the leaves , do n’t allow your plants blossom . Prune the heyday as they begin to form .
To harvest , simply trim the branches and efflorescence as you need them , using a pair of scissors or clippers .
If you need a gravid crop , you’re able to curve the flora back close to the ground in the former summer for a 2nd crop by fall .
Preserving
Just like its sidekick marjoram , marjoram is superb dried . Its touchy savor becomes more saturated when the leaves are dry .
you may hang small bunches of the branches tie together , or lie sprig on a cookie sheet in an area with proficient air travel circulation . Turn the sprigs occasionally to make certain they dry evenly .
you may also dry sprigs or individual leaf in a dehydrator , or an oven on its lowest setting , until crispy and ironical .
Get more hint on drying garden herb here .
you could also freeze marjoram by wash off the separated leaves and putting them in a resealable purse . fight the air out and put it in the Deepfreeze .
Read more about freezing fresh herbaceous plant here .
impertinent marjoram can be stored in the refrigerator wrap in charge plate for four days .
you’re able to also make a herbed oil , idealistic to use in salad dressing , or for drizzling on pizza pie or pasta . You ’ll discover all the instruction onour sister internet site , Foodal .
Recipes and Cooking Ideas
Marjoram is a classic seasoner for centre like pork , duck , goose , and chicken . It ’s also tasty in Lycopersicon esculentum dish . Because it has a pernicious flavour , it bestow itself to season delicately flavour veggieslike courgette .
The fresh leaves are also yummy tossed into a salad . I think the addition of a few whole leaves take a traditional Caesar salad to the next level .
you may also chop fresh leaves into equal percentage pick cheese and sour cream to make a light magnetic dip for vegetable .
If you ’re fake with marjoram , add it towards the end or toss it in just before serving so you do n’t fall behind that subtle flavor .
Quick Reference Growing Guide
Give Sophisticated Marjoram a Grow
Marjoram often takes a back rear in the garden to the more democratic oregano .
But with its elusive , sweet sapidity , the rest of growing it , and its ability to draw pollinators , there ’s no reason not to give it a spotin your herbaceous plant garden .
And why not retard out these guide to learn herbsin your garden :
© Ask the Experts , LLC . ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.See our TOSfor more details . primitively published on June 27th , 2020 . Last updated May 1st , 2023 . Cartesian product photos via Burpee and Eden Brothers . Uncredited photos : Shutterstock .
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Kristine Lofgren
