Oregano is not a floral quiet companion in the herb bed. As a spice for Mediterranean dishes, fresh and dried dost with its intense aroma comes to the fore. When the magnificent labiate puts on its opulent flower dress in summer, its followers wonder whether it is still edible. The answer to this question largely determines the best harvest time during the year. When it comes to enjoying fresh herbs, the time of day also comes into focus. This guide clears up any doubts surrounding the perfect harvest. You can find out here when and how to harvest oregano correctly.
Best harvest time is in summer
Shortly before and during its flowering period, the aromatic content of oregano is at its peak. From June to September, the floral life in the spice plant pulsates right down to the shoot tips, which benefits the unique taste. In this phase, the mint family is not stingy with its charms in order to attract pollinators in droves with fragrant flowers. Therefore, the essential oil content in the leaves is also at its highest level. Summer is the ideal harvest time for fresh consumption and preservation.
Sunny morning delivers perfect herbal enjoyment
If Mediterranean dishes are on today's menu, the early morning hours are the best time of day for the fresh oregano harvest. Ideally, the plant was able to enjoy a few hours of sunshine in the previous days, which has a beneficial effect on the aroma and taste. We also recommend the mild hours of the morning as the optimal harvest time if you want to stock up on herbs for the winter.
Tip:
There is nothing wrong with picking home-grown oregano outside of its prime harvest time. As long as the Mediterranean herb bush has its delicious leaves, you can harvest them all year round.
Blooming oregano promises culinary delights
As the timing of the best harvest time suggests, you harvest premium quality oregano when it blooms. The further the flowering period progresses from June to September, the spicier the herbal enjoyment becomes. Nature lovers among herb gardeners postpone the oregano harvest for winter storage until the end of the flowering period so that bees, bumblebees and butterflies also get their money's worth.
Flowers are edible
Friends of Mediterranean herbs agree that the flowers of an oregano plant are in no way inferior to the leaves when it comes to spicy enjoyment. In fact, the pretty lip blossoms not only signal the optimal harvest time, but are edible with a bitter, spicy taste of their own. Freshly picked, Dost flowers add even more spice to the crisp summer salad. Quark and herb butter get a very special note with the flowers. Gourmets recommend that you only enjoy the flowers when they are withered, because an extra intense aroma develops when they die.
Tip:
Oregano achieves its optimum in full sun, warm locations with lean, well-drained soil. A place at the highest point in the herb spiral is always reserved for Echten Dost.
Instructions for professional harvesting
– how to do it right –
To harvest oregano in the best quality, give the herb bush a brief moment of attention the evening before. How to harvest home-grown dost with expertise:
- Brush the bush in the late afternoon or evening of the previous day
- The next morning, cut off entire shoots with clean, sharp scissors
- Make the cut specifically above a branch
- Leave a third of each herb branch so that it sprouts again
Inspect each branch when harvesting to immediately remove any damaged or discolored leaves. Then place the shoots in a basket that is large enough so that they do not bend. This is particularly useful if the herb branches are dried for storage. For immediate use in the kitchen, simply pluck off the green leaves. To dry oregano, tie 3 to 5 sprigs together into a small bouquet. Hang it upside down in a dark, airy place for 2 to 3 weeks. It is important to note that oregano is not exposed to temperatures higher than 35 degrees Celsius during air drying.
Recommended varieties
Strictly speaking, oregano is a special flavor rather than a defined plant species. Aside from the classic Origanum vulgare, the Dost genus (Origanum) is home to other herb species that are also referred to as oregano. If you want even more variety of oregano in the bed and on your plate, include the following species and varieties in your planting plan:
Greek Oregano (Origanum heracleoticum)
This oregano has the reputation of having the most intense aroma. It should only be used sparingly to season pizza and other Mediterranean dishes. Greek oregano is a feast for the eyes in the bed when its pink or white flowers contrast with the turquoise-tinged leaves.
Siberian Oregano (Origanum vulgare ssp.)
This type of oregano is also useful as a decorative ground cover. With its cushion-like, compact growth, Siberian oregano transforms the summer garden into a delicate pink sea of flowers. At the same time, this herb plant is particularly hardy and, in mild locations, provides you with fresh spice for your kitchen all year round.
Italian oregano “Supreme” (Origanum species)
The selection has everything a gardener with a passion for Mediterranean cuisine could want. Vigorous, flowery, compact and with the unmistakable oregano taste, this variety should not be missing in any herb bed. With a growth height of up to 70 cm, flowering shoots are ideal as vase decorations, exuding an appetite-stimulating scent throughout the house.
Oregano “Hot and Spicy” (Origanum x majoricum)
If you can't get spicy and peppery enough on your plate, grow this oregano variety for die-hard herb fans. The soft, hairy leaves and delicate pink flowers don't reveal how spicy they are. Very brave home gardeners bite into the freshly plucked leaves in advance to experience the concentrated load of intensive herbal power. However, Hot an Spicy only unfolds its culinary magic when combined with other ingredients for pizza or salsa.
Conclusion
With its tart, spicy aroma, oregano brings the sun of Italy directly from the herb garden into the cooking pot at home. To ensure that the Mediterranean spice and medicinal herb meets the highest expectations, it is picked at the best harvest time from June to September. Since dost is in full bloom at this time, this dispels any doubts about its edibility when it blooms. In fact, the flowers are just as edible as the rich leaves. To obtain a premium quality harvest, oregano gardeners spray the bush the evening before. The harvest itself ideally takes place in the early hours of the morning. Instead of picking off individual leaves, cut off two-thirds of entire branches. The scissors are placed just above a branch so that the bush can sprout again.
